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Ultra-premium Industrial Manufacturing Process of 1.2316 Material

Have you ever wondered how a single piece of 1.2316 mold steel transforms from molten steel into the smooth, pre-hardened steel plates and round bars in your hands? And why it stands as an ideal choice for your precision molds and mechanical components. Next, we will break down the 5 key stages of the Manufacturing Process of 1.2316 Material.

DIN 1.2316 tool steel / X36CrMo17 / 3Cr17NiMo is a chromium-molybdenum alloy tool steel, renowned for outstanding corrosion resistance, superior polishing performance and excellent toughness. It is highly favored in the plastic mold industry, ideally suited for applications requiring high surface finish, corrosion resistance and dimensional stability. This material features a pre‑hardened condition, with a typical hardness ranging from 28 to 32 HRC.

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DIN 1.2316 chemical component test
DIN 1.2316 chemical component test
DIN 1.2316 material test
DIN 1.2316 material test
DIN 1.2316 Spectrometer test
DIN 1.2316 Spectrometer test
DIN 1.2316 quality test
DIN 1.2316 quality test

1. Steelmaking

Raw Material Control:

Starting with high-purity raw materials.

 

Impurity control is essential:

 
  • S ≤ 0.003%
     
  • P ≤ 0.025%
 
In the manufacturing process of 1.2316 material, the lower the phosphorus and sulfur content, the higher the purity of the steel. It delivers enhanced toughness and crack resistance, along with stable polishing performance and excellent surface finish in subsequent production procedures.

 

Electric Arc Furnace(EAF):

A good start is half the work. The first step is smelting. At Keyspark Steel, we follow very strict standards for the whole production process of 1.2316 material. We use high-grade Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) for initial melting. The standard chemical content of 1.2316 sets chromium at 15.5–17.5%, molybdenum at 0.80–1.30%, and carbon at 0.33–0.40%. Any value outside the fixed range will make the entire steel batch unqualified.
 
Simply put, it is just like cooking rich broth. Only by fully cleaning out all impurities can a clean, high-quality base be made. Our skilled smelting team uses online testing tools to track molten steel components in real time. Regular sample checks are performed every 15 minutes to keep all key elements within the correct target range.
 

After primary melting, the composition of molten steel basically meets the standards, but it still contains oxygen, hydrogen and inclusions. At this stage, the steel cleanliness only reaches an inclusion rating of 2.0 to 3.0 (ASTM E45), which is far from meeting the requirements for optical molds. Therefore, the manufacturing process of 1.2316 steel must proceed to the next refining stage.

Ladle Furnace (LF):

The second step in the manufacturing process of 1.2316 material is ladle refining. The molten steel is transferred to the ladle refining furnace. With electric heating and slag forming treatment, harmful elements such as sulfur and phosphorus are further reduced. Under standard production procedures, refined 1.2316 steel achieves sulfur content of ≤ 0.010% and phosphorus content below ≤ 0.025%, with the inclusion rating controlled at 1.0-1.5 grade.

Vacuum Degassing（VD）:

Vacuum degassing is applied to thoroughly remove dissolved gases such as hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen from molten steel. Excessively high hydrogen content will cause white spots and internal cracks in steel. After vacuum treatment, the hydrogen content of 1.2316 steel can be controlled within ≤ 2 ppm.

Electroslag Remelting (ESR): The Dividing Line for High-Grade 1.2316 tool steel:

This is the core procedure in the manufacturing process of 1.2316 material. Electroslag Remelting (ESR) processes refined steel ingots into consumable electrodes, which are then immersed in high-temperature molten slag. When electric current is applied, the electrode melts, and molten steel droplets penetrate the slag layer to achieve thorough purification, before solidifying inside a water-cooled crystallizer.
 
What can ESR remove and improve?
  • Inclusion content is reduced by 60–80%. Oxide inclusions such as Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ are absorbed by molten slag, and sulfide inclusions are removed.
  • The size of inclusions is reduced from 20–50μm to ≤ 5μm.
  • The content of hydrogen and oxygen gases is greatly reduced.
  • The longitudinal and transverse properties of the steel become more uniform.
  • The mirror polishing limit is improved from Ra 0.05μm to Ra < 0.01μm.
 

