THE OPTIMAL TOOL STEEL SOLUTIONS FOR AHSS
A comprehensive focus on VANADIS 4 EXTRA SUPERCLEAN, VANADIS 8 SUPERCLEAN, and VANCRON SUPERCLEAN
The increasing use of Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) in modern manufacturing, particularly within the automotive industry, places significant demands on tooling materials. High forming forces, accelerated wear mechanisms, and risks of chipping and galling necessitate advanced solutions. This article explores the performance of Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean, Vanadis 8 SuperClean, Vancron SuperClean, and Caldie—four high-performance tool steels tailored for cold work applications involving AHSS.
By leveraging powder metallurgy (PM) and advanced alloying techniques, such as electro-slag remelting (ESR), these steels offer superior resistance to abrasive wear, adhesive wear (galling), and fatigue cracking while maintaining adequate ductility and dimensional stability. Vanadis 4 Extra SuperClean balances toughness and wear resistance, Vanadis 8 SuperClean excels in extreme wear conditions, Vancron SuperClean integrates galling resistance, and Caldie provides exceptional chipping resistance for medium-to-severe AHSS applications. All with the ability to extend the tool life even further by adding a coating on top.
Through detailed analysis, including mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, and real-world case examples, this article highlights how selecting the appropriate tool steel enhances tool life, reduces downtime, and optimises productivity in demanding AHSS forming and blanking operations.
