Heavy Tool Steel Machining at Scale
Tool steels are renowned for their distinctive toughness, resistance to abrasion, and ability to hold a cutting edge at elevated temperatures. However, these exact properties make tool steel notoriously difficult to machine—especially when dealing with the massive dimensions required for heavy industrial manufacturing.
At Openex, we bridge the gap between extreme material hardness and massive scale. Our facility is equipped with incredibly rigid heavy-duty CNC gantry mills and large horizontal boring machines that eliminate tool chatter and deflection. We routinely machine massive pre-hardened tool steel blocks for heavy stamping dies, forging dies, plastic injection molds, and industrial shear blades weighing up to 250 tons.
Tool Steel Grades We Process
We source, heat treat, and precisely machine a wide variety of tool and die steels based on your specific wear, impact, and thermal requirements.
⚙️ H13 (Hot Work)
Exceptional hot toughness and thermal fatigue resistance. Frequently machined for massive aluminum die casting molds, extrusion dies, and forging dies.
⚙️ D2 (Cold Work)
High carbon, high chromium steel offering extreme wear resistance. Ideal for large stamping dies, heavy shear blades, and industrial blanking dies.
⚙️ P20 (Plastic Mold)
Typically supplied in a pre-hardened condition. Excellent for very large, deep-cavity plastic injection molds and zinc die casting dies.
⚙️ A2 & O1
Versatile cold work tool steels known for excellent dimensional stability during heat treatment. Perfect for large forming dies and high-impact machine parts.
The Openex Machining Advantage
- Massive Machine Rigidity: Machining hardened steels requires heavy-duty cast iron machine beds to absorb vibration. Our 25,000mm gantry mills provide the ultimate stability for deep cuts in hard metals.
- Advanced Thermal Management: We utilize high-pressure, through-spindle coolant systems to manage the intense heat generated when cutting D2 or H13, preventing thermal damage to the workpiece.
- In-House Heat Treatment: Because tool steels are often machined in an annealed state and then hardened, our large-scale on-site heat treatment furnaces ensure complete control over the final metallurgical properties and tolerances.
Tool Steel Machining Capacity
| Capability | Maximum Specs |
|---|---|
| Max Part Weight | Up to 250 Tons |
| Max CNC Milling Dimensions | 25,000 mm (L) x 6,000 mm (W) x 5,000 mm (H) |
| Max Turning Diameter | Ø 8,000 mm |
| Dimensional Tolerances | Down to ±0.01 mm (Depending on part scale and geometry) |