Tool Steel dealers in UAE

D2 / 1.2379 / X153CrMoV12

D2 / 1.2379 (X153CrMoV12) - high-carbon, high-chromium cold work tool steel with outstanding wear resistance, 58-62 HRC hardness, and dimensional stability for blanking dies, cutting tools, and forming tooling.

Industries Served

Automotive
Manufacturing
Mould & Die
Heavy Engineering
Aerospace & Defense
Oil & Gas

Applications

  • Blanking and piercing dies for sheet metal stamping in automotive and white goods manufacturing
  • Trimming, cropping, and guillotine blades for high-volume shearing of steel, aluminium, and plastics
  • Thread rolling dies and form rolls for high-speed cold forming of fasteners and precision parts
  • Deep drawing and ironing tools for beverage can production and metal forming operations in UAE
  • Cold extrusion dies, mandrels, and punches for aluminium and copper profile production
  • Powder compaction tooling for pharmaceutical tablet presses and sintered metal component production
  • Wear plates, liners, and guides for press tools and automated stamping lines requiring long service life
  • Plastic injection mould cores and cavities for abrasive-filled compounds where wear resistance is critical
  • Slitting blades and rotary cutting tools for coil slitting and strip processing lines
  • Gauges, templates, and precision measuring tools requiring high hardness and dimensional stability

Chemical Composition

1.55 %
C

Carbon

1.5 – 1.6 %

0.35 %
Si

Silicon

0.1 – 0.6 %

0.35 %
Mn

Manganese

0.2 – 0.6 %

P

Phosphorus

≤ 0.03 %

S

Sulphur

≤ 0.03 %

12 %
Cr

Chromium

11 – 13 %

0.9 %
Mo

Molybdenum

0.7 – 1.2 %

0.8 %
V

Vanadium

0.5 – 1.1 %

Typical value Range (min–max) Minimum (≥) Maximum (≤) Hover / tap for notes

Standard

ASTM A681 - current edition

Available Forms

Round Bar

Diameter range 10-400 mm. Hot-rolled and forged. Peeled/ground finish on request for close-tolerance punch and pilot stock. Common for punches, pilots, and cylindrical tooling. Applicable standards: ASTM A681, BS EN ISO 4957.

Flat Bar

Thickness 5-150 mm, width up to 600 mm. Ground flat stock (gauge plate) available to h6/h9 tolerance. Tight dimensional tolerances. Standard form for blanking dies, cutting blades, die blades, and wear plates. Also known as gauge plate in the tool steel industry.

Plate

Thickness 20-500 mm; cut-to-size from large-section forged or rolled stock. For large blanking die blocks, press tool bases, and heavy forming tools.

Designations & Equivalents

StandardDesignationNotes
AISI / SAED2Primary AISI / SAE designation.
EN NameX153CrMoV12DIN / EN chemical name; current designation per BS EN ISO 4957.
EN / Werkstoff1.2379Werkstoff-Nr.
DINX155CrVMo12-1Older DIN 17350 designation for the same grade.
BSBD2UK (BS / EN) designation.
JISSKD11Japanese JIS equivalent (per JIS G4404).
ASTMASTM A681 Grade D2ASTM A681 grade designation.
ISOX153CrMoV12 (1.2379)BS EN ISO 4957 designation.
Common NameASSAB XW-42Swedish trade name (ASSAB); not a standard designation. Must not appear in slug or URL.

Compliance & Certification

StandardStatusNotes
EN 10204 3.1SuitableMill Test Certificate from manufacturer's authorised inspector. Standard with all Nifty Alloys supply.
EN 10204 3.2ConditionalMill Test Certificate with independent third-party inspection. Available on request for critical applications. NACE standards not applicable for tool steel grades; ABS / DNV certifications not applicable.

Specifications

Mechanical Properties

Values are minimums unless noted; hardness is a maximum.

PropertyD2 / 1.2379 / X153CrMoV12 — ASTM A681 — AnnealedDefault
Tensile Strength (UTS)max760 MPaCondition: Room temp, annealedNotes: Annealed condition - for machinability reference only. Not a structural specification value.
Yield Strength (0.2% Proof Stress)max510 MPaCondition: Room temp, annealed
Elongationmax10 %Condition: 50 mm gauge length
Reduction of Areamax25 %Condition: LongitudinalNotes: Lower than alloy steels due to carbide network.
Hardnessrange207–255 HBTypical: 229 HBCondition: Surface, BrinellNotes: Max 255 HB per ASTM A681 annealed. Target for acceptable machinability with carbide tooling.
Impact Energy (Charpy)Notes: Not typically specified for annealed tool steel.

