Category: blog

Douyin Store Inquiry: The temperature at the hot runner gate is 190°. When using H13 for small inserts, they tend to break. We’re now using beryllium copper; although they don’t break, they wear out easily and have a short service life—they break after only 3,000–5,000 cycles. The top of the small pin is only 1 mm,…

Question from a live stream viewer: How does M42 perform when punching 1.5 304 stainless steel or performing drawing operations?  M42 is a W2Mo9Cr4V2Co8 high-speed steel with 8.0% cobalt content. It has a heat-treated hardness of 65–68 HRC and offers excellent wear resistance and red hardness; However, due to its high total alloy content, the…

Question from a viewer during Live Stream #301: Is cryogenic treatment necessary for DC53?  Cryogenic treatment is definitely necessary. After cryogenic treatment, DC53 has less retained austenite, resulting in better wear resistance compared to untreated DC53. Second, retained austenite is an extremely unstable microstructure. If there is too much retained austenite in the mold steel,…

“What kind of mold steel is best for copper die-casting molds?” This was the question asked last week by a customer who manufactures copper die-casting molds when he visited Yuhui to inspect the 8433 heat-resistant steel.  He specializes in copper die-casting molds. Currently, he uses 8407 and 8418 mold steel from a certain supplier. For smaller parts,…

Yesterday, I spoke with a client who always seems to think of himself as just a small operation—as if anyone would look down on him because of his small scale—and he comes across as lacking in confidence. We must never think this way. To put it bluntly, those of us who run small factories are…

During the 301st live stream, a business owner who manufactures plastic molds asked: For plastic molds with small pillars, is 2344 or S136 a better choice?  Plastic molds with small pillars are essentially molds with bosses. During the injection molding process, these bosses are subjected to compressive forces, so the material must meet requirements for…

A viewer in the live stream asked: When stamping 0.03-thick stainless steel with a progressive die, what materials can be used as alternatives to tungsten carbide?  Stamping 0.03-thick stainless steel is considered thin-gauge stamping. Dies for this application generally do not chip, so the primary consideration is wear resistance. Since the stamping speed is set…

Question from a live stream viewer: What die steel is best for hot forging 316 stainless steel? My budget is around 50 yuan per kilogram—any recommendations? I’m currently using 2367 mold steel, but I can’t produce large quantities. If we consider this question as a whole, there aren’t really any good recommendations. For mold steel priced…

During our 300th live stream, we received some fantastic news.  A viewer from Cangzhou, Hebei, reported that with 0.3-thick steel material and a 32mm draw height, using 8566 steel, they achieved 150,000 draws without any maintenance.  The biggest concern with drawing dies is wire drawing, but 8566 anti-chipping steel, with a hardness of HRC 58–60,…

 I just received a call from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, inquiring about SKD11, SKD61, and 2083 die steel.  He is a Vietnamese-Chinese expatriate from Guangdong who asked me to speak Cantonese with him. He runs a heat treatment plant in Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, his clients outsource their molds to him for heat…

Last night, July 26, 2026, I hosted a one-hour livestream—my 300th livestream.  The livestream reached 10,000 impressions, with 518 viewers. The average watch time was 1.29 minutes, the average concurrent viewership was 11, the peak concurrent viewership was 22, and I gained 7 new followers. The metrics for this livestream weren’t particularly impressive, but receiving…

A viewer in the live stream asked, “Is 2344 or S136 better for plastic molds?” Both 2344 and S136 can be used to make hard plastic molds with a heat-treated hardness of 50 HRC. Since their properties differ somewhat, the specific choice of mold steel depends on the trade-offs for your particular mold.  2344 is…