STAINLESS STEEL AND TOOL STEEL

Steel is an expansive term. It is a central composition of iron and carbon.  Steel has two popular sub-groups that is tool steels and stainless steel. Both share some common and rare properties.

Tool steel

Tool steel is a steel alloy, specifically manufactured into tools. It has a distinct hardness, abrasive resistance and to hold formability at elevated temperatures. It is alloyed with tungsten, chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum. The presence of carbides in austenite will lead to high-temperature performance.

The six tool grades are water hardening, air hardening, D type, oil hardening, shock resisting types, and hot-working.  Tool steels are used for cutting, pressing, and extruding the metals

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is an amalgamation with improved corrosion resistance. It contains chromium, nickel, and molybdenum as alloying agents. Stainless steel is commonly used in the food industry, appliances, surgical equipment, etc.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition is the paramount discriminatory factor between the tool steel and stainless steel. Tool steel contains higher carbon than stainless steel. It is a carbon alloy. The main alloying agents are tungsten, chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum and form carbides in tool steels.

Stainless steel is a chromium-nickel alloy. Other alloying agents are nickel, molybdenum, nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, and titanium.

 

Physical properties

Tool steels exhibit excellent machinability, hardenability, and wear resistance compared to stainless steel.

 Mechanical properties

Modulus of elasticity and tensile strength is higher for tool steel when compared to stainless steel.

Hardenability

The concept of hardenability is to renovate malleability into the hardness of the metal. The hardenability can be explained by carbon concentration and trace elements. Generally, stainless steel can be hardened, but not all grades. Tool steel can be hardened with all types. It can be done by quenching and air cooling.

Applications

Stainless steel is well famed for corrosion resistance and glowing finish. It is widely used in the food industry.

Tool steel is exclusively used for machining and tool making.  The most common applications are knives, stamps, dies, and mold making, etc.

To conclude, stainless steel and tool steels are derivatives of steel. Both are attained with specific qualities and applications.

 

 

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