Physical Properties

PropertyD2 / 1.2379 / X153CrMoV12 — ASTM A681 — AnnealedDefault
Density20 degrees C7.7 g/cm3
Modulus of Elasticity25 degrees C210 GPa
Thermal Conductivity100 degrees C20 W/m·K
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion20-100 degrees C10.6 um/m·°C
Specific Heat Capacity20 degrees C460 J/kg·K
Melting Point / RangeSolidus1310 degrees C
ENGINEERING NOTES
Weldability
Not_recommended

D2 / 1.2379 has very poor weldability and welding is not recommended as a production process. The high carbon and high chromium content make it extremely susceptible to cracking during and after welding. If repair welding of a hardened D2 tool is unavoidable: (1) Anneal the tool first if possible; (2) Preheat to 300-400 degrees C; (3) Use matching tool steel filler wire or high-alloy stainless filler (ER312 or similar) for emergency repairs; (4) Post-weld stress relief or re-temper at the original tempering temperature immediately. Weld repairs on hardened D2 tools are high risk - cracking is common. Design tooling to avoid weld repair requirements. Emergency repair filler options (not production welding): ER312 high-alloy austenitic stainless filler, or a matching D2-type tool steel filler rod; preheat 300-400 degrees C mandatory and re-temper after repair.

Machinability
Poor

D2 should be machined only in the fully annealed condition (207-255 HB). Even in the annealed state, D2 is significantly harder to machine than alloy steels due to the dense chromium carbide network. Use carbide tooling exclusively - HSS tooling is inadequate. Recommended: TiN-coated or TiAlN-coated carbide inserts at reduced cutting speeds (30-50% of standard alloy steel speeds). Use flood coolant. Avoid interrupted cuts where possible. EDM (wire cutting and die sinking) is preferred for complex profiles as it eliminates machining stress and distortion risk. Grind only with low-stress, low-heat grinding wheels after hardening.

Overview

D2 (DIN 1.2379, X153CrMoV12, JIS SKD11) is a high-carbon, high-chromium cold work tool steel containing 1.50-1.60% carbon and 11.00-13.00% chromium, with additions of molybdenum (0.70-1.20%) and vanadium (0.50-1.10%). The high chromium content forms a dense network of chromium carbides throughout the matrix, giving D2 its defining characteristic: exceptional resistance to abrasive wear in cold forming and cutting applications. In the hardened and tempered condition, D2 achieves 58-62 HRC with minimal dimensional change during heat treatment - a result of its semi-air-hardening behaviour and low distortion response. D2 is the most widely used cold work tool steel globally for blanking and piercing dies, trimming and cropping tools, thread rolling dies, and long-run forming tools where wear life is the primary design criterion.

Nifty Alloys supplies D2 / 1.2379 from stock in Dubai, UAE, in round bar, flat bar/gauge plate, and plate/block in the annealed condition, ready for customer heat treatment. All material is supplied with EN 10204 3.1 Mill Test Certificates as standard - confirming chemical composition, annealed hardness, and full traceability to mill source. EN 10204 3.2 third-party inspection is available on request. We deliver across the UAE within 24-48 hours and export to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Contact our team for same-day quotation and current stock availability.

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D2 / 1.2379 (X153CrMoV12) is the world's most widely used cold work tool steel, specified wherever maximum wear resistance in cold forming or cutting is the primary design requirement. Key applications in UAE and global markets include: blanking and piercing dies for automotive sheet metal stamping; trimming, cropping, and guillotine blades for steel and aluminium shearing; thread rolling dies and form rolls for high-volume fastener production; deep drawing and ironing tools for beverage can and metal container manufacture; cold extrusion dies and punches for aluminium and copper profiles; powder compaction tooling for pharmaceutical tablet presses; slitting blades for coil processing lines; and wear-resistant plates and guides in automated stamping and press tool systems. D2 is the default specification for any high-volume cold forming operation where tool life between regrinds must be maximised.

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