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 800oC. 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.