STEEL ALLOY, A HOLDER OR A HOLDER DETAIL FOR A PLASTIC MOULDING TOOL, A TOUGH HARDENED BLANK FOR A HOLDER OR HOLDER DETAIL, A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A STEEL ALLOY

摘要

A steel alloy suitable for holders and holder details for plastic moulding tools contains in weight-%: 0.08 - 0.19 C, 0.05 - 0.20 N, wherein the total amount of C + N shall satisfy the condition, 0.16 ≤ C + N ≤ 0.28, 0.1 - 1.5 Si, 0.1 - 2.0 Mn, 13.0 - 15.4 Cr, 0.01 - 1.8 Ni, 0.01 1.3 Mo, optionally vanadium up to max. 0.7 V, optionally sulphur in amounts up to max. 0.25 S and optionally also calcium and oxygen in amounts up to max. 0.01 (100 ppm) Ca and max. 0.01 (100 ppm) O, in order to improve the machinability of the steel, balance iron and unavoidable impurities. The steel alloy shall have a microstructure which in tough hardened condition comprises a martensitic matrix containing up to 30 vol-% ferrite, and having a hardness in its tough hardened condition between 290 - 352 HB. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing said holders or holder details for plastic moulding tools as well as the holders or holder details themselves.