Steel Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered
Heat-treated state
AISI/SAE D2 · JIS SKD11
Cryo + Tempered = cryogenic (deep-freeze) treated and double tempered
Use when residual austenite must be minimised for gauge-stable, long-run precision dies; adds ~1–2 HRC and better wear life.
Values for the Cryo + Tempered condition
Other Cr12MoV tempers and conditions
Cr12MoV is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at Cr12MoV.
- Annealed
- Hot Rolled/Forged
- H&T 54-58 HRC
- Nitrided
- Q&T
- Cryo + Tempered
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault spheroidize annealed, soft delivery condition (≤255 HB) | Standard mill/stockist condition for bar, flat and plate — machine the die here, then harden. | 460 | 780 | 12 | 217 HB | — |
as-worked, not annealed | Cheapest large-section input for forged die blocks; must be annealed before machining. | 620 | 980 | 7 | 31 HRC | 2.6 % IACS |
Hardened + higher temper | Choose when toughness and resistance to chipping/warm working matter more than peak wear life (cold extrusion, heavy-section dies, nitriding base). | 1,600 | 1,900 | 1 | 56 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Hardened, tempered and gas/plasma nitrided case | Surface-engineered option for galling/adhesive-wear duty on forming dies; core keeps 58–60 HRC while the case reaches ~1100 HV. | 1,700 | 2,000 | 0.5 | 59 HRC | 2.5 % IACS |
Quenched and tempered | Default working condition for blanking, punching and forming dies where wear resistance dominates. | 1,800 | 2,100 | 1 | 60 HRC | — |
Cryo + TemperedThis page Cryogenic (deep-freeze) treated and double tempered | Use when residual austenite must be minimised for gauge-stable, long-run precision dies; adds ~1–2 HRC and better wear life. | 1,850 | 2,150 | 0.4 | 62 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
What is Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered?
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered is Cr12MoV heat treated to Cryo + Tempered — use when residual austenite must be minimised for gauge-stable, long-run precision dies; adds ~1–2 HRC and better wear life. Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered has a yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 0.4% and the elastic modulus is 212 GPa (30.7 Msi). Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Cryo + Tempered is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 1,850 MPa (268 ksi), better than 99% of steel grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 33/100, better than 97% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 78/100, better than 95% of steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 0.4%, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 1/100, worse than 100% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 180°C (356 °F), worse than 98% of steel grades
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered properties
Typical room-temperature values for Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered; 21 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Cr12MoV reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical15
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered has a yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 0.4% and the elastic modulus is 212 GPa (30.7 Msi).
Thermal6
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered is rated for continuous service to 180°C (356 °F). It conducts heat at 21 W/m·K (12.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 95% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11 µm/m·K (6.11 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered conducts electricity at 2.4 % IACS, worse than 97% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is poor (33/100), better than 97% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered takes about 36 MJ of energy and emits 2.8 kg of CO₂ — more than 89% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 50%.
Manufacturability8
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (1/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered
Is Cr12MoV easy to machine?
Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated-carbide tooling and low feeds; after hardening use grinding, EDM or CBN — abrasive Cr carbides cut tool life sharply.
Can Cr12MoV be welded?
Essentially not a weldable steel: repair welding only, with 400–500 °C preheat, matching high-Cr or tool-steel electrodes, slow cooling and immediate re-temper to avoid quench cracks.
Can Cr12MoV be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050→850 °C with slow furnace cooling and immediate anneal; cold forming is impractical — harden from 1020–1040 °C (oil, air or vacuum) and temper at least twice at 180–220 °C (or 500–520 °C for secondary hardening).
What surface finishes work on Cr12MoV?
Takes a fine polish for die surfaces but carbide pull-out limits mirror finishes; protect with black oxide, hard chrome, nitriding or PVD (TiN/TiCN/AlCrN) — cannot be anodised and will rust unoiled.
Cr12MoV 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 | 1.45 – 1.7 | 1.55 |
| Si≤0.40 | ≤ 0.4 | 0.25 |
| Mn≤0.40 | ≤ 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Cr | 11 – 12.5 | 11.75 |
| Mo | 0.4 – 0.6 | 0.5 |
| V | 0.15 – 0.3 | 0.22 |
| Pimpurity limit | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Simpurity limit | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered — frequently asked
What is Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered used for?
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered is typically used for cold blanking and piercing dies, cold forming and coining dies, thread rolling dies, shear and slitter blades, cold extrusion tooling and punches and die buttons. In short: cold-work die tool steel.
What is the yield strength of Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered?
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered has a typical yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 99% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 100% of steel grades). Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated-carbide tooling and low feeds; after hardening use grinding, EDM or CBN — abrasive Cr carbides cut tool life sharply.
Can Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Essentially not a weldable steel: repair welding only, with 400–500 °C preheat, matching high-Cr or tool-steel electrodes, slow cooling and immediate re-temper to avoid quench cracks.
What surface finishes work on Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered?
Takes a fine polish for die surfaces but carbide pull-out limits mirror finishes; protect with black oxide, hard chrome, nitriding or PVD (TiN/TiCN/AlCrN) — cannot be anodised and will rust unoiled.
Can Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050→850 °C with slow furnace cooling and immediate anneal; cold forming is impractical — harden from 1020–1040 °C (oil, air or vacuum) and temper at least twice at 180–220 °C (or 500–520 °C for secondary hardening).
What is the maximum service temperature of Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered?
Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered is rated for continuous use to about 180°C (356 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered?
Yes — Cr12MoV Cryo + Tempered is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- GB/T 1299 (Cr12MoV) — SAC / (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (D2 cold-work tool steels) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.16 — Machining (tool steel machinability ratings) — ASM International (1989)
- K110 / SKD11 cold-work tool steel datasheet — voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl (2021)
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.