Heat Treatment

Recommendations for
Uddeholm Mirrax® ESR
Heat treatment recommendations for
Uddeholm Mirrax ESR – Premium stainless
mould steel
• Vacuum • Salt bath/Fluidised bed • Atmosphere furnace / Muffle furnace
PREHEATING
HARDENING
QUENCHING
TEMPERING
This information is based on our
present state of knowledge and is
intended to provide general notes on
our products and their uses. It should
not therefore be construed as a
warranty of specific properties of the
products described or a warranty for
fitness for a particular purpose.
1. 650°C (1200°F), equalize
2. 850°C (1550°F), equalize
3. 920°C (1700°F), equalize
Soaking time at temperature must be adapted to size and shape of the
mould. Third pre-heat only needed for larger moulds
1000–1025°C (1830–1880°F), normally 1020°C (1870°F)
For very large moulds 1000°C (1830°F) is recommended.
Holding time after the tool or part has fully heated through at the
hardeningtemperature; minimum 30 minutes, maximum 1 hour.
• Vacuum, cooling in gas with sufficient overpressure
• Salt bath at 350–500°C (660–930°F) then cool in air blast
• High speed gas/circulating atmosphere
For all above mentioned quenching media the cooling rate shall exceed
20°C/min (36°F/min) between 1020–540°C (1870–1000°F) at the
surface.
Temper immediately after quenching when the tool or part reaches
50–70°C (120–160°F).
Uddeholm Mirrax ESR has a very good hardenability, why step quenching is
recommended. See last page for more information.
Choose tempering temperature according to the hardness required by
reference to tempering graph on next page. Lowest recommended
tempering temperature 250°C (480°F). Temper minimum twice with
intermediate cooling to room temperature. Tempering three times is
recommended for very large moulds.
Examples:
Low temperature tempering cycle:
1st Tempering at 250–300°C (480–570°F) for achieving ~50 HRC
2nd Same procedure as first tempering
3rd Same procedure as first tempering
High temperature tempering cycle:
1st Tempering at 520°C (970°F)
2nd According to required hardness
3rd Tempering at 520°C (970°F)
Holding time at temperature minimum 2 hours.
For stress temper after EDM use a temperature 20°C (40°F) lower than
the highest temperature used during tempering.
Tempering at 250–300°C (480–570°F) results in the best combination
of toughness, hardness and corrosion resistance. However, for very large
moulds and /or complicated design, high tempering temperature is
recommended to reduce the residual stresses to a minimum.
Tempering graph

Hardness Retained austenite %

58

54 1020°C (1870°F)

50
1000°C (1830°F)
46
Retained austenite 1020°C (1870°F)
42 20

38
10
34
Retained austenite 1000°C (1830°F)
30 5

28

200 300 400 500 600 °C

390 570 750 930 1110 °F
Tempering temperature

CCT graph
°F °C
2000 1100
Austenitizing temperature 1030°C
Holding time 30 min.
1800 1000
Ac
f
900 = 930°C
1600
800
1400 Ac
s
Cooling = 740°C
Curve Hardness T800–500 700
No. HV 10 (sec) 1200 Carbides Pearlite
1 620 1 600
1000
2 620 105 500
3 620 526 800
400
4 599 1052
600 300
5 599 2101
6 599 4204 400 200 M

7 572 10000 100

200 Martensite
8 525 20000 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

100 1 000 10 000 100 000 Seconds

1 10 100 1 000 Minutes

100 Hours

0.2 1.5 10 90 600 Air cooling of

bars, Ø mm
 UDDEHOLM MIRRAX ESR
Vacuum heat treatment—Guidelines

Furnace Preheat Hardening Soaking Tempering temperature Hardness

Dimension, mm Shape type temperature temperature time Quenching process Soaking time min 2 x 2h (HRC)

~< 100 Simple Vacuum 650°C (1200°F) 1020°C 30 min ≥4–5 bar cool to Temper at least twice at 49–51
850°C (1560°F) (1870°F) 70°C (160°F) 250–300°C (480–570°F) or at
520°C (970°F) (for low stress
level)
~< 100 Complex Vacuum 650°C (1200°F) 1020°C 30 min ≥4–5 bar, step quench at Temper at least twice at 49–51
850°C (1560°F) (1870°F) 350–500°C (660–930°F), 250–300°C (480–570°F) or at
continue forced cooling, 520°C (970°F) (for low stress
temper immediately when level)
tool core reaches 60°C
(140°F)

~100–200 All Vacuum 650°C (1200°F) 1020°C 30 min ≥4–5 bar, step quench at Temper at least twice at 44–51
850°C (1560°F) (1870°F) 350–500°C (660–930°F), 250–300°C (480–570°F) or at
continue forced cooling, 520°C (970°F) (for low stress
temper immediately when level)
tool core reaches 60°C
(140°F)

<
~200 All Vacuum 650°C (1200°F) 1000°C 30 min ≥4–5 bar, step quench at Temper at high tempering 36–50
850°C (1560°F) (1830°F) 350–500°C (660–930°F), temperature according to
920°C (1690°F) continue forced cooling, required hardness
temper immediately when
tool core reaches 60°C
(140°F)

These shall be seen as general guidelines.

The actual heat treatment must be tailored to the specific situation.

Feb. 2008