Our Blog

1.2316 Steel Machining: Prehardened Cutting & Tool Guide

Buying mold steel is only the first step. Proper machining decides mold quality and delivery time. 1.2316 steel machining in prehardened condition (28-34 HRC) has special rules. It is harder than annealed stock and softer than fully quenched steel. Martensitic stainless steel also work-hardens faster than regular carbon steel. This guide covers complete cutting parameters and common fixes for CNC milling, drilling, tapping, EDM and wire cutting.

Table of Content

Hot product

1.2316 Steel Machining
1.2316 Steel Machining
1.2316 milling service
1.2316 milling service
1.2316 material milled surface
1.2316 material milled surface
DIN 1.2316
DIN 1.2316
1.2316 steel turned bar
1.2316 steel turned bar
1.2316 Special Steel
1.2316 Special Steel
1.2316 steel milled surface
1.2316 steel milled surface

CNC Milling for 1.2316 Steel: Tools, Parameters & Cooling

 
Tool choice matters most for machining 28-34 HRC 1.2316 steel. Use solid carbide cutters coated with TiAlN or AlCrN. These coatings have low friction and high heat resistance, greatly extending tool life. Uncoated high-speed steel cutters wear out quickly on this hardness level.
 

Cutting Settings

 
  • Rough Milling: Cutting speed Vc 80-100 m/min, feed per tooth fz 0.08-0.15 mm/tooth, axial depth ap 1-3 mm, radial depth ae 40-60% of tool diameter
  • Finish Milling: Cutting speed Vc 100-150 m/min, feed per tooth fz 0.05-0.10 mm/tooth, axial depth ap 0.1-0.5 mm
     
    Coolant supply must be full. DIN 1.2316 transfers heat poorly (25 W/(m·K)). Local high heat creates a hardened surface layer with 3-5 HRC hardness rise, which wears cutter edges fast. Use soluble oil coolant with flow over 10 L/min.
 

Drilling & Tapping for 1.2316 Mold Steel: Low Speed & High Torque

 
Drilling and tapping cause most workshop issues, such as broken drills stuck inside holes.
 

Drilling Rules

 
Use cobalt HSS or solid carbide drills with 130-140° point angle (larger than standard 118° for lower thrust). Cutting speed 15-25 m/min (60% of carbon steel speed), feed rate 0.05-0.15 mm/rev. For holes deeper than 5× drill diameter, use peck drilling to clear chips and avoid breakage.
 

Tapping Rules

 
Spiral flute or spiral point taps work best for smooth chip removal. Cutting speed 3-6 m/min. Tap drill hole size 0.05-0.10 mm bigger than for carbon steel, to fit material work-hardening. Use heavy-duty extreme-pressure tapping oil; never tap dry. Control depth for blind holes—torque spikes sharply when tap hits hole bottom.
Machining TypeRecommended ToolCutting SpeedFeed RateCooling / Lubrication
Rough MillingTiAlN Coated Carbide80-100 m/min0.08-0.15 mm/tSoluble oil ≥10 L/min
Finish MillingAlCrN Coated Carbide100-150 m/min0.05-0.10 mm/tSoluble oil ≥10 L/min
DrillingHSS-Co / Solid Carbide15-25 m/min0.05-0.15 mm/revSoluble oil
TappingSpiral Flute Tap3-6 m/min—Extreme-pressure tapping oil

 

EDM Machining of 1.2316 Steel: Parameters & Post Treatment

 
EDM is widely used to make precise mold cavities from 1.2316 steel.
 
  • Rough EDM: Peak current Ip 10-30A, pulse on time Ton 50-200μs. Copper electrodes are preferred for good heat transfer and low wear; graphite electrodes work with slightly higher loss.
  • Finish EDM: Peak current Ip 1-5A, pulse on time Ton 5-20μs, surface roughness Ra 1.6-3.2μm.
     
    Key risk: EDM creates a thin white recast layer (0.01-0.03 mm thick) with tensile stress and tiny cracks. After EDM, carry out stress relief temper at 200°C for 2 hours with slow furnace cooling, or grind off the white layer with fine stones. Skipping this step leads to mold cracking during mass production. Martensitic stainless 1.2316 is far more sensitive to residual stress than P20 steel.
 

WEDM Wire Cutting for 1.2316 Steel & Post Processing

 
Wire cut WEDM cuts plate outlines and roughs out mold cavities.
 
  • Rough cut: Wire speed 8-12 m/min, current 3-5A
  • Finish skim cut: Wire speed 4-6 m/min, current 1-2A, 2-3 skim passes for smooth surface
     
    Like EDM, WEDM leaves white recast layer and residual stress. Stress relief temper at 200°C × 2 hours or leave 0.02-0.05 mm polishing stock to remove the layer.
     
    Note: Wire cutting prehardened 1.2316 lowers hardness by 1-3 HRC in the heat-affected zone 5-10 mm beside cuts, which affects precision molds. This issue does not appear on annealed 1.2316, as it will be fully quenched and tempered later.

FAQ:

Q1: Why do cutters wear extremely fast when machining 1.2316 steel?

A: Check three factors: overly high cutting speed (over 120 m/min speeds up wear), insufficient coolant, or wrong coating (only TiAlN / AlCrN work, TiN is not suitable). If no improvement, test workpiece hardness—stock over 34 HRC needs soft annealing first.

A: Yes. Prehardened 28-34 HRC stock fits surface and cylindrical grinding. Use white alumina WA or CBN wheels with ceramic bond. Grind depth 0.005-0.02 mm per pass with full coolant. Grinding burn (blue-purple discoloration from heat) drops local hardness sharply, caused by deep cuts or weak cooling.

A: Possible but not advised. Complete all machining first → stress relief temper → nitriding. Combined machining and nitriding stress causes heavy distortion on thin walls. Gas nitriding runs at 500-530°C, reaching surface hardness 900-1100 HV.

Conclusion

High-quality molds rely on proper machining of premium steel. If you need advice on 1.2316 cutting parameters, tool selection, EDM or WEDM post-treatment, engineers at Keyspark Steel offer full technical support. We hold end-to-end experience from raw steel to finished molds, solving your real machining troubles beyond material supply.

 

 

📧 Email: Sales@keysparksteel.com
📱 Mobile/WhatsApp: +86 150 2405 6480

Related Posts