Corten Steel Plate
Atmospheric corrosion resistant plate that builds its own protective rust instead of paint
Specifications
Alloy Steel Sheet
P20 Pre Hardened Mold Steel for Injection Tooling
Pre-hardened low alloy tool steel that goes straight to machining without heat treatment
P20 mold steel is a low-alloy pre-hardened tool steel used for plastic injection molds, die casting dies and mold frames. The P in P20 stands for plastic, and the grade is specified by moldmakers who need toughness, wear resistance and machinability in the same block, along with hardness retention at elevated working temperatures. Because it arrives pre-hardened, the cavity can be cut, polished and put into the press without a separate hardening cycle, which removes the distortion risk and the queue time that heat treatment adds to a tooling program. It is supplied here in 0-1000mm thickness under the equivalent designations 3Cr2Mo, 1.2311, 618, 718 and 35CrMo7.
- Product Name — P20 Mold Steel
- Grade — P20 1.2311 3Cr2Mo 35CrMo7 618 718
- Steel Type — Low alloy pre-hardened tool steel
- Thickness — 0-1000mm
- Size — Customized size
Why It Is Specified
Key Benefits of P20 Mold Steel
Delivered Pre Hardened Ready to Machine
The steel is supplied in a pre-hardened state and can be used directly for mold processing without heat treatment. That shortens the construction period of the tool and removes a hardening distortion step.
Clean Steel for Polished and Etched Cavities
The steel is pure, which suits plastic molds that have to be polished or etched. Mirror polishing performance is one of the stated advantages of the grade.
Dense Structure After Forging and Rolling
Forging and rolling give a dense structure, and ultrasonic inspection is used to confirm there are no pores. Surface defects are screened before the block is released.
Hardness Held at Working Temperature
P20 retains hardness at elevated temperature, so cavity faces hold their form in hot plastic and die casting duty rather than softening in service.
Five Equivalent Designations From One Block
3Cr2Mo, 1.2311, 618, 718, 35CrMo7 and P20 are quoted from the same material, so a drawing written to any of those callouts can be filled without a substitution argument.
Surface Condition Matched to Your Shop
Blocks are released as raw material, milled or ground. Ordering ground blanks removes the roughing pass from a CNC schedule that is already tight.
Problems It Solves
What This Material Removes From Your Process
Heat Treatment Distorting a Finished Cavity
Hardening after machining moves the geometry and forces rework on a finished cavity. A pre-hardened block is machined to final size at working hardness, so the tool leaves the shop the shape it was cut.
Tooling Lead Time Lost to an Outside Heat Treater
Sending a block out to harden adds transport and queue days to a program that is usually already late. Pre-hardened supply removes that step entirely.
Polishing Defects From Unclean Steel
Pinholes and inclusions show up on a mirror-polished cavity face after hours of polishing labour. Steel that is ultrasonically inspected with no pores or surface defects cuts that scrap risk.
Drawings Written to a Different Standard
A European drawing calling 1.2311 and an Asian drawing calling 35CrMo7 describe the same material. Supplying against all the equivalent designations avoids the substitution approval loop.
Buying Oversized Blocks and Machining Them Down
Cut to size supply against your block list means paying for the block you use instead of the plate it came from.
Application Scenarios
Where It Is Used
Plastic Injection Mold Cavities and Cores
The core application of the grade, where toughness and polishability decide how long a cavity holds surface finish.
Die Casting Dies
Die casting tooling where the steel has to keep hardness while working against molten metal temperatures.
Mold Frames and Bolsters
Frames, bolsters and support plates that carry clamping load and need stable machining behaviour rather than maximum hardness.
Textured and Etched Tooling Faces
Cavities that will be chemically etched for grain patterns, where inclusions in the steel would show as defects in the texture.
Large Blocks for Single Cavity Tools
Thick sections up to 1000mm for single cavity or large part tooling where the block is machined from solid.
Who It Is For
Buyers Who Specify This Product
- Moldmakers buying pre-hardened blocks for plastic injection cavities and cores
- Die casting toolrooms sourcing die blocks that hold hardness at working temperature
- Mold base manufacturers buying plate for frames bolsters and support plates
- CNC machining shops quoting tooling work and needing milled or ground stock to start from
- Tooling buyers matching a drawing written to 1.2311 618 718 3Cr2Mo or 35CrMo7
- Distributors supplying mold steel blocks to regional toolrooms
Technical Data
Specifications and Technical Features
Values below come from the product data published by Shandong Tianyu Metal Products. Confirm the exact grade and size against your order.
