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This information is based on our present state of knowledge and is intended to provide general notes on our products and their uses.
It should not therefore be construed as a warranty of specific properties of the products described or a warranty for fitness for a particular purpose.
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
Contents
Introduction ............................................. 3
The basic principles of EDM ..................... 3
The effects of the EDM process
on tool steels ........................................... 3
Measuring the effects .............................. 5
Achieving best tool performance ............. 8
Polishing by EDM .................................... 10
Summary ................................................ 10
2
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
3
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
Rehardened layer
Tempered layer
Unaffected matrix
200 X
Typical hardness distribution
in the surface layer.
Austenitizing Tempering
Time 20 min Time 2 x 30 min Hardness
Steel grade AISI Temperature Temperature Hardened Annealed
°C °F °C °F HRC HB
Measuring Thickness µm
80
the effects 60
Graphite electrode
The thicknesses of the heat-affected Fig. 4a. Layer thicknesses and fissure
40 Melted zone frequency in the surface layer in
zones have been measured. The hard-
20 electrical discharge machining of
nesses in these zones have also been Hardended zone
hardened (52 HRC) Orvar Supreme at
measured, as have crack frequencies 0
Matrix different pulse durations.
and crack depths. Strength values
100 200 500 1000 t µ sec
i
have been obtained through bending 21 25 43(A)
tests. – – 3(B)
– – –(C)
The layer thicknesses appear to be
largely independent of both steel grade No. of cracks per cm: (A) in melted zone
and electrode material. On the other (B) in hardened zone
(C) in matrix
hand, there is a definite difference be-
tween the specimens which have been
Thickness µm
hardened and those which were in the
softannealed condition. Fig. 4 shows, in Graphite electrode
60
the form of graphs, the layer thicknesses
and fissure frequency with different 40
pulse durations for Orvar Supreme. 20 Melted zone Fig. 4b. As above, but for electrical
In the annealed material, the zones Hardended zone discharge machining of Orvar
0
are thinner and the fissures fewer. The Matrix Supreme in the annealed condition.
brittle, hardened zone is scarcely present 100 200 500 1000 t µ sec
i
at all (Fig. 4b). 5 19 15(A)
– – –(B)
The layer thicknesses can vary consid- – – –(C)
erably, from 0 µm to maximum values
No. of cracks per cm: (A) in melted zone
slightly below the Rmax specified in the (B) in hardened zone
machining directions. In the rough- (C) in matrix
machining stages (ti ≥100µ sec), the
thicknesses of the layers vary far more
substantially than in the fine-machining
stages.
5
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
6
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
1000
800
600
400
Hardness immediately
after EDM
200 Hardness after Fig. 9. Typical hardness distribution in
retempering
hardened Sverker 21 immediately after
EDM and then after re-tempering.
0
0 50 100 150 µm
7
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
600
Fine spark-machined
Fine spark-machined
400
300 A Conventional machining
Stress-relieved
Stress-relieved
8
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
WIRE EDM in the centre and are in opposition to In certain cases the risk can be
The observation made about the EDM each other. During the wire erosion reduced through different precautions.
surface in earlier pages are also mostly process a greater or lesser amount of 1: To lower the overall stress level in
applicable to the wire EDM-process. steel is removed from the heat-treated the part by tempering at a high tem-
The affected surface layer, however, is part. Where a large volume of steel is perature. This assumes the use of a steel
relatively thin (<10 µm) and can be removed, this can sometimes lead to grade with high resistance to temper-
compared more to “fine-sparking” distortion or even cracking of the part. ing.
EDM. Normally there are no observable The reason is that the stress balance in 2: By drilling several holes in the area
cracks in the eroded surface after wire the part is disturbed and tries to reach to be removed and to connect them by
erosion. But in certain cases another an equilibrium again. The problem of saw-cutting, before hardening and
problem has been experienced. crack formation is usually only encoun- tempering. Any stresses released during
After heat treating a through harden- tered in relatively thick cross section, heat treatment are then taken up in the
ing steel the part contains high stresses e.g. over 50 mm (2") thick. With such pre-drilled and sawn areas, reducing or
(the higher the tempering temperature, heavier sections, correct hardening and eliminating the risk of distortion or
the lower the stresses). These stresses double tempering is important. cracking during wire-erosion. Fig. 13
take the form of tensile stresses in the illustrates how such pre-cutting may be
surface area and compressive stresses done.
