Special steel producer Finkl Steel (formerly Sorel Forge), the North American subsidiary of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH, introduced its new tool steel solutions SF-2000® LQ40 and SF-2050® at Moulding Expo in Stuttgart, Germany. These steels are characterised by excellent polishability and as-cast uniform hardness. At the same time, these steels are also efficient to machine and permanently dimensionally accurate.
Photo courtesy of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH
With the SF-2000® LQ40 and SF-2050®, the company has developed grades of tool steel characterised by an excellent microstructure and homogeneity in their mechanical properties. The extremely low sulphur content and selected micro-alloys provide excellent machinability and polishability. The hardness as-cast is already 40 HRC. Additional heat treatment is unnecessary, which contributes to the material’s processability and form stability – important requirements for economic production. SF-2000® LQ40 is produced using an electro-slag remelting process (ESR) that improves the grade. This makes it suitable for large-size applications requiring a flawless surface quality, including moulds for lenses as well as other applications requiring highly polished surfaces. Both materials can also be used for long-run moulds as well as injection moulds for abrasive and fibre-reinforced plastics.
