We’ve shipped 32 pieces of high-toughness LG hard tool steel. This is used for the ejector pins in cold-forging dies for copper heat sinks. These dies operate on 3,000- to 5,000-metric-ton hydraulic presses, where the ejector pins at the bottom are subjected to immense stress. When using H13 die steel, the four corners tend to collapse, and the ejector pins are prone to tearing; Using the high-hardness DC53, on the other hand, often leads to mold cracking. We had long been unable to find a suitable mold steel, but since switching to high-toughness LG die steel, the service life of the punch has increased exponentially—in optimal conditions, it can produce tens of thousands of products. Because LG has proven to be so effective, the customer has decided to place a bulk order.
LG’s toughness is 8–9 times that of DC53, with a hardness of 54–58 HRC. It’s so tough that you can bend it with a hammer without it breaking. LG not only offers high hardness but also high toughness—qualities that low-hardness H13 cannot match and that high-hardness DC53 cannot achieve simultaneously.
If you’re using H13 or DC53 for your punch cores or cold-extrusion dies for red copper, you’re likely to experience die cracking, copper powder adhesion, or entire sections being torn off and fractured. You should try the highly tough LG steel instead.
As a viewer in my 299th livestream said, LG steel is the nemesis of red copper. He manufactures cold-extruded copper rods and used to use LD die steel; after 5,000 to 10,000 cycles, the die would become clogged with copper shavings and snap in half. However, by switching to high-toughness LG die steel, the die life jumped to 50,000 cycles. Compared to the previous 5,000–10,000 cycles before it snapped in half, the lifespan increased by at least five times. That’s why he said LG dies are virtually indestructible—it’s so hassle-free. LG is the nemesis of red copper.
If you’re making cold extrusion or cold forging dies for red copper heat sinks, and your current dies are prone to cracking or sticking with copper powder—problems you’ve been unable to solve—then you should try the high-toughness LG steel. Its toughness is 8–9 times that of DC53, with a hardness of 54–58 HRC. It’s so tough that it won’t break even if you bend it with a hammer. Use LG die steel for mold cracking—it’s like stepping into a liberated zone.
I’m Wu Dejian, the “King of Die Steel,” from Dongguan Yuhui Die Steel. Yuhui Die Steel is used by three Fortune 500 companies, and Kyocera has been sourcing it for seven consecutive years. If you’re unsure about which die steel to choose, or if the die steel you’re currently using results in short mold lifespans and you don’t know which one to switch to, come talk to me.
I’ve already helped over 4,000 companies solve complex problems related to mold material selection, manufacturing, and usage. I’m confident that when it comes to selecting and applying mold steel, I can serve as your chief advisor and help you avoid costly trial-and-error.
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Wu Dejian’s tool steel, the chief of staff of the user, bought everything he had used.