9
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
WIRE EROSION
OF CUTTING PUNCHES
Summary The difference in bending strength
between rough-spark-machined and
In summing up it can be said that prop- fine-spark-machined test pieces is
When producing a cutting punch by
erly executed electrical discharge ma- largely due to the difference in the
wire erosion, it is recommended (as
chining, using a rough and a fine ma- distribution of the cracks and to the
with conventional machining) to cut it
chining stage in accordance with the presence of the in spots distributed
with the grain direction of the tool steel
manufacturer’s instruction, eliminates white layer on the fine-spark-machined
stock in the direction of the cutting
the surface defects obtained in rough specimens. The rougher surface finish of
action. This is not so important when
machining. Naturally, certain structural the rough-machined specimen has not
using PM steels due to their non-direc-
effects will always remain, but in the really been significant. Regardless of
tional grain structure.
vast majority of cases these are insig- circumstances, such surface irregulari-
nificant, provided that the machining ties are relatively harmless as crack
process has otherwise been normal. initiators compared with the solidifica-
Polishing by EDM Structural effects, more-over, need not tion cracks. During the polishing of the
Today some manufacturers of EDM- necessarily be regarded as entirely fine-machined test piece which was
equipment offer, by a special technique, negative. In certain cases the surface carried out, the depth of the white and
possibilities to erode very fine and structure, i.e. the rehardened layer, rehardened layer was merely reduced
smooth surfaces. It is possible to reach has—on account of its high hardness— and not completely eliminated.
the surface finish of about 0,2–0,3 µm. improved the resistance of the tool to Further polishing would probably
Such surfaces are sufficient for most abrasive wear. In other cases it has been result in complete restoration of the
applications. The greatest advantages found that the cratered topography of bending strength. Highly stressed tools
are when complicated cavities are in- the surface is better able to retain lubri- and parts thereof, e.g. very thin sections
volved. Such cavities are difficult, time cant than conventional surfaces, result- that are far more liable to bending, can
consuming and therefore expensive to ing in a longer service life. If difficulties justify an extra finishing operation.
polish manually, but can be conven- in connection with the working per- The lower the hardness in the matrix,
iently done by the EDM- machine during formance of spark-machined tools the less sensitive the material will be to
a night-shift, for example. should arise, however, there are some adverse effects on the strength as a
Investigations made on our grades relatively simple extra operations that result of electrical discharge machining.
Impax Supreme, Orvar Supreme, Stavax can be employed, as indicated above. Lowering of the hardness level of the
ESR and Rigor show that the hard re- A slightly striped appearance has entire tool can, therefore, be another
melted white layer produced is very thin been re-ported in materials rich in car- alternative.
and equal in the these grades. The thick- bides, such as high-carbon cold-work
ness is about 2–4 µm. Since there is no steels and high-speed steels, where
sign of any heat-affected layer, the in- there is always a certain amount of
fluence of the EDM on mechanical prop- carbide segregation or in material with
erties is negligible. high sulphur content.
10
EDM OF TOOL STEEL
UDDEHOLM EUROPE GREECE SLOVENIA UDDEHOLM
UDDEHOLM STEEL TRADING UDDEHOLM Italia S.p.A. SOUTH AMERICA
AUSTRIA COMPANY Via Palizzi, 90
UDDEHOLM 20, Athinon Street I-20157 Milano ARGENTINA
Hansaallee 321 G-Piraeus 18540 Telephone: +39 02 35 79 41 UDDEHOLM S.A
D-40549 Düsseldorf Telephone: +30 2 10 41 72 109/41 29 820 Telefax: +39 02 390 024 82 Mozart 40
Telephone: +49 211 535 10 Telefax: +30 2 10 41 72 767 1619-Centro Industrial Garin
Telefax: +49 211 535 12 80 SPAIN Garin-Prov. Buenos Aires
SKLERO S.A. UDDEHOLM
Steel Trading Comp. and Telephone: +54 332 744 4440
BELGIUM Guifré 690-692 Telefax: +54 332 745 3222
UDDEHOLM N.V. Hardening Shop E-08918 Badalona, Barcelona
Waterstraat 4 Frixou 11/Nikif. Ouranou Telephone: +34 93 460 1227 BRAZIL
B-9160 Lokeren G-54627 Thessaloniki Telefax: +34 93 460 0558 UDDEHOLM ACOS ESPECIAIS Ltda.
