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X40CrMoV5-1 (H13)

Standard hot work die steel H13. Excellent thermal shock resistance and hot hardness. Used for Al die casting, hot forging and extrusion dies.

Tool Steels Hot Work Tool Steel EN / ISOX40CrMoV5-1 DIN1.2344 AISI/SAEH13 ASTMA681 Grade H13 +16
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Description

X40CrMoV5-1 (EN 1.2344 / AISI H13) per EN ISO 4957 is the most widely used hot work tool steel worldwide. Cr-Mo-V composition provides excellent hot hardness (HRC 45+ at 600 C), outstanding thermal shock resistance and good toughness. Industry standard for aluminium and zinc die casting dies, hot forging dies and extrusion dies.

Key Properties β€” Annealed
Hardness
β€” – 235
HB
E (Young's Modulus)
215
GPa
Density
7.76
g/cmΒ³
Main Designations (20)
Standard BodyDesignationCountry / RegionNote
EN / ISO X40CrMoV5-1 EU / International
DIN 1.2344 Germany
AISI/SAE H13 USA
ASTM A681 Grade H13 USA
BS BH13 United Kingdom
JIS SKD61 Japan
GOST 4X5MFS (4Kh5MFS) Russia / CIS
UNI X40CrMoV5 Italy
NF Z40CDV5-01 France
SS 2242 Sweden
PN WCL Poland
CSN 19552 Czech Republic
BOHLER W302 Austria (trade name)
ASSAB 8407 Sweden (trade name)
JUS C.7683 Yugoslavia / Serbia Hot work Cr-Mo-V tool steel; JUS C.B5.080
UNS T20813 USA (UNS)
EN / ISO X40CrMoV5-1 / 1.2344 EU
DIN W.Nr 1.2344 Germany
GOST 4H5MF1S (4Kh5MF1S) Russia
JUS C.7832 Yugoslavia/BiH H13 alatni celik za toplo presovanje; JUS C.B5.050
Standards (20)
#Standard BodyDesignationCountry / RegionNote
1 EN / ISO X40CrMoV5-1 EU / International β€”
2 DIN 1.2344 Germany β€”
3 AISI/SAE H13 USA β€”
4 ASTM A681 Grade H13 USA β€”
5 BS BH13 United Kingdom β€”
6 JIS SKD61 Japan β€”
7 GOST 4X5MFS (4Kh5MFS) Russia / CIS β€”
8 UNI X40CrMoV5 Italy β€”
9 NF Z40CDV5-01 France β€”
10 SS 2242 Sweden β€”
11 PN WCL Poland β€”
12 CSN 19552 Czech Republic β€”
13 BOHLER W302 Austria (trade name) β€”
14 ASSAB 8407 Sweden (trade name) β€”
15 JUS C.7683 Yugoslavia / Serbia Hot work Cr-Mo-V tool steel; JUS C.B5.080
16 UNS T20813 USA (UNS) β€”
17 EN / ISO X40CrMoV5-1 / 1.2344 EU β€”
18 DIN W.Nr 1.2344 Germany β€”
19 GOST 4H5MF1S (4Kh5MF1S) Russia β€”
20 JUS C.7832 Yugoslavia/BiH H13 alatni celik za toplo presovanje; JUS C.B5.050
All values in wt.%
C
Carbon
0.3500 – 0.4200
Si
Silicon
0.8000 – 1.2000
Mn
Manganese
0.2500 – 0.5000
Cr
Chromium
4.8000 – 5.5000
Mo
Molybdenum
1.1000 – 1.7500
V
Vanadium
0.8000 – 1.2000
ElementSymbolMin %Max %Typical %
Carbon C 0.3500 0.4200 0.4000
Silicon Si 0.8000 1.2000 1.0000
Manganese Mn 0.2500 0.5000 0.4000
Chromium Cr 4.8000 5.5000 5.1000
Molybdenum Mo 1.1000 1.7500 1.4000
Vanadium V 0.8000 1.2000 1.0000
Mechanical Properties
ConditionCode Rm min
MPa		Rm max
MPa		 Re min
MPa		Re max
MPa		 Aβ‚… min
%		 Z
%		 KV
J		 HB minHB max HRC minHRC max E
GPa
Annealed +A β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” 235 β€” β€” 215.0
H+T 560 C (primary) H+T560 β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” 48.0 52.0 215.0
H+T 620 C (toughness) H+T620 β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” β€” 42.0 46.0 215.0
Physical Properties
Density
7.760
g/cmΒ³
Melting Point
1340–1400
Β°C
Young's Modulus
215.0
GPa
Poisson's Ratio
0.285
β€”
Thermal Conductivity
25.0
W/mΒ·K
Thermal Expansion
12.00
Γ—10⁻⁢ /K
Specific Heat
460
J/kgΒ·K
Electrical Resistivity
0.6200
¡Ω·m
Magnetic
Yes
 
