Development and Application of a Stainless CrNbMoC Tool Steel

Steels with 15 mass% Cr, 2 mass% Mo and varying contents of C, V, Nb and Ti were investigated by thermodynamic calculations to find a stainless grade promising a wear resistance equal to that of the standard cold work tool steel X153CrMoV12. It was shown that Nb is most suited to form MC carbides for wear resistance thus reducing the content of M₇C₃, which in turn raised the Cr content dissolved in the matrix to a passivating level. Small melts in the vicinity of steel X140CrNbMoTi15‐5‐2 confirmed this concept in respect to hardenability, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. Industrial manufacturing and application of the new grade RN15X® will be discussed.