Plastic mold parts

Toolox Steel: A Successful Replacement for Conventional Tool Steels in Plastic Injection Molding

The demand for optimized tool solutions is increasing due to the increasingly complex requirements of various applications, as well as the growing use of additives such as flame retardants and glass fibers.
In this context, it is crucial to select the right type of steel for each specific mold. Using pre-hardened Toolox® as mold steel for injection molding tools offers significant time savings in manufacturing, as the steel provides excellent machinability. Molding plastic parts with a high percentage of abrasive glass fibers is not a challenge thanks to the high hardness of Toolox® 44 steel – without the need for heat treatment. If necessary, the surface hardness can easily be enhanced through nitriding, laser hardening, or other surface treatments.

Toolox steel has proven to be a powerful alternative to tool steels 1.2312 and 1.2343 in the production of components for plastic injection molding.
• Toolox 33 is primarily used instead of 1.2312 and 1.2311 for manufacturing mold plates and inserts.
• For high-volume tools, Toolox 44 is used for inserts and slides, replacing steel 1.2343.
These materials not only offer high wear resistance but also enable a significant reduction in production and machining times.