Telephone: +32 9 349 11 00 Telephone: +30 31 51 46 77 Estrada Yae Massumoto, 353
Telefax: +32 9 349 11 11 Telefax +30 31 54 12 50 Branch office
CEP 09842-160
UDDEHOLM
HUNGARY Sao Bernardo do Campo - SP Brazil
CROATIA Barrio San Martin de Arteaga, 132
Telephone: +55 11 4393 4560, -4554
BOHLER UDDEHOLM Zagreb UDDEHOLM TOOLING/BOK Pol.Ind. Torrelarragoiti
Dunaharaszti, Jedlik Ányos út 25 Telefax: +55 11 4393 4561
d.o.o za trgovinu E-48170 Zamudio
Zitnjak b.b H-2331 Dunaharaszti 1.Pf. 110 (Bizkaia)
10000 Zagreb Telephone/Telefax: +36 24 492 690 Telephone: +34 94 452 13 03
Telephone: +385 1 2459 301 Telefax: +34 94 452 13 58
UDDEHOLM
Telefax: +385 1 2406 790
ITALY SOUTH AFRICA
UDDEHOLM Italia S.p.A. SWEDEN UDDEHOLM Africa (Pty) Ltd.
CZECHIA Via Palizzi, 90 UDDEHOLM TOOLING P.O. Box 539
BOHLER UDDEHOLM CZ s.r.o. I-20157 Milano SVENSKA AB ZA-1600 Isando/Johannesburg
Division Uddeholm Telephone: +39 02 35 79 41 Aminogatan 25 Telephone: +27 11-974 2781
U silnice 949 Telefax: +39 02 390 024 82 SE-431 53 Mölndal Telefax: +27 11-392 2486
161 00 Praha 6 Ruzyne Telephone: +46 31 67 98 50
Czech Republic
LATVIA
UDDEHOLM TOOLING AB Telefax: +46 31 27 02 94
Telephone: +420 233 029 850,8 UDDEHOLM
Deglava street 50 SWITZERLAND
Telefax: +420 233 029 859
LV-1035 Riga HERTSCH & CIE AG AUSTRALIA
DENMARK Telephone: +371 7 701 983, -981, -982 General Wille Strasse 19 BOHLER-UDDEHOLM Australia
UDDEHOLM A/S Telefax: +371 7 701 984 CH-8027 Zürich 129-135 McCredie Road
Kokmose 8, Bramdrupdam Telephone: +41 1 208 16 66 Guildford NSW 2161
LITHUANIA
DK-6000 Kolding Telefax: +41 1 201 46 15 Private Bag 14
UDDEHOLM TOOLING AB
Telephone: +45 75 51 70 66 Telephone: +61 2 9681 3100
BE PLIENAS IR METALAI HANS KOHLER AG
Telefax: +45 75 51 70 44 Telefax: +61 2 9632 6161
T. Masiulio 18b Claridenstrasse 20
ESTONIA LT-3014 Kaunas CH-8002 Zürich Branch offices
UDDEHOLM TOOLING AB Telephone: +370 37 370613, -669 Telephone: +41 1 207 11 11 Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide,
Silikatsiidi 7 Telefax: +370 37 370300 Telefax: +41 1 207 11 10 Brisbane, Perth, Newcastle,
EE-0012 Tallinn Launceston, Albury, Townsville
THE NETHERLANDS
Telephone: +372 655 9180
UDDEHOLM B.V.
Telefax: +372 655 9181
Isolatorweg 30 UDDEHOLM
ASSAB
FINLAND NL-1014 AS Amsterdam NORTH AMERICA
OY UDDEHOLM AB Telephone: +31 20 581 71 11 ASSAB INTERNATIONAL
Ritakuja 1, PL 57, Telefax: +31 20 684 86 13 USA Skytteholmsvägen 2
FIN-01741 VANTAA UDDEHOLM P O Box 42
NORWAY 4902 Tollview Drive
Telephone: +358 9 290 490 SE-171 11 Solna
UDDEHOLM A/S Rolling Meadows IL 60008
Telefax: +358 9 2904 9249 Sweden
Jernkroken 18 Telephone: +1 847 577 22 20 Telephone: +46 8 564 616 70
FRANCE Postboks 85, Kalbakken Telefax: +1 847 577 80 28
N-0902 Oslo Telefax: +46 8 25 02 37
UDDEHOLM S.A.
