High Duty Tool and Die Steels:

High duty punching tools or dies are made out of a lot of various steels of fairly high alloying contents. High-carbon high-chromium die steel comprises 2% C, 0.3% Mn and 12% Cr. Although extremely hard and unmachinable in its hardened form, minute and large carbide particles get dispersed in ferritic matrix on annealing from 800^oC. In annealed state this steel can be machined along with difficulty. This is a significant requirement since tools and dies have to be machined before they are hardened for final employ.