Thermodur 2383 Supercool tool steel from Deutsche Edelstahlwerke allows for efficient press hardening

Deutsche Edelstahlwerke (DEW), a company of The Schmolz + Bickenbach Group, has developed the hot work tool steel Thermodur 2383 Supercool. It combines excellent mechanical properties and wear resistance with outstanding thermal conductivity, the manufacturer states, making it suitable for use in press hardening (hot stamping) tools.

The material offers thermal conductivity of 44 W/(mK) at 100 degrees C. This means a die insert made of this steel can conduct heat from the heated sheet in a controlled manner within a very short time. In addition, the steel is more resilient at consistently high temperatures, which is expressed by the lack of significant loss of hardness, and provides high resistance to thermal shock.