The Mold Industry of 1.2316 Mold Material

Chemical Composition of 1.2316 Mold Material

The performance of any mold material is determined by its chemical composition. The core advantages of 1.2316 mold material come from four key elements:

• 16-18% Chromium (Cr) forms a protective chromium oxide film that gives it stainless steel properties, which is the fundamental difference from non-stainless mold steel like P20 and 718H.
• 0.80-1.30% Molybdenum (Mo) improves resistance to pitting corrosion, especially when exposed to chloride ion erosion.
• 0.60-1.00% Nickel (Ni) does not raise hardness directly, but greatly boosts material toughness and hardenability, enabling even hardening on thick cross-sections.
• Carbon (C) is kept at a medium level of 0.25-0.35%. This range guarantees hardenability, while avoiding carbide segregation and reduced toughness caused by excessive carbon content.

Where the “Stainless Steel” Feature of 1.2316 Mold Material Comes From

The secret lies in chromium: when steel contains more than 12-13% chromium, a thin, dense, clear Cr₂O₃ passive film only a few nanometers thick will automatically form on its surface like invisible armor, and this film can repair itself quickly within seconds to minutes when scratched as exposed chromium atoms re-oxidize in air, which enables 1.2316 mold material to work reliably long-term in humid workshops and chlorine-containing plastic production; unlike regular mold steel protected by plating or coatings that lose all anti-rust ability once the surface layer cracks, the corrosion resistance of 1.2316 steel is inherent and needs no extra surface treatment.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Choosing 1.2316 Mold Material

From a procurement perspective, mold material selection should not only focus on unit price but calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO). The purchase price of 1.2316 mold material is about 1.5 to 2 times that of P20 (1.2311), yet the overall cost calculation changes completely if corrosion exists in working conditions. A PVC injection mold made of P20 may produce defective parts due to cavity corrosion within six months, requiring production shutdown for repair or direct scrappage; total costs including downtime losses and defective goods expenses will far exceed the price gap of mold materials, while molds built with 1.2316 material can extend service life to 3 to 5 years under the same conditions, delivering lower average cost per molding shot. More importantly, DIN 1.2316 mold material is delivered in pre-hardened condition at 28-34 HRC, ready for machining upon arrival to cut heat treatment time and avoid deformation risks, a hidden cost saving that matters greatly for small and medium mold factories.

Specification Selection & Machining Tips for 1.2316 Mold Material

Specification selection directly affects mold performance and cost when purchasing 1.2316 mold material: hot rolled stock is cost-effective with fast lead time for thickness under 80mm, while forged material with standard triple upsetting and triple drawing process is recommended for thickness over 80mm to guarantee sound core quality. ESR remelted grade is ideal for molds requiring mirror polishing such as transparent PC parts and optical lens molds; despite a 30-50% price premium, it minimizes inclusions and delivers far superior polishing finish. For machining, the pre-hardened 28-34 HRC blank supports direct CNC milling, drilling and EDM, with coated carbide cutting tools suggested and cutting speed set between 80-120 m/min. Low-temperature stress relief tempering at around 200°C for 2 hours is advised after EDM to eliminate stress from the white recast layer and prevent tiny cracks during mold operation.