SKD61 is a widely used hot work die steel with excellent high temperature strength and wear resistance. The standard heating temperature for thermal processing is 1110 1160, the first forging temperature is recommended to be between 1060 and 1150, and the final forging temperature needs to reach 800. In order to ensure a good forging effect, the six-sided forging method is generally recommended, and the forging ratio of the forging billet must be greater than 4.
Ordinary annealing is another important heat treatment method. The implementation of this method requires heating the forged blank to about 845 880, maintaining a holding time of 2 4 hours, then slowly cooling to 500, and finally air cooling out of the furnace. This annealing method helps to eliminate internal stresses, reduce hardness, improve cutting performance, and also prepare for the subsequent heat treatment process.
For mass production blanks, we can use the isothermal spheroidization annealing method. This method is done by gradually heating the blank (3 4 hours at a temperature of about (850 870)), then reducing the temperature to (740 760) and dwell for 4 5 hours at another stage, after which it is gradually cooled to 550 °C. After such treatment, uniform and fine carbides can be obtained, reducing hardness and improving plasticity and toughness.
The combination of quenching and tempering is another heat treatment technique commonly used in SKD61 hot work die steel. Quenching is usually carried out at a high temperature of 1025 1070 and then processed by two temperings. The first tempering temperature is generally 560 °C, and the second tempering temperature is around 580°C. This treatment allows the mold to obtain sufficient strength and durability, while also reducing residual stress and brittleness, and improving toughness and corrosion resistance.
In terms of application, SKD61 die steel is widely used in the production of aluminum alloy die-casting molds, hot heading punches for bearing ring blanks, large and medium-sized aluminum alloy die-casting molds, hot pressing dies, extrusion dies, etc. It is especially suitable for the manufacture of high-life tools such as aluminum, zinc and copper alloy extrusion dies, die-casting dies, hot forging dies and hot shear blades. For small specifications of silver bright steel, it is an ideal material for the production of ejector rods. In the process of use, these molds or tools need to work under the conditions of high hardness and good toughness to ensure high service life and work efficiency.
In general, SKD61 hot work die steel has become an indispensable and important material in many industrial fields due to its excellent comprehensive properties and wide range of applications. With the right selection of heat treatment processes and applications, it can provide excellent performance to meet a variety of production needs.