¨

A. Finkl & Sons Co.

Holder And Cavity Steel
DATA SHEET

Carbon 0.50

Molybdenum 0.50

Chromium 1.15 Silicon 0.25
Manganese 0.85 Nickel 0.90
Micro-alloy additions*

Chemistry

The selective use of micro-alloying additions in a fully
vacuum degassed heat results in an excellent inclusion
shape control and produces the highest mechanical properties
attainable in the temperature range of 70° to 300°F.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Finkl FX-XTRA is a remarkably tough, long lasting,
Ni-Cr-Mo steel with excellent high temperature physical
properties. Special machining quality reduces machining
costs and machine loads making it possible to
sink FX-XTRA as hard as 477 BHN. FX-XTRA has
earned an unparalleled reputation in the industry for
replacement machine parts such as gears, pinions, pistons,
and crank shafts.

FX

®

-XTRA

®

and FS® (Fx-Annealed) Die Steels
Cleanest . . . Toughest . . . Most Machinable
Available only by Patented* Vacuum Arc Degassing (VAD) Process and
Balanced Deoxidation Techniques Enhanced with Micro-Alloy Additions *

RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS
Hammer Dies Hammer Rams
Press Dies Coining Dies
Sow Blocks Knockout Pins
Punches Insert Dies
Headers Insert Die Holders
Gripper Dies Hammer Guides
Gripper Die Inserts Piston Heads
Guide Pins Hammer Keys
Extrusion Press-Backup Tools

† Patent No. 5,496,516
* Produced under one or more of the following patents: 5,496,516;
4,894,087; 4,780,134; 4,655,826; 4,600,427; 4,541,862;
4,318,739; 3,929,423; others pending
© Right is reserved to change chemistry at any time to improve
product
© Copyright 1998, A. Finkl & Sons Co.

FX-XTRA HOT HARDNESS

(After 100 hours at testing temperature)

Testing

Tempering Temperature (°F)

°F

Brinell Hardness Number

Temperature

1000 1100 1150 1200

____________________________________________

70

388

363

341

311

700

341

311

293

269

800

331

302

285

269

900

311

293

269

255

1000

285

269

241

229

WELDING

Welding of FX-XTRA or FS weakens the parts. A
weakened die or other part can fail or disintegrate
resulting in property damage and/or personal injury.
Finkl recommends against the practice of welding.
User assumes all risk of injury to persons or damage
to property attributable to welding.

SPECIAL MACHINING QUALITY
HARDNESS RANGES AVAILABLE

Finkl FX-XTRA is furnished in the prehardened condition
ready for sinking. In the case of special customer
requirements it can be supplied in the annealed state,
such as FS.

When specified, shanks of Hammer Dies up to 36" 48"

can be softened approximately one temper range to
facilitate machining and prevent cracking.

Temper

BID

BHN

HRC

XH©©

2.65-2.75

534-495

54-51

H

2.80-2.90

477-444

50-47

1

2.95-3.05

429-401

46-43

2

3.10-3.25

388-352

42-38

3

3.30-3.45

341-311

37-33

4

3.50-3.65

302-277

32-29

Annealed 4.00

229 (approx.)20

©©Special applications with Finkl approval only.

HEAT TREATMENT OF FX-XTRA OR FS

Critical Temperatures at a Rate of 200°F/hr:

Ac3/Ar3 360/1340°F

Ac1/Ar1 840/720°F

Annealing (FX-XTRA, or FS after hardening)
1. Charge into a furnace that is at 600°F or lower. Heat

evenly at a rate of 200°F per hour to 1440/1460°F.

2. Soak at this temperature for 1 hour per inch of least

dimension or a maximum of 6 hours.

3. Seal furnace and allow to cool to 1220°F. Hold at

this temperature for 4 hours and furnace cool to
800°F. This annealing cycle should yield a hardness
of approximately 229 BHN.

Hardening
1 .The face of the die and all vital machined surfaces

must be protected from oxidation and decarburization
by one of the following methods:

Controlled Atmosphere
Salt Bath
Sealed Container Using 95% Charcoal and 5%
Spent Carburizer Packing.

2. Charge into the furnace at a temperature of 600°F or

lower. Heat evenly at a rate of 200°F per hour to
1550/1600°F.

3. Soak at this temperature for 1 hour per inch of least

dimension. If the packing method is used soak at
1550/1600°F for 1 hour per inch of least container
dimension. Be sure to heat material thoroughly at
this temperature.

4. After soaking is complete, drop furnace temperature

rapidly to 1450°F and hold there for 1 to 4 hours
depending on the part size. This drop in temperature
will reduce quenching hazards, such as breakage
and warpage.

5 .Oil quench from 1450°F. Totally immerse die working

face down over a strong geyser of oil so that gas
pockets are swept out of the impression.

6. When die temperature is sufficiently low to avoid

flash, the shank portion may be raised above the
level of the bath in order to avoid cracking.

