NESSteel Inc.

    The One Stop Steel Shop

Home Up FeedBack Contents

                   Technical Information for S-7 Tool Steel

S-7 is an air- or oil-hardening tool steel with a nice combination of exceptional toughness and wear resistance properties. S-7 is an excellent choice for blanking and die forming applications, as well as applications needing shock and impact resistant tools. Typical analysis is shown in the chart below:

Carbon

Silicon

Manganese

Chromium

Molybdenum

0.50%

0.25%

0.75%

3.25%

1.40%

S-7 is used in both cold and hot tooling applications.Typical applications include:
Chisels
Punches
Moil Points
Blanking & Forming Dies
Engraving Dies
Plastic Mold Dies
Shear Blades
Low-Temp Die-Casting Dies
Heat Treatment:
  Forging:
Preheat slowly to 1700º F until piece is thoroughly heated through, then increase heat to 1950ºF - 2050ºF.
NOT hot work S-7 below 1700ºF.                      
After forging, allow S-7 to cool slowly, packed in lime or other insulating material.                      
Anneal as soon as possible.                      
Annealing:
Surface protection - Anneal in controlled atmosphere furnace or pack in an inert material.
Slowly heat S-7 to 1500º - 1550º. Hold at temperature for one hour per inch of smallest dimension of the container.
Annealed hardness range is 187 - 223 Brinell.
Hardening:
Pack in insert mat'l or use controlled atmosphere furnace to control decarburization.                         
Pre-heat slowly to 1200ºF - 1300ºF, and ensure equal temperature throughout the piece.                        
Increase heat more rapidly to 1700ºF-1750ºF.                        
Hold steel at temperature for one half hour per inch of maximum thickness, up to 2.5", and then air-quench.                          
Pieces larger than 2.5" thick should be oil-quenched until black, followed by air-cooling.                       
Temper immediately after the piece has cooled to 125ºF.                          
Tempering:
Temper immediately when piece reaches 150ºF or when comfortably hand-held.      
For cold work applications, tempering temperature is usually in the range of 400ºF - 500ºF; for hot working tools, the range is 900ºF - 1000ºF.      
Heat slowly to temperature, hold tools at heat for 2 hours before air cooling.      
Physical & Mechanical Properties (approx.)
Density, lb per cu in:       .2813
Specific Gravity              7.786
Critical Points:
Heating (Ac)  100°/hr - begins 1440°F; ends 1508°F
Cooling (Ar) 50°/hr - begins 1346°F; ends 1270°F

 

Mean Thermal Coefficient of Expansion
Range °F Coefficient x 10-6, in./in./°F Range, °F Coefficient x 10-6, in./in./°F
70-200 5.77 70-900 6.86
70-300 6.09 70-1000 6.99
70-400 6.36 70-1100 7.09
70-500 6.40 70-1200 7.17
70-600 6.51 70-1300 7.24
70-700 6.75 70-1400 7.29
70-800 6.85 70-1499 7.41

 

Maximum Shock Resistance
Charpy Impact specimens preheated to 1300°F
Air-quenched from 1725°F
Tempered at increasing rates (see table)
Tempering Temperature, °F Rockwell C Charpy Ft.-lb.
As quenched 60 15.7
300 59 143.5
350 58.5 100.3
400 58 Past Machine Cap.
500 56 220.1
600 55 219.7
700 54 221.8
800 53 209
900 52 189.8
1000 51 213.6
1100 47 Past Machine Cap.
1200 38 Past Machine Cap.
1300 31 Past Machine Cap.

 

For More information please call us at 800-654-2901 or fax us (806) 684-6354

 

Send mail to: sales@nessteel.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: February 25, 1999