Steel 420 Mod Mold · heat-treated state
Steel 420 Mod Mold Q&T
Properties of the Q&T condition, compared with the other 420 Mod Mold tempers.
Use for high-wear, high-gloss cavities and inserts running abrasive or glass-filled resins.
What is 420 Mod Mold Q&T?
420 Mod Mold Q&T is 420 Mod Mold heat treated to Q&T — use for high-wear, high-gloss cavities and inserts running abrasive or glass-filled resins. 420 Mod Mold Q&T has a yield strength of 1,450 MPa (210 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi). 420 Mod Mold Q&T has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of steel grades. It melts at 1,425°C (2,597 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Q&T is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 93/100, better than 100% of steel grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 55/100, better than 99% of steel grades
- High strength — 1,450 MPa (210 ksi), better than 97% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 20/100, worse than 97% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 7%, worse than 96% of steel grades
- High embodied carbon — 3.6 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 93% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Poor heat conductor — 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 90% of steel grades
420 Mod Mold Q&T properties
Typical room-temperature values for 420 Mod Mold Q&T — 17 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every 420 Mod Mold temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
420 Mod Mold Q&T has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of steel grades. It melts at 1,425°C (2,597 °F).
Mechanical15
420 Mod Mold Q&T has a yield strength of 1,450 MPa (210 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 7% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
420 Mod Mold Q&T is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 90% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 10.5 µm/m·K (5.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
420 Mod Mold Q&T conducts electricity at 3.1 % IACS, worse than 89% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), better than 99% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 420 Mod Mold Q&T takes about 52 MJ of energy and emits 3.6 kg of CO₂ — more than 93% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability7
420 Mod Mold Q&T's machinability is poor (20/100, worse than 97% of steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability fair (35/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other 420 Mod Mold tempers and conditions
420 Mod Mold is also supplied in 3 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the 420 Mod Mold overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStandard stock condition for shops that will rough-machine and then harden the cavity themselves.470 MPa yield · 220 HB
- Q&T 52-54Top-hardness option for small inserts, gate areas and wear-critical details where toughness is secondary.1,600 MPa yield · 53 HRC
- Q&TUse for high-wear, high-gloss cavities and inserts running abrasive or glass-filled resins.1,450 MPa yield · 50 HRC
- PrehardPick for cavity/core blocks machined to final shape with no further heat treatment and no distortion risk.860 MPa yield · 31 HRC
Working with 420 Mod Mold Q&T
Is 420 Mod Mold easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed or prehard state with rigid setups, sharp coated carbide and generous coolant — the alloy work-hardens and gums at low speeds; hardened 50 HRC parts need CBN/hard-milling or EDM.
Can 420 Mod Mold be welded?
TIG repair only with matching 420-type or 410NiMo filler, preheat 250–325 °C, weld hot and temper immediately below the last tempering temperature to avoid cracking.
Can 420 Mod Mold be formed, bent or molded?
Not a cold-forming grade; hot work 1100→850 °C with slow cooling, then soft anneal at ~850 °C furnace-cooled before machining.
What surface finishes work on 420 Mod Mold?
Excellent mirror (A1) polishability in the hardened ESR condition; stress-relieve before finish machining and consider nitriding, PVD CrN/TiN or hard chrome for extra wear resistance — no anodizing on steel.
420 Mod Mold 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Craised vs standard 420 for full hardening | 0.33 – 0.45 | 0.38 |
| Si | 0.2 – 1 | 0.4 |
| Mn | 0.3 – 1 | 0.5 |
| Cr | 12.5 – 14.5 | 13.5 |
| Momodification for hardenability/temper resistance | 0 – 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Vgrain refinement, wear resistance | 0 – 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Nioptional, toughness in heavy sections | 0 – 0.6 | 0.25 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Skept very low (ESR) for polishability | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Fe | balance | — |
420 Mod Mold Q&T — frequently asked
What is 420 Mod Mold Q&T used for?
420 Mod Mold Q&T is typically used for plastic injection-mold cavities and cores, optical-part molds, mold inserts for PVC and other corrosive polymers, blow-mold cavities, extrusion dies for plastics and medical and packaging mold tooling. In short: modified mold-cavity plate.
What is the yield strength of 420 Mod Mold Q&T?
420 Mod Mold Q&T has a typical yield strength of 1,450 MPa (210 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,750 MPa (254 ksi) — stronger than 97% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is 420 Mod Mold Q&T easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (20/100, worse than 97% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed or prehard state with rigid setups, sharp coated carbide and generous coolant — the alloy work-hardens and gums at low speeds; hardened 50 HRC parts need CBN/hard-milling or EDM.
Can 420 Mod Mold Q&T be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). TIG repair only with matching 420-type or 410NiMo filler, preheat 250–325 °C, weld hot and temper immediately below the last tempering temperature to avoid cracking.
What surface finishes work on 420 Mod Mold Q&T?
Excellent mirror (A1) polishability in the hardened ESR condition; stress-relieve before finish machining and consider nitriding, PVD CrN/TiN or hard chrome for extra wear resistance — no anodizing on steel.
Can 420 Mod Mold Q&T be formed, bent or molded?
Not a cold-forming grade; hot work 1100→850 °C with slow cooling, then soft anneal at ~850 °C furnace-cooled before machining.
What is the maximum service temperature of 420 Mod Mold Q&T?
420 Mod Mold Q&T is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 420 Mod Mold Annealed and 420 Mod Mold Prehard?
Annealed is the default condition — standard stock condition for shops that will rough-machine and then harden the cavity themselves. Prehard: pick for cavity/core blocks machined to final shape with no further heat treatment and no distortion risk. Yield strength is 470 MPa in Annealed versus 860 MPa in Prehard.
Can FabDigit make parts in 420 Mod Mold Q&T?
Yes — 420 Mod Mold Q&T is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A681 — Alloy Tool Steels — ASTM International (2015)
- GB/T 1299 / GB/T 1220 (4Cr13, 4Cr13 ) — SAC (2014)
- ASM Specialty Handbook: Stainless Steels — ASM International (1994)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Stainless plastic mould steel datasheets (13% Cr ESR mould grades) — Tool steel 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.