ESR-Grade H13, D2, P20 & H11 Tool Steel Forgings from Rajkot
Shivam Forge manufactures precision hot-forged tool steel blocks, billet blanks and die inserts in H11 (1.2343), H13 (1.2344), D2 (1.2379), P20 (1.2311) and S7 shock-resistant grades at our Shapar GIDC facility, Rajkot. ESR-grade stock available. Blocks up to 800×800×500 mm, round billets 50–500 mm dia. ISO 9001:2015. Call +91 92657 72827.
Tool steel forgings demand a level of metallurgical discipline that ordinary structural steel work does not. The combination of high alloy content, tight carbon windows and the premium cost of ESR-grade input material means that every forging reduction must be planned to consolidate internal porosity, break up carbide networks and develop the isotropic toughness that a forging die or injection mould tool must sustain through hundreds of thousands of thermal cycles. Shivam Forge has built its tool steel forging capability around exactly this discipline — controlled reduction ratios, precise soaking temperatures and in-house hardness verification after heat treatment. We supply H13, H11, D2, P20 and S7 forgings to die makers, mould manufacturers and OEM toolrooms across India and 12 export countries.
H13 is the global workhorse for aluminium die casting dies, hot extrusion dies, forging die inserts and die casting cores. We forge H13 billets and die blocks with minimum 5:1 reduction ratio to ensure full carbide dissolution and homogeneous microstructure. Supplied annealed to ≤229 HB, or heat-treated to 44–50 HRC per customer specification. ESR-grade H13 available for premium thermal fatigue resistance.
H11 offers slightly higher toughness than H13 at equivalent hardness, making it the preferred choice for high-impact hot forging dies, press tools and header dies where shock loading is severe. We supply H11 die blocks up to 800 mm length, annealed, with full material chemistry certification. Typical heat treatment: austenitise 1000–1030°C, oil or air quench, double temper 560–600°C to 44–48 HRC.
D2 is the standard cold work tool steel for blanking dies, punching dies, trimming tools and cold heading dies requiring exceptional wear resistance. High chromium (11.5–13.0%) content gives D2 its semi-stainless character and outstanding abrasion resistance. We forge D2 rounds 50–500 mm dia and flat bars, with full anneal to ≤255 HB for machining. Target working hardness 58–62 HRC after heat treatment.
P20 is supplied pre-hardened to 28–34 HRC and is the most widely used grade for medium-to-large plastic injection mould bases, bolster plates and frame components. Forging P20 to near-net-shape mould blocks reduces machining stock versus rolled bar stock, cuts lead time and ensures superior surface finish after EDM. We supply P20 blocks with guaranteed hardness uniformity across cross-section, certified to DIN EN ISO 4957.
S7 combines oil-hardening capability with exceptional impact toughness — a combination critical for pneumatic chisels, heavy-duty punches, rivet sets and forging die components that must absorb repeated shock loads. Air-hardening characteristic of S7 minimises distortion during heat treatment. We forge S7 round and square billets in 50–300 mm cross-sections, supplied annealed to ≤229 HB.
ESR processing refines inclusion content and eliminates macro-segregation that standard electric arc furnace steels carry. For critical die components — large H13 inserts for aluminium HPDC, D2 blanking punches for high-cycle press tools — ESR-grade input material reduces premature cracking risk. We source ESR-grade tool steel from certified mills and forge to customer die block dimensions with full melt traceability.
Closed-die and open-die forging dies in H13 and H11, forged to near-net block dimensions to minimise CNC rough machining. Die blocks for hammer, screw press and hydraulic press forging operations. We understand the grain flow requirements for die inserts — forging direction aligned perpendicular to the die face for maximum compressive fatigue life.
H13 ESR-grade forged die blocks and cores for high-pressure die casting of aluminium alloys. HPDC dies run at 150,000–500,000 shot cycles before replacement; ESR H13 with proper heat treatment and gas nitriding extends tool life by 30–50% versus conventional H13. We supply die blocks to HPDC toolmakers with hardness certification 44–48 HRC.
H11 and H13 extrusion die holders, mandrel blanks and piercing punch blanks for aluminium, copper and steel extrusion lines. High thermal stability at 550–650°C service temperature is critical; our forging process develops the microstructure that maintains edge integrity through extended extrusion campaigns.
P20 (1.2311) mould base blocks, cavity inserts and core blanks for injection moulding of thermoplastics and engineering polymers. Near-net-shape P20 forging reduces machining to final cavity shape versus bar stock, yielding 15–20% material savings on large mould blocks. Pre-hardened 28–34 HRC eliminates heat treatment risk on finished moulds.
D2 (1.2379) forged round tooling blanks for cold heading punches, blanking die plates, punching inserts and trimming tools. The high vanadium and chromium content provides the abrasion resistance to sustain production runs on high-speed stamping presses. Supplied with full chemistry report, hardness check after annealing and dimensional inspection.
In-house hardening at 1000–1050°C with oil or gas quench followed by double temper at 550–600°C for H13/H11 grades. Target hardness 44–50 HRC for die applications and 48–52 HRC for punches and wear-critical tooling. Hardness verified with calibrated Rockwell tester at minimum 5 points per block, certificate provided.
Every tool steel forging ships with a full material test report (MTR): carbon, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, silicon, manganese — certified against AISI/DIN EN ISO 4957 compositional windows. Heat number traceability from mill to finished forging maintained throughout. Essential for toolroom qualification and insurance claims on failed tooling.
Large tool steel die blocks are ultrasonic-tested to ASTM A388 to detect internal porosity, inclusions or laminations before machining. UT testing prevents expensive die machining on defective stock and is mandatory for ESR-grade blocks supplied for critical HPDC or forging die applications. Third-party UT available on request.