2. Forging / Hot Rolled

Forging:

The thickness or diameter of steel plate or material round bar ≥ 80mm need to be forged. The steel ingot is heated to 1100°C to 1150°C, then repeatedly upset and stretched by a 5000-ton hydraulic press, normally through three upsetting and three stretching operations. This process breaks up the cast structure, refines coarse carbides into fine and evenly distributed particles, and enables uniform carbide dispersion throughout the metal matrix.

cycles of upsetting and drawing:

Hot Rolled:

Plates and round bars with a thickness or diameter ranging from 2mm to 80mm require hot rolling. We process forged billets into finished products such as round steel and steel plates. The entire fabrication process of 1.2316 alloy requires precise control of temperature and time, aiming to refine grains, eliminate internal defects and optimize the material microstructure.

3. Heat Treatment:

The heat treatment is a critical step in the manufacturing process of 1.2316 material. With precisely controlled annealing, quenching and tempering processes, DIN 1.2316 achieves the target hardness range of 28-32 HRC. It ensures perfect hardness uniformity across the entire steel plate, and the hardness deviation between the surface and the core is controlled within 2-3 HRC. This pre-hardened condition allows direct cutting and machining after procurement, while guaranteeing stable and consistent material hardness.

4. Processing and machining:

I. Customized Surface Treatment

We offer a variety of personalized surface finishing services based on the customer’s product application and processing requirements, including black skin, peeled, turned, milled, ground, and polished finishes.

A complete set of refined 1.2316 steel processing procedures ensures precise dimensions, strict tolerance control, low deformation rates, and excellent surface quality, laying a high-quality foundation for subsequent mold processing, mirror polishing, and other techniques.

II. Customized Sawing & Cutting

Precision sawing and cutting are performed according to the customer’s specified lengths, with the length tolerance strictly controlled within +2/+5 mm.

III. Straightening Treatment

For large-sized plates, flat bars, and round bars, a professional hydraulic straightening machine is used for calibration and shaping. The straightness tolerance of the steel is controlled within ≤ 1 mm/m, effectively preventing material bending and deformation.

5. Ex-factory inspection

This is the final and most critical stage in the manufacturing process of 1.2316 material. Keyspark Steel conducts the following inspections for every batch of 1.2316 material before ex-factory delivery(Here is the more detailed 1.2316 Steel Test, if you want to learn more):

  • Chemical Composition Inspection: Full-range testing via direct reading spectrometer. Actual measured data is provided for seven elements including C, Cr, Mo, Mn, Si, P and S.
  • Hardness Inspection: Multi-point testing on each bar or block with no fewer than 5 testing points, and a hardness uniformity report is issued.
  • Ultrasonic Testing: 100% ultrasonic inspection (UT) for large-section steel to detect internal defects such as shrinkage cavities, cracks and inclusions, complying with D/d grade standards. E/e grade can be achieved if the ESR process is adopted.
  • Dimensional Inspection: Double verification with vernier calipers and coordinate measuring machines to ensure all shipping specifications comply with order requirements.
  • Issuance of official MTC certification.

How Does Keyspark Steel Supply 1.2316 Material?

Stock Availability

 
Round bar: Diameter Φ2–Φ80 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
 
Flat bar: Thickness 2–80 mm, width 210–610 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
 
Steel plate: Thickness 2–80 mm, width 1000–2000 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
 

Custom Production (Lead Time: 50–60 Days)

 
Round bar: Diameter Φ≥80 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
 
Flat bar: Thickness ≥80 mm, width 210–810 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
 
Steel plate: Thickness ≥80 mm, width 1000–2000 mm, length 3000–5800 mm or custom fixed length.
📋 All you need to do is tell us your application and requirements.
 
🆓 We will help you determine if Grade 1.2316 alloy steel is the best choice. If not, we will directly advise you on a better solution. This evaluation is free of charge.
 

🏭 Keyspark Steel has specialized in special steel for 20 years, with an annual supply capacity of over 50,000 tons.

 

⚙️ We are equipped with a 5,000-ton heavy press, 12 precision heat treatment furnaces, 4 vacuum annealing furnaces, and more than 20 milling, turning and grinding machines.

 
✅ We support customized ESR process of 1.2316 stainless steel. Every batch is supplied with test reports. You buy with clarity and use with confidence.

📩 Contact us now if you need →

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

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