The factors that determine the performance of die steel are alloy composition, smelting quality, and heat treatment processes. These three elements form a three-legged stool—each supports the others. The absence of any one of them will affect the performance of the die steel and its service life.
However, many people do not see it this way; they believe that as long as the alloy composition meets the standards, it is good steel.
Now that alloy prices have risen, some steel mills are substituting scrap steel for alloys to reduce costs. However, scrap steel contains a high level of impurities, and mold steel with high impurity levels will experience a drastic decline in performance.
If the source material is subpar, the end result won’t be good—but salespeople won’t be honest with you and say, “This mold steel is made from recycled scrap steel, which is why it’s so cheap.”
They’ll only tell you, “My mold steel meets the alloy composition standards and is very affordable,” and they’ll even guarantee, “If it’s fake, we’ll pay ten times the price.”
Reassured by this promise, many people will go ahead and make the purchase.
But once the molds are made, problems keep cropping up here and there. When you test the composition, it still meets the standards, leaving you completely baffled.
Many people think in a black-and-white manner, ignoring other factors, and assume that as long as the alloy composition meets the standards, performance is guaranteed. However, the performance of mold steel is determined by the combined effects of alloy composition, smelting quality, and heat treatment processes.
There are many ways to make mold steel cheap—and they’re quite simple. “Cheap” simply means making it of lower quality; cutting corners requires no technical skill, whereas doing it right does.
Many people are obsessed with low prices because low-priced products sell well;
Many people are obsessed with low prices because low price equals low cost.
When two people who favor low prices come together, they create a market for substandard mold steel.
So don’t complain about the poor quality of mold steel—the market demands a certain amount of substandard mold steel, and you just happened to run into it.
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Wu Dejian’s tool steel, the chief of staff of the user, bought everything he had used.