Heat Treatment of Mold and Die Steels – The Basics

Mold and die steels can be supplied pre-hardened or in a soft condition to facilitate machining. If machined soft, the steel must be hardened to enable the material to withstand the demands of a production environment. Heat treatment is the process for hardening or altering the internal structure of steels. Several processes can be used to achieve the desired end condition. Once considered an art, heat treatment has been refined by science and technology to a reliable and repeatable industry.