Materials Used in Hydraulic Press Tooling

In a hydraulic press, fluid is continuously passed between two cylinders, eventually creating pressure that is then transferred onto an anvil, baseplate or die.

Hydraulic presses are widely used for compressing powder into compacted particles - this process is known as powder compaction and it's an invaluable aid to engineers and scientists creating new composite materials.

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is one of the world's most beloved and commonly utilized metal alloys. It serves as a cornerstone in many industries, having been utilized in some of the world's tallest buildings for decades.

High carbon steel has superior tensile strength, making it popular in the manufacture of cutting tools, blades, punches, dies, springs and wire. Furthermore, due to its resistance to rust and toughness it finds many applications within industry.

Medium carbon steel is easier to machine and heat treat for hardness and tempering, making it an ideal material for structural applications such as buildings, bridges, axles, gears, shafts, rails and pipelines.

Low carbon steel is typically manufactured into flat-rolled sheets and strips for shipbuilding, wire, vehicle bodies, and domestic appliances. Due to its inert nature, heat treatment cannot alter it; hence it's often employed in fabrication and panelling projects.

Low-Alloy Steel

Alloy steel is a type of steel alloyed with various elements such as carbon, nickel, chromium, molybdenum and manganese to improve its properties. These alloying elements are added to the metal in order to increase strength, hardness, ductility and corrosion resistance.

Low-alloy steels contain a small percentage of alloying elements such as chromium, nickel and molybdenum (usually between 1% and 5%).

These steels can be employed in a variety of applications. They're frequently utilized in the production of ships, pipelines, pressure vessels and structural steel.

Steels of this type typically undergo heat treatment, normalizing and tempering. While they are weldable, some require pre- or post-weld treatments in order to prevent cracking.

Low-alloy steel such as 4140 is a common example, commonly used in power steering joints and other gears. It has many applications across various industries and can be heat-treated using various manufacturing processes.

High-Alloy Steel

Alloy steel is a type of metal alloyed with several elements to increase strength, hardness and wear resistance. These elements include molybdenum, manganese, nickel, chromium and vanadium.

Alloy metals are more resistant to oxidation and corrosion than other types of steel, as well as being stronger under shock loads and high-temperature stress.

High-alloy steels have many applications in industrial settings, such as aircraft, military vehicles and construction equipment. Their strong machinability and affordability make them popular choices for many companies.

High-alloy tool steel production is a complex process that involves powder metallurgy and hot isostatic pressing to achieve uniform distribution of eutectic carbide particles within the matrix. This results in a segregation-free steel suitable for complex or unconventional tool geometries.

When welding high-alloy steel, it is essential to use the correct welding process. Common techniques for high-alloy steel include gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and flux cored arc welding (FCAW). It is best to select a welder who has experience working with these materials.

Steel-Bonded Cemented Carbide

Steel-bonded cemented carbide is an extremely hard material with excellent strength and wear resistance, which can be cut, welded and forged. Its tensile strength exceeds that of high-speed tool steel but its bending strength falls short.

In hydraulic press tooling, cemented carbide is often combined with a hardened steel body. This hybrid structure creates tools with one part made of cemented carbide and the rest made up of hardened steel.

Cemented carbide tools require complex welding and joining processes, such as laser beam, tungsten inert gas (TIG), diffusion, and friction welding. Although these processes can be challenging to execute, they are necessary for creating cemented carbide tools. Successful joint design plays a significant role in these procedures - section thickness, seam placement, geometry of parts and restraint of welded joint.