| Product Name | P20 Mold Steel |
|---|---|
| Grade | P20 1.2311 3Cr2Mo 35CrMo7 618 718 |
| Steel Type | Low alloy pre-hardened tool steel |
| Thickness | 0-1000mm |
| Size | Customized size |
| Technique | Annealed quenched and tempered |
| Surface | Raw material milling grinding |
| Application | Plastic molds and mold frames |
| Processing Service | Bending welding decoiling cutting punching |
| Place of Origin | China |
| Sample | Available |
| Certificate | Mill test certificate |
Technical Features
- Grades P20 1.2311 3Cr2Mo 35CrMo7 618 and 718
- Thickness 0-1000mm with customized size
- Delivered annealed or quenched and tempered
- Pre-hardened state usable without further heat treatment
- Surface as raw material milled or ground
- Ultrasonic inspection with no pores and no surface defects
- Processing available for bending welding decoiling cutting and punching
- Mill test certificate issued with the order
Materials
- Low alloy pre-hardened plastic mold steel in the P20 family
- Chromium molybdenum alloyed tool steel supplied as 3Cr2Mo and 35CrMo7
- European designations 1.2311 618 and 718 from the same material
Certification
- Mill test certificate supplied with each shipment
Manufacturing
How It Is Made and Processed
Forging and rolling to give a dense structure
Annealing or quenching and tempering to the pre-hardened delivery condition
Ultrasonic inspection for internal pores
Surface finishing as raw material milled or ground
Cutting blocks to the ordered size
Optional bending welding decoiling and punching
Marking packing and loading for export
Quality Control
Checks Before It Ships
- Ultrasonic inspection of the block for internal pores
- Surface examined for defects before release
- Delivery condition confirmed as annealed or quenched and tempered
- Block dimensions checked against the ordered thickness and size
- Mill test certificate issued against the ordered grade
Customization
What We Can Change on Your Order
- Blocks cut to size against your block list
- Surface supplied as raw material milled or ground
- Grade quoted under P20 1.2311 3Cr2Mo 35CrMo7 618 or 718 to match your drawing
- Thickness selected anywhere in the 0-1000mm range
- Bending welding cutting and punching on request
- Samples released for machinability and polish trials
Comparison
P20 Mold Steel Against the Alternatives
| Through hardened tool steel supplied annealed | P20 is supplied pre-hardened so the cavity is finished at working hardness and never goes back for a hardening cycle that could move the geometry. |
|---|---|
| Plain carbon steel plate for mold frames | P20 holds hardness at elevated temperature and polishes to a mirror finish, which unalloyed carbon plate will not do on a cavity face. |
| Stainless mold steel | P20 is chosen where polishability, machinability and toughness matter more than corrosion resistance in the molding of non-corrosive plastics. |
| Cold work die steel | P20 is aimed at plastic molds and mold frames rather than blanking and forming dies, and trades peak hardness for machinability and toughness. |
Use Guide
Specifying Handling and Welding Notes
- Confirm the designation on your drawing before ordering since 1.2311 618 718 3Cr2Mo 35CrMo7 and P20 all describe this material
- Order milled or ground blocks when the cavity is going straight onto a CNC machine to save the roughing pass
- Machine the pre-hardened block to final size rather than planning a hardening operation after cutting
- Specify polish or etch requirements up front so the block is selected for surface and internal cleanliness
- Keep blocks dry and oiled in storage because a machined mold face marks easily
- Ask for the mill test certificate with the shipment so the grade is documented in the tooling file
Questions Buyers Ask
P20 Mold Steel FAQ
Does P20 need heat treatment before we machine the cavity?
No. It is supplied pre-hardened and can go directly into mold processing, which is the main reason it is used to shorten tooling lead time.
What thickness can you supply?
Thickness runs from 0-1000mm and the size is customized, so you can order finished blocks instead of cutting them out of plate yourself.
Are 1.2311 618 718 and 3Cr2Mo the same steel as P20?
They are the equivalent designations quoted for this material along with 35CrMo7. Send the callout on your drawing and we will quote against it.
Can this steel be mirror polished or etched?
Yes. The steel is pure and has good mirror polishing performance, which is why it is used for molds that require polishing or etching.
How is the block checked for internal defects?
Ultrasonic inspection is used after forging and rolling to confirm the structure is dense with no pores, and the surface is examined for defects.
Can we order the block already milled or ground?
Yes. Surface is available as raw material, milled or ground, so you can start from a squared blank instead of a rolled face.
Is a sample available before we commit to a full tooling order?
Samples are available. Tell us the thickness and surface condition you want to trial and we will confirm what can be released.
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Read moreNeed a Price on P20 Mold Steel
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