Introduction of A2:
AISI A2 Tool Steel is one of ‘A’ group cold works steel in ASTM A681 standard. A2 Tool Steel is a versatile, air hardening chromium alloy tool steel that replaces O1 tool steel when safer hardening, less distortion and increased wear resistance are required. AISI type A2 steel is intermediate in wear resistance between O1 oil-hardening tool steel and D2 high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel. AISI Steel A2 is heat treatable and will offer a hardness in the range 57-62 HRC. ASTM grade A2 steel delivers good toughness with medium wear resistance and is relatively easy to machine. Tool Steels A2 are used in many applications which require good wear resistance as well as good toughness.
Application of A2:
AISI A2 tool steel takes a place between AISI O1 and AISI D2, offering an excellent combination of good wear resistance and toughness. It may be regarded, therefore, as a“universal” cold work steel.
For cutting operations the good toughness of AISI A2 steel gives excellent resistance to chipping of the cutting edge. In many cases tools made from this A2 steel have given better tooling economy than high-carbon, high-chromium steels of the D3/ W.-Nr. 2080 type. AISI steel A2 has much better machining and grinding properties
Typical Applications for AISI/ASTM A2 steels materials: Blanking dies, block and ring gauges, coining, cold forming, cold trimming and forming dies, cold shears, rolls, knurls and knurling tools, machine parts, mandrels, punches and punch plates, reamers, shear and slitter blades, stamping dies and threading tapes.
Punches and dies, chuck jaws, cutting tools for woodworking, tooling for plastic injection, dowel pins, hammers, industrial knives, and gage.
Characteristics of A2 Tool Steel:
good machinability
high compressive strength
high dimensional stability after hardening and tempering
Good hardenability, very good non-deforming properties, deep hardening
Good wear resistance
Relevant Steel Specification of A2 Tool Steel:
Country USA German Japan British
Standard ASTM A681 DIN EN ISO 4957 JIS G4404 BS 4659
Grades A2/T30102 1.2363/X100CrMoV5 SKD12 BA2
AISI A2 Tool Steel Chemical Composition & Other Equivalents:
ASTM A681 C Mn P S Si Cr V Mo
A2/T30102 0.95 1.05 0.40 1.00 0.03 0.03 0.10 0.50 4.75 5.50 0.15 0.50 0.90 1.40
DIN ISO 4957 C Mn P S Si Cr V Mo
1.2363/X100CrMoV5 0.95 1.05 0.40 0.80 0.03 0.03 0.10 0.40 4.80 5.50 0.15 0.35 0.90 1.20
JIS G4404 C Mn P S Si Cr V Mo
SKD12 0.95 1.05 0.40 0.80 0.03 0.03 0.10 0.40 4.80 5.50 0.15 0.35 0.90 1.20
BS 4659 C Mn P S Si Cr V Mo
BA2 0.95 1.05 0.30 0.70 0.035 0.035 . . . 0.40 4.75 5.25 0.15 0.40 0.90 1.10
ASTM A2 Tool Steel Mechanical Properties:
Properties Metric Imperial
Hardness, Rockwell C (as air-hardened (63-65 HRC average), 60-62 HRC at 205°C, 59-61 HRC at 260°C, 58-60 HRC at 315°C, 57-59 HRC at 370°C and 425°C and 480°C, 56-58 HRC at 540°C, 50-52 HRC at 595°C, 42-44 HRC at 650°C) 64 64
Bulk modulus (typical for steels) 14