Heat Treatment
Soft Annealing
Temperature:840Β°C – 880Β°C
Medium:Furnace
Duration:8-12 h
Cooling:<=15 C/h
Hardness After:<=HB 235
Mandatory before machining.
Austenitizing
Temperature:1000Β°C – 1060Β°C
Medium:Vacuum furnace
Duration:30-90 min
Cooling:Gas quench (N2 5-10 bar) or salt bath 520 C
Hardness After:HRC 52-56 before temper
Vacuum + high-pressure gas quench preferred.
Triple Tempering
Temperature:540Β°C – 600Β°C
Medium:Air oven
Duration:3x2h at 560 C (typical)
Cooling:Air cool between
Hardness After:HRC 46-52
Triple temper mandatory.
Nitriding
Temperature:480Β°C – 520Β°C
Medium:Gas (NH3) or plasma
Duration:8-25 h
Cooling:Furnace cool
Hardness After:Surface HV 900-1100; core unchanged
Improves wear and heat checking resistance.
Machinability
Machinability Rating
relative to AISI B1112 = 100%
18.0%
Very Difficult
Turning Speed (HSS)
8
m/min
Turning Speed (Carbide)
55
m/min
Feed Rate (Turning)
0.070
mm/rev
Drilling Speed (HSS)
5
m/min
Milling Speed (Carbide)
55
m/min
CoolantSoluble oil 8-12%; high-pressure preferred
Chip FormationVery short brittle chips
Tool MaterialPremium carbide P10/M10 TiAlN coated (annealed); CBN or grinding (hardened)
Surface FinishRa 0.4-0.8 um
Machine only in soft-annealed condition. EDM widely used for die cavities.
Applications
Die Casting
Aluminium and zinc pressure die casting dies, inserts, cores and slides β€” primary application.
Hot Forging
Drop forging dies for connecting rods, crankshafts and aerospace components.
Hot Extrusion
Extrusion dies and bearings for aluminium sections.
Pressure Die Casting
Aluminium, magnesium and zinc HPDC die inserts -- the primary and dominant H13 application.
Forging Dies
Hot forging dies for aluminium and steel at moderate die life requirements.
Extrusion
Aluminium extrusion die bearings and backer dies.
Plastic Moulds
Injection mould cores for high-volume production where P20 wear life is insufficient.
Technical Notes
βœ…
Premium ESR Quality
For demanding Al die casting dies, specify H13 produced by ESR or VAR. Dramatically improves thermal fatigue life (2-3x longer).
⚠️
Tempering Temperature
NEVER temper H13 below 530 C. Secondary hardness peak at 540-580 C is critical for hot strength.
πŸ’‘
Dominant Hot Work Steel
H13 (X40CrMoV5-1) accounts for approximately 60% of all hot work tool steel usage globally. When a die caster or forge shop says "hot work steel" they almost always mean H13. The answer to "which hot work steel?" is H13 unless there is a specific reason for H11 (better thermal shock) or H21 (copper extrusion temperatures).
βœ…
H13 vs H11
H11 (lower V): better thermal shock resistance, better toughness for cyclic heating. H13 (higher V): better hot wear resistance, better for longer continuous runs at moderate temperature. Die casting inserts: H13 preferred. Aluminium extrusion dies (cyclic thermal shock): H11 preferred.
Hardness vs. Tempering Temperature β€” X40CrMoV5-1 (H13)

Secondary hardness plateau from secondary carbide precipitation. Quenched from 1040 C in high-pressure gas. Three tempers.