Forged tool steel blocks and billets are inspected to customer dimension drawings or our standard size tolerance schedule. Flatness, squareness and parallelism of block faces controlled. Over-thickness allowance of +5/−0 mm maintained for machining. Inspection reports accompany every consignment.
Full spheroidise anneal of D2, H13 and P20 after forging optimises the carbide structure for CNC machinability and minimises cutting tool wear during rough machining. Hardness after anneal: H13 ≤229 HB, D2 ≤255 HB, P20 pre-hardened 28–34 HRC. Microstructure and hardness certified on MTR.
Shivam Forge is a specialist tool steel forging manufacturer based at Shapar GIDC, Rajkot, Gujarat, producing die blocks, mould bases, billet blanks and extrusion tooling in H11 (1.2343), H13 (1.2344), D2 (1.2379), P20 (1.2311) and S7 shock-resistant tool steel. Tool steel forging is a niche within forging that demands not only the right forge press capacity but a thorough understanding of the metallurgy — controlled reduction ratios to break carbide networks, precise soaking temperatures to avoid decarburisation, and immediate controlled cooling after forging to prevent thermal cracking in these high-alloy materials. Over 20 years of tool steel forging experience at our Rajkot facility means we understand this discipline in practice, not just on paper.
The choice between standard EAF-grade and ESR-grade tool steel is one of the most commercially significant decisions in die block procurement. ESR processing eliminates macro-segregation and reduces the oxide inclusion population that nucleates fatigue cracks in high-cycle HPDC die inserts and hot forging die blocks. We supply ESR-grade H13 for aluminium die casting dies, large extrusion die holder blocks and heavy hot forging inserts where the higher material cost is more than recouped in extended tool life and reduced downtime. Full mill certification with sulphur print, macro-etch and inclusion rating to ASTM E45 can be provided on ESR-grade consignments.
Our forged P20 (1.2311) mould blocks for plastic injection tooling deserve particular mention. P20 is the most widely specified plastic mould steel globally, and most of the P20 consumed by Indian mould makers arrives as rolled flat bar or square bar. Forging P20 to near-net-shape mould block dimensions — say 600×400×300 mm for a medium injection mould base — reduces machining stock from the 20–30 mm per side typical of rolled bar to 5–8 mm, cutting rough machining time, tool consumption and overall lead time for the mould maker. The forging also imparts a more isotropic grain structure than rolled bar, reducing the risk of distortion during subsequent mould heat treatment.
Heat treatment of tool steel forgings after machining is the final determinant of die performance. We provide in-house hardening and tempering for H13 and H11 die blocks: austenitise at 1000–1050°C, quench in oil or high-pressure gas, temper twice at 550–600°C to a target hardness of 44–52 HRC depending on application. Hardness verification at minimum five points across the block face with a calibrated Rockwell tester accompanies every heat-treated consignment. For D2 cold work tooling, hardening at 1000–1040°C with air or oil quench to 58–62 HRC target is standard.
Contact Shivam Forge at +91 92657 72827 or sales@shivamforge.com to discuss your tool steel forging requirements. We supply die makers, OEM toolrooms, mould manufacturers and export traders across India and to 12 countries. Provide your grade, dimensions, quantity and required condition — we will respond with a competitive quotation within 24–48 hours and advise on the optimal material sourcing and heat treatment route for your specific tooling application.
We forge H11 (1.2343), H13 (1.2344), D2 (1.2379), P20 (1.2311) and S7 shock-resistant tool steel. Standard electric arc furnace grade and ESR (electro-slag remelted) variants are available. We can source specific grades from certified Indian and imported mills based on customer specification.
We forge tool steel blocks up to 800×800×500 mm and round billets from 50 to 500 mm diameter. For sizes above these dimensions, please contact us with your drawing — we can often manage larger blocks through our forging press or by referencing partner facilities in Rajkot's forging cluster.
Yes. ESR-grade H13 is available for critical HPDC die applications, large forging die inserts and extrusion tooling where inclusion content and homogeneity are critical. ESR sourcing adds 15–25% to material cost but significantly reduces premature cracking in high-cycle thermal fatigue applications. Mill-certified ESR material test report provided.
Yes. P20 (1.2311) is supplied pre-hardened to 28–34 HRC as standard, with hardness certification across the cross-section. We also supply P20 in the annealed condition for customers who prefer to machine soft and then harden to a specific hardness. Forged P20 near-net-shape reduces your mould base machining allowance compared to rolled bar stock.
Standard heat treatment for H13 die blocks: preheat to 500–600°C, ramp to austenitising temperature 1000–1050°C, hold time proportional to cross-section, quench in oil or high-pressure gas, temper immediately at 550–600°C for minimum 2 hours, repeat temper. Target hardness 44–50 HRC for forging die inserts, higher for wear-intensive applications.
Yes. Ultrasonic testing to ASTM A388 is available for large die blocks and critical tooling applications. UT detects internal porosity, shrinkage cavities and inclusions before the customer invests machining cost. We can arrange third-party UT inspection for blocks requiring an independent certification.
Near-net-shape P20 forging delivers two primary advantages over rolled bar stock: tighter grain flow orientation aligned to the mould geometry, and 15–20% material savings on large mould blocks where the machining stock is reduced. For mould bases above 400 mm in any dimension, forging economics typically outperform bar stock purchase cost plus machining time.
Send your drawing, grade specification, block or billet dimensions, quantity and required condition (annealed, pre-hardened or heat-treated to HRC) to sales@shivamforge.com or call +91 92657 72827. We review your requirements, confirm availability of the correct input material and provide a quotation within 24–48 hours.
Why Choose Shivam Forge
Shivam Forge delivers precision hot-forged components from our integrated Shapar, Rajkot facility — covering forging, CNC machining, heat treatment, and quality inspection under one roof.
