Manufacturing of powder metallurgical B-alloyed tool steels on an industrial scale

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Arne Röttger; Professor Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Weber
• Subject Area: Materials in Sintering Processes and Generative Manufacturing Processes ; Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials and their Microstructural Origins ; Metallurgical, Thermal and Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 520280463

This transfer project is based on the research project "B-alloyed tool steels" (project number 232707733). In the project, a comprehensive understanding of the effect and interactions of the element boron in tool steels regarding the microstructure formation processes during solidification and in the solid-state, as well as the micro-properties of the borides and carboborides formed, was gathered. With the knowledge of the effect and the respective interactions of the alloying elements in the Fe-C-B system, laboratory alloys were derived whose tribological and mechanical properties exceed those of conventional cold work tool steels at the same time as lower alloy costs. By presenting these findings at the “Tooling 2019” conference, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH became aware of this development and signaled a great deal of interest in the large-scale industrial production of B-alloyed PM tool steels. After a fundamental understanding of the microstructure formation processes of B-alloyed cold work tool steels has been developed on a laboratory scale, several new scientific and technological questions regarding powder atomization, powder processing, and the associated properties must be answered. Based on the state of knowledge of the previous research project, "B-alloyed steels", the transfer project applied here aims to develop B-alloyed tool steel grades that are manufactured by gas atomization and can be further processed with the technologies Powder-Bed-Fusion Laser-Beam/Metal (PBF-LB/M) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). For this purpose, the potential of B-alloyed cold work steels should be shown using the example of two basic alloys. The developments serve to gain pre-economic knowledge. The following two development priorities are being pursued: 1. Development of B-alloyed tool steel that can be processed using PBF-LB/M without additional measures such as preheating of the base plate. 2. Development of a secondary hardening B-alloy PM tool steel as a HIP product.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: Deutsche Edelstahlwerke Specialty Steel GmbH & Co. KG