12 Rue Mercier, Z.I. de Mitry-Compans Telephone: +47 22 91 80 00 UDDEHOLM Subsidiaries
F-77297 Mitry Mory Cedex Telefax: +47 22 91 80 01 548 Clayton Ct., India, Iran, Turkey, United Arab
Telephone: +33 (0)1 60 93 80 10 Wood Dale IL 60191 Emirates
POLAND Telephone: +1 630 350 10 00
Telefax: +33 (0)1 60 93 80 01 Distributors in
INTER STAL CENTRUM Telefax: +1 630 350 08 80
Branch office Sp. z.o.o./Co. Ltd. Africa, Latin America, Middle East
UDDEHOLM
UDDEHOLM S.A. Dziekanow Polski, ul. Kolejowa 291, ASSAB PACIFIC
9331 Santa Fe Springs Road
77bis, rue de Vesoul PL-05-092 Lomianki ASSAB Pacific Pte. Ltd
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
La Nef aux Métiers Telephone: +48 22 751 5675 171, Chin Swee Road
Telephone: +1 562 946 65 03
F-25000 Besançon Telefax: +48 22 751 5670 No. 07-02, San Centre
Telefax: +1 562 946 77 21
Telephone: +33 381 53 12 19 Singapore 169877
Telefax: +33 381 53 13 20
PORTUGAL UDDEHOLM
F RAMADA Aços e Industrias S.A. Telephone: +65 534 56 00
7900 Hub Parkway Telefax: +65 534 06 55
GERMANY P.O. Box 10 Cleveland OH 44125
UDDEHOLM P-3881 Ovar Codex Telephone: +1 216 524 87 70 Subsidiaries
Hansaallee 321 Telephone: +351 56 58 61 11 Telefax: +1 216 642 10 42 China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan,
D-40549 Düsseldorf Telefax: +351 56 58 60 24 Korea, Malaysia, Philippine Islands,
Telephone: +49 211 535 10 CANADA Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand
Telefax: +49 211 535 12 80
ROMANIA
UDDEHOLM LIMITED
BÖHLER Romania SRL
Branch offices 2595 Meadowvale Blvd.
Uddeholm Branch
UDDEHOLM Mississauga, Ontario L5N 7Y3
Str. Atomistilor Nr 14A
Falkenstraße 21 Telephone: 905 812 9440
077125 Magurele Jud Ilfov
D-65812 Bad Soden/TS. Telefax: 905 812 8659
Telephone: +40 214 575007
Telephone: +49 6196 659 60 Telefax: +40 214 574212 MEXICO
Telefax: +49 6196 659 625 UDDEHOLM
RUSSIA
UDDEHOLM Calle Ocho no 2, Letra "C"
UDDEHOLM TOOLING CIS
Albstraße 10 Fracc. Industrial Alce Blanco
25 A Bolshoy pr PS
D-73765 Neuhausen 53370 Naucalpan de Juarez
197198 St. Petersburg
Telephone: +49 715 898 65-0 Estado de Mexico
Telephone: +7 812 233 9683
Telefax: +49 715 898 65-25 Telephone: +52 5-576 5422
Telefax: +7 812 232 4679
Telefax: +52 5-576 2139
GREAT BRITAIN, IRELAND SLOVAKIA
UDDEHOLM UK LIMITED UDDEHOLM
UDDEHOLM Slovakia Lerdo de Tejada No.542
European Business Park Nástrojové ocele, s.r.o
Taylors Lane, Oldbury Colonia Las Villas
KRÁCINY 2 66420 San Nicolas de Los Garza, N.L.
West Midlands B69 2BN 036 01 Martin
Telephone: +44 121 552 55 11 Telephone: +52 8-352 5239
Telephone: +421 842 4 300 823 Telefax: +52 8-352 5356
Telefax: +44 121 544 29 11 Telefax: +421 842 4 224 028
Dublin Telephone: +353 1 45 14 01
When the first idea pops into your head, throughout the development
process to the release of the new product, we’ll be your partner.
As the world’s leading supplier of tooling materials and related services,
we can be trusted. Meet us under the Uddeholm and ASSAB brands,
wherever in the world you have your business. 11
Edition: 2, 01.2005