Injection Moulding

In the highly specialised process of injection moulding where heated and plasticised thermoplastic or thermoset material is injected under high pressure into a relatively cool mould cavity to form an object, the choice of the right mould steel plays a significant role in mould performance and the overall production economy.

Desirable properties for quality plastic moulds include high polishability, high corrosion resistance, wear resistance, cracking resistance and high thermal conductivity.

ASSAB’s solutions to these tough demands include Stavax ESR, Mirrax ESR, ASSAB 8407 Supreme, Vidar 1 ESR, Unimax and pre-hardened grades such as Mirrax 40, Nimax, ASSAB 718. In addition we supply BeCu alloy such as ASSAB MM40, which provides unparalleled thermal conductivity resulting in significant reduction in cycle time and improvement in product quality.

Vidar 1 ESR is especially ideal for large moulds requiring a high surface finish, whether polished or etched, and more than meets the standard preferred grade used for automotive lighting. For very high demands on wear resistance, ASSAB’s range of powder metallurgical steel grades is also suitable for plastic moulding.

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POLMAX	Polmax is a through hardening corrosion resistant mould steel with a superior polishability, good corrosion resistance and machinability. Widely used for moulds for lenses, compact discs, memory discs and medical applications. By using Polmax you can achieve an excellent surface finish.
VIDAR 1 ESR	Vidar 1 ESR is a product suitable for both hot work and plastic mould applications, especially large plastic moulds that require good toughness in combination with high surface finish obtained by polishing or texturing. Vidar 1 ESR is an electroslag remelted (ESR) steel which provides reduction of inclusions in the material.
ASSAB 618	ASSAB 618 is a pre-hardened plastic mould steel with good machinability and polishability. ASSAB 618 is DIN standard 1.2738 material.
ASSAB 518	ASSAB 518 is a pre-hardened plastic mould steel with good machinability and polishability. ASSAB 518 is DIN standard 1.2311 material.
CALMAX	Calmax has high toughness, good wear resistance and good polishability. It is a suitable tool for plastic mould applications. Same chemical composition as Carmo but delivered in soft annealed condition.
CALDIE	Caldie is a medium alloyed tool steel suitable for short and medium run tooling in applications where a combination of very high chipping resistance and compressive strength is required. The property profile makes Caldie a robust cold work tool steel for heavy duty blanking and forming of AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steel).
ASSAB 88	ASSAB 88 is a high alloyed tool steel with a very broad property profile. It is also a very good steel for all types of surface treatments. This combination means that ASSAB 88 is an extremely versatile conventional tool steel for medium run cold work tooling. In markets served by Uddeholm, ASSAB 88 is promoted as Sleipner.
ASSAB PM 23 SUPERCLEAN	ASSAB PM 23 SuperClean is powder high speed steel with excellent wear resistance and toughness. ASSAB PM 23 SuperClean is perfect for high volume cold work applications like blanking of harder materials, e.g. carbon steel or cold rolled strip steel. It is also suitable for forming thinner work materials. In markets served by Uddeholm, ASSAB PM 23 SuperClean is promoted as Vanadis 23 SuperClean.
VANADIS 4 EXTRA SUPERCLEAN	Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean is powder tool steel for long run tooling. This is the most versatile PM tool steel on the market today, combining high wear resistance with very good ductility and resistance to chipping of edges. Excellent machinability in both soft and hard condition ensures advantages in both tool making and tool maintenance, where high demands on adhesive wear and chipping resistance are required.
ELMAX SUPERCLEAN	Elmax SuperClean is a powder mould steel characterized by a combination of very good wear resistance, corrosion resistance and dimensional stability. Recommended for long production runs of smaller and complicated shapes and/or reinforced plastics.
ASSAB 618 T	ASSAB 618 T is a pre-hardened plastic mould steel suitable for medium and large tools that require good surface appearance. ASSAB 618 T is a modified grade of DIN standard 1.2738 material.
ASSAB 718 HH	ASSAB 718 HH is a pre-hardened plastic mould steel with very good polishability. ASSAB 718 HH is DIN standard 1.2738 material. In markets served by Uddeholm, ASSAB 718 HH is promoted as Impax HH.
NIMAX	Nimax is a low carbon steel with excellent toughness, machinability and weldability. Nimax also has good polishing and etching properties. This grade provides a minimum risk for unexpected failures due to the high pre-hardened hardness in combination with high toughness.
MIRRAX 40	Mirrax 40 is a pre-hardened corrosion resistant mould steel with very good toughness, good machinability and excellent polishing properties. Mirrax 40 is an electroslag remelted (ESR) steel supplied at hardness level approx 40 HRC.
UNIMAX	Unimax is a high hardness electroslag remelted tool steel which provides great wear resistance even over extended time at elevated temperatures. This product is suitable for coating and nitriding. Unimax performs very well in precision forging, hot stamping and moulding of reinforced plastics.
CORRAX	Corrax is a precipitation hardening steel with superior corrosion resistance and easy to heat treat. Corrax provides good dimensional stability. This product is used both as mould material and engineering material.
ASSAB 2083	ASSAB 2083 is a corrosion resistant mould steel with high wear resistance and good polishability. This grade is produced through conventional production method and for superior polishability we recommend other products in our Stainless Concept series.
STAVAX ESR	Stavax ESR is the most renowned of the ASSAB plastic mould steels. As the core product in the Stainless Concept series it is characterised as a through hardening corrosion resistant mould steel with excellent polishability. Stavax ESR is electro slag remelted in order to further reduce the number of inclusions in the steel.
MIRRAX ESR	Mirrax ESR is a through hardening corrosion resistant steel with very good polishability. ASSAB recommends Mirrax ESR to be used for applications demanding medium to large cross sections. It has a unique combination of toughness, corrosion resistance and through-hardening properties.
ROYALLOY	RoyAlloy is a patented free machining stainless holder steel, which is supplied in prehardened condition. RoyAlloy is designed specifically for plastic moulding applications aiming at providing reduced mould maintenance costs, worry free weld repair, dimensional stability and lower mould production costs.
ASSAB MM 40	ASSAB MM 40 is Beryllium Copper mould alloy supplied at approx 40 HRC. Beryllium Copper alloys are suitable mould materials where a combination of high thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and polishablity is needed.
ASSAB 8407 SUPREME	ASSAB 8407 Supreme is our trusted premium H13 steel for all kinds of hot work tool applications. Proven over and over again ASSAB 8407 Supreme has stood the test of time and remains well known in the tooling industry for its high and reliable performance and ease of maching. In markets served by Uddeholm, ASSAB 8407 Supreme is promoted as Orvar Supreme.
DIEVAR	Dievar is ASSAB’s premium steel developed for the demanding application of High pressure die casting. It is the industry benchmark for as the high performance steel for the longest tool life and lowest crack risks due to its superior toughness and ductility. Apart from die casting it has proven itself as a great tool steel for other applications such as forging, extrusion and hot stamping.