7 .When surface temperature of die or tool has dropped

to approximately 500- 600°F withdraw from oil bath
and immediately place in tempering furnace at 400°F.

Tempering
1. Allow temperature of die to equalize at 400°F.
2. Heat die uniformly to tempering temperature.
3 .Soak at tempering temperature for 1 hour per inch of

least dimension. Since part size, furnace and quench-
ing media affect the final hardness, only approximate
tempering temperatures can be recommended as a
guide for specific hardness:

Temperature (°F) BHN

HRC Scleroscope

450

555

55

73

880

477-444

50-47

66-63

1020

429-401

46-43

61-58

1120

388-352

42-38

56-51

1180

341-311

37-33

50-46

1220

302-277

32-29

45-41

A second temper is always beneficial to promote a
homogeneous structure and increased ductility. FS
should always be thoroughly annealed between quench-
ing operations.
The shanks of dies and mandrels are likely to be
undesirably hard if the body of the die or tool is tem-
pered below 900°F. In this case a differential temper
of the shank is recommended either by hot plate,
lead, or salt bath.

T E S T

T E NS IL E

Y IE L D

E L ONG A T ION

R E DUC T ION

T E MP E R

T E MP E R A T UR E

S T R E NG T H

S T R E NG T H

2" G A UG E

OF A R E A

(¡ F )

(ks i)

♦♦♦

(ks i)

♦♦♦

(%)

♦♦♦

(%)

♦♦♦

H (High S ide)

80

233

213

10.9

36.7

(477Ð444 B HN)

600

207

175

15.5

41.8

800

169

156

16.2

55.2

80

218

202

12.5

41.2

H (Low S ide)

300

207

178

12

39.1

(477Ð444 B HN)

600

196

160

15

38.1

800

165

142

16

55.2

80

205

187

12.7

34.0

300

196

166

12.5

35.1

1

600

183

150

13.0

36.3

(429Ð401 B HN)

800

156

133

15.2

55.1

900

137

123

17.0

61.1

1000

109

95

24.0

66.2

80

165

144

15.5

49.7

300

157

128

15.8

47.5

600

147

119

17.2

47.1

2

700

144

113

16.5

55.5

(388Ð352 B HN)

800

130

105

18.2

63.8

900

113

97

20.5

70.5

1000

94

78

23.8

77.5

1100

52

39

22.8

64.3

80

145

126

18.2

49.8

300

137

111

17.5

48.6

400

136

102

19.0

48.4

500

136

103

22.0

43.4

3

600

134

95

21.8

48.5

(341Ð311 B HN)

700

121

89

22.0

55.1

800

108

82

24.2

62.6

900

93

78

28.0

75.1

1000

75

67

36.8

83.8

1100

55

46

53.5

86.3

80

134

115

21.0

52.8

600

129

92

24.0

51.3

4

800

103

75

24.0

51.3

(302Ð277 B HN)

900

88

73

26.8

74.0

1000

72

60

38.0

83.5

1100

53

44

48.0

84.9

1200

28

19

62.8

70.0

F X-XT R A T E NS IL E P R OP E R T IE S ♦♦♦

♦♦♦

T est bar results

F X MA C HINA B IL IT Y

Dry Cutting
Tool: K4H SNG 633
Feed: 0.01 in per revolution
Depth: 0.125 in
Flank Wear: 0.024 in
363 BHN: Cutting Speed x Time =4934
461 BHN: Cutting Speed x Time =1582

C

u

tt

in

g

S

p

ee

d

(f

ee

t/

m

in

)

Cutting Time (minutes)

363

BH

N

461 B

HN

60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150

240

220

200

180

160

140

120

100

F X

¨

IS OT HE R MA L T R A NS F OR MA T ION

HR c

19

8

20
27

35

42

51

54

60

60

62

1400

1300

1200

1100

1000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

0.1

0.2

0.4 0.7 1

2

4

10

20

40 1

2

4

7 10

20

40 1

2

4

7 10

201

2

4

1 1.5

WE E K S

DA Y S

HOUR S

MINUT E S

S E C ONDS

A US T E NIT E

P E A R L IT E

50%

90%

99%

B A INIT E

MA R T E NS IT E A ND A US T E NIT E

50%

1%

90%

1%10%50%90% 99%

Ms = 500¡F

D

eg

re

es

°

F

A Finkl & Sons Co

One Finkl Plaza
(2011 N Southport Ave.)
Chicago, IL 60614-4079
Phone: [phone]
FAX [phone]
Toll free phone:
1-800-DIE-BLOCK

PRODUCT WARRANTY
The material herein merely constitutes instructions furnished gratuitously for your consideration. These instructions are intended as suggestions only and do not purport to be complete or to
replace or to constitute normal shop practices. A. Finkl & Sons Co. makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied with respect to the matters covered herein, whether
as to merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, reproducibility of properties and results set out herein, or any other matter.
EXCLUSION OF WARRANTIES-THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITYAND FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE ARE EXCLUDED.

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