DIN 1.2738 Tool Steel – The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In case you’re torn between choosing between DIN 1.2738 tool steel and another type of tool steel, we got you! For today’s guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about 1.2738 tool steel, from what it is, its characteristics, its applications and benefits, and many more!

As a bonus, we’ll even educate you on how you can land on working with the best DIN 1.2738 tool steel manufacturer.

Is DIN 1.2738 Tool Steel Hot Work or Cold Work Tool Steel?

DIN 1.2738 tool steel is a type of cold work tool steel. It’s actually an equivalent tool steel to the American Iron and Steel Institute’s or AISI’s P20 + Ni tool steel.

Image of DIN 1.2738 steels stacked up against each other

This particular tool steel is known for its application of being used in the plastic mold industry. You usually use it for big steel mold parts because of its high malleability and ductility and resistance to temperature.

What is 2311?

DIN 1.2311 is known as the pre-hardened plastic mold steel. It possesses good machinability and shaping properties.

Image example of a 2311 steel

Its connection to the DIN 1.2738 is popular because 1.2738 is considered to be the upgraded and the advanced version of the 2311 steel.

What are the Characteristics of DIN 1.2738 Steel?

High level of hardenability of DIN 1.2738

You’ll better understand what DIN 1.2738 steel when you know of these traits and characteristics:

• Possesses low toughness but high levels of polishing
• Must be used directly following pre-hardening as it can assure good usability
• Deformation can occur if used a long time after pre-hardening
• It is the widely used plastic mold steel
• Has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties
• High hardenability

These are just some of the most notable characteristics of the DIN 1.2738 steel, there are others that you can definitely enjoy and take advantage of.

What are the Supply Shapes Available For DIN 1.2738 Steel?

You can purchase DIN 1.2738 steel in many different supply forms and shapes, namely:

• Plate
• Sheet
• Solid round bar
• Flat bar
• Hexagonal bar
• Square
• Strips
• Wire Rods

NOTE: You can order custom shapes and forms from your 1.2738 tool steel manufacturer. While there are not a lot of suppliers that offer this, try to work with a manufacturer that can give you custom shapes and forms.

1.2738 Tool Steel Equivalent  

The only known equivalent of the DIN 1.2738 steel is the P20+Ni in the AISI standard. No other equivalent steels in other standards have been reported to have the same characteristics of the DIN 1.2738.

What Surface Finishes Can You Have With DIN 1.2738?

Here with us at Waldun Steel, we can offer you a wide array of surface finishes, from your regular black surface steel, to peeled and turned, roughly machined, and many more!

Black surface finish, one of the most common surface finishes

You can even choose to customize the finishing of your 1.2738 steel!

1.2738 vs. 1.2311 Chemical Composition

Now that we know the DIN 1.2311 is somehow a lower version of the 1.2738, how did they differ in terms of chemical composition?

Here’s a table that would help you in differentiating the two.

	Carbon (C)	Nickel (Ni)	Manganese (Mn)	Chromium (Cr)	Molybdenum (Mo)	Silicon (Si)	Sulfur (S)	Phosphorus (P)
1.2738	0.35 to 0.45%	0.90 to 1.20%	1.30 to 1.60%	1.80 to 2.10%	0.15 to 0.25%	0.20 to 0.45%	≤0.030%	≤0.030%
1.2311	0.37 to 0.42%	0.40%	1.40 to 1.60%	1.80 to 2.10%	0.15 to 0.25%	≤0.40%	≤0.005%	≤0.030%

As we can see on the table above, there only are slight differences such as the Silicon level, which is always less than 0.40% for the 2311, the Nickel, as it’s only at 0.40%, and Carbon, where the highest possible content is at 0.42%.

For Which Tools and Plastics Can You Use DIN 1.2738 Tool Steel?

You can use it in tools such as bumpers, dashboards, bottle crates, plastic injection mold cores, etc.  For the plastics, on the other hand, you can find use of it in transparent melts, RIM molding, thermoplastics (PS, PE, and PP), compression molding, and many more!

At What Temperature is DIN 1.2738 Tempered?

The most common used drawing temperatures in tempering DIN 1.2738 is at 180 to 220 degrees Celsius. For the normalizing process, it’s normalized and cooled in a furnace.

Image of how tempering is done for DIN 1.2738

For the tempering of the material, it’s usually tempered quite immediately after hardening and it’s worked on and subjected to the furnace a total of an hour (1 hour) per 20 mm part thickness.

NOTE: The most recommended number of tempering done should be twice (2) for the best experiences.

What is the Hardness of DIN 1.2738?

After annealing, the max hardness that it can have is at HB 235, Q+T – 51~46 HRC.

Does DIN 1.2738 Steel Have Good Machinability Properties?

Yes, DIN 1.2738 is actually better in terms of machinability in comparison to the AISI P20+S or the 1.2312, and P20+Ni (1.2311).

What are the Applications of the DIN 1.2738 Steel?

Some of the most common applications for this particular steel includes measuring instruments, dynamo and transformer sheets, plastic mold processing, and many more!

You’ll make use of DIN 1.2738 in a lot of business sectors and industries – so don’t fret!

Get the Best Quality DIN 1.2738 Steel

Wherever you are in the world, you will never fail in choosing us here at Waldun Steel for the 1.2738 tool steel that you need.

We are known to be the best and the top supplier of 1.2738 steel, and we’re trusted by a lot of businesses and companies worldwide. Over time, we developed strong and stable relationships with our partners and businesses from all around the globe.

You can count on us to help you in producing custom DIN 1.2738 in whatever form, size, and shape you need!

If you’re interested in knowing about how much budget you’ll need for the manufacturing of DIN 1.2738, contact us and we’ll get you a free quote!