The manufacturing of precision molds typically involves several processes such as forging, cutting, and heat treatment. To ensure the quality of mold manufacturing and reduce production costs, the material should possess good ductility, machinability, hardenability, quenchability, and grindability. Additionally, it should exhibit low sensitivity to oxidation and decarburization, as well as a tendency to crack during quenching, fulfilling these eight process performance requirements.

1. Ductility

Low hot forging deformation resistance, good plasticity, wide forging temperature range, and low tendency for forge cracking, cold cracking, and network carbide precipitation.

2. Annealing process

Wide spheroidizing annealing temperature range, low annealing hardness with minimal fluctuation, and high spheroidizing rate.

3. Machinability

High cutting allowances, low tool wear, and low surface roughness.

4. Oxidation and decarburization sensitivity

High-temperature heating maintains excellent oxidation resistance, slow decarbonization rate, insensitivity to heating media, and minimal tendency to produce pitting.

5. Hardening capability

The quenched material exhibits a uniform and high surface hardness.

6. Penetration hardness

The quenching process results in a deeper hardened layer, and hardening can be achieved with a milder quenching medium.

7. Quenching distortion and cracking tendency

Conventional quenching exhibits minimal volume change, minor warping and distortion, and a low tendency for abnormal deformation. It has a low sensitivity to cracking during quenching and is not sensitive to quenching temperatures or workpiece shapes.

8. Machinability

The abrasive wheel exhibits low relative wear, high limit of grinding volume without burnishing, is insensitive to the quality of the abrasive wheel and cooling conditions, and is less prone to grinding injury and grinding cracks.