Steel 1.2343 · temper · default condition
Steel 1.2343 Annealed
Properties of the Annealed condition, compared with the other 1.2343 tempers.
Standard stocked delivery condition for rough machining of dies before hardening.
What is 1.2343 Annealed?
1.2343 Annealed is 1.2343 in the Annealed temper — standard stocked delivery condition for rough machining of dies before hardening. 1.2343 Annealed has a yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 63% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). 1.2343 Annealed has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 24.5 W/m·K (14.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 89% of steel grades
- High embodied carbon — 2.5 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 82% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
1.2343 Annealed properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1.2343 Annealed — 9 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every 1.2343 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
1.2343 Annealed has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical14
1.2343 Annealed has a yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 63% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 16% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal5
1.2343 Annealed is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 24.5 W/m·K (14.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 89% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.9 µm/m·K (6.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
1.2343 Annealed has an electrical resistivity of 5.2×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (18/100), better than 83% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1.2343 Annealed takes about 34 MJ of energy and emits 2.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability8
1.2343 Annealed's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades); weldability fair (35/100); formability poor (20/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other 1.2343 tempers and conditions
1.2343 is also supplied in 8 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the 1.2343 overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStandard stocked delivery condition for rough machining of dies before hardening.500 MPa yield · 205 HB
- Q&T 50-52 HRCMaximum practical working hardness for H11 — wear-dominated tooling, cold-work punches, aerospace structural parts.1,570 MPa yield · 51 HRC
- Q&T 48-50 HRCHigher strength/wear for shear blades, punches and warm-forming tools with moderate impact.1,480 MPa yield · 49 HRC
- Q&T 46-48 HRCCommon general-purpose hot-work hardness: extrusion dies, die-casting cores, plastic-mould inserts.1,380 MPa yield · 47 HRC
- Q&T 44-46 HRCBalanced toughness/strength for large forging dies and heavily loaded hot-work inserts.1,270 MPa yield · 45 HRC
- Q&T 40-44 HRCToughest working condition — aluminium die-casting dies, hot-forging inserts, extrusion tooling exposed to thermal shock.1,150 MPa yield · 42 HRC
Working with 1.2343 Annealed
Is 1.2343 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed condition with rigid setups and coated carbide (positive rake, 80–140 m/min); above 45 HRC switch to hard turning/CBN or EDM plus stress relief.
Can 1.2343 be welded?
Weldable only for repair: preheat and interpass 350–450 °C, matching 1.2343/H11 filler or Ni-base for buttering, temper immediately 20–30 °C below the last tempering temperature.
Can 1.2343 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work at 1050–850 °C with slow cooling in furnace or vermiculite; no meaningful cold formability — harden 1000–1030 °C, air/vacuum quench, then temper twice (min. 2 h each) for the target hardness.
What surface finishes work on 1.2343?
Takes a fine polish (better in ESR quality); protect with nitriding, hard chrome or PVD CrN/AlTiN — not anodizable and will rust without oil or coating.
1.2343 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.33 – 0.41 | 0.37 |
| Si | 0.8 – 1.2 | 1 |
| Mn | 0.25 – 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Cr | 4.8 – 5.5 | 5.1 |
| Mo | 1.1 – 1.5 | 1.3 |
| V | 0.3 – 0.5 | 0.4 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.02 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
1.2343 Annealed — frequently asked
What is 1.2343 Annealed used for?
1.2343 Annealed is typically used for aluminium die-casting dies, forging dies and die inserts, die-casting cores, pins and inserts, hot extrusion dies and mandrels, hot shear blades and trim tools and hot punches and piercing tools. In short: hot-work die tool.
What is the yield strength of 1.2343 Annealed?
1.2343 Annealed has a typical yield strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 63% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is 1.2343 Annealed easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 65% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed condition with rigid setups and coated carbide (positive rake, 80–140 m/min); above 45 HRC switch to hard turning/CBN or EDM plus stress relief.
Can 1.2343 Annealed be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (35/100). Weldable only for repair: preheat and interpass 350–450 °C, matching 1.2343/H11 filler or Ni-base for buttering, temper immediately 20–30 °C below the last tempering temperature.
What surface finishes work on 1.2343 Annealed?
Takes a fine polish (better in ESR quality); protect with nitriding, hard chrome or PVD CrN/AlTiN — not anodizable and will rust without oil or coating.
Can 1.2343 Annealed be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work at 1050–850 °C with slow cooling in furnace or vermiculite; no meaningful cold formability — harden 1000–1030 °C, air/vacuum quench, then temper twice (min. 2 h each) for the target hardness.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1.2343 Annealed?
1.2343 Annealed is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in 1.2343 Annealed?
Yes — 1.2343 Annealed is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- EN ISO 4957 — Tool steels (X37CrMoV5-1) — ISO/CEN (2018)
- ASTM A681 — Alloy tool steels (H11) — ASTM (2015)
- GB/T 1299 — (4Cr5MoSiV) — SAC (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (H-group tool steels) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.16 — Machining — ASM International (1989)
- Hot-work tool steel 1.2343 / H11 datasheets (Böhler W302-class, Voestalpine, Dörrenberg) — producers (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.