Steel D3 · temper · default condition
Steel D3 Annealed
Properties of the Annealed condition, compared with the other D3 tempers.
Standard mill/stockist condition for machining and die sinking before hardening.
What is D3 Annealed?
D3 Annealed is D3 in the Annealed temper — standard mill/stockist condition for machining and die sinking before hardening. D3 Annealed has a yield strength of 460 MPa (66.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 56% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). D3 Annealed has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,230°C (2,246 °F).
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 22/100, better than 89% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 20 MPa·√m (18.2 ksi·√in), worse than 99% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 2.6 % IACS, worse than 97% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 8/100, worse than 97% of steel grades
- Poor heat conductor — 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of steel grades
D3 Annealed properties
Typical room-temperature values for D3 Annealed — 9 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every D3 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
D3 Annealed has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,230°C (2,246 °F).
Mechanical15
D3 Annealed has a yield strength of 460 MPa (66.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 56% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
D3 Annealed is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
D3 Annealed conducts electricity at 2.6 % IACS, worse than 97% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is poor (22/100), better than 89% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of D3 Annealed takes about 36 MJ of energy and emits 2.8 kg of CO₂ — more than 88% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
D3 Annealed's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability not recommended (8/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other D3 tempers and conditions
D3 is also supplied in 4 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the D3 overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStandard mill/stockist condition for machining and die sinking before hardening.460 MPa yield · 225 HB
- Hardened & TemperedPick for maximum wear resistance on blanking, trimming and drawing dies with light shock loading.2,100 MPa tensile
- Q&TUse when the tool sees impact or heavy sections and some hardness can be traded for toughness and dimensional stability.1,900 MPa tensile
Working with D3 Annealed
Is D3 easy to machine?
Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, low speeds and carbide or coated-carbide tooling; the coarse Cr-carbide network is highly abrasive, and hardened parts require grinding, EDM or wire EDM.
Can D3 be welded?
Not intended for structural welding; repair only with matched high-alloy electrodes at 400–500 °C preheat followed by slow cool and re-temper to avoid cracking.
Can D3 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050–900 °C with slow furnace cooling and immediate soft annealing at 800–850 °C; no meaningful cold formability, and heavy carbide banding makes forging reduction important for tool life.
What surface finishes work on D3?
Finish by grinding/lapping and polish for die surfaces; protect with oil, black oxide or phosphating, and use nitriding or PVD (TiN/CrN/TiCN) below the tempering temperature for extra wear life.
D3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C1.2080: 1.90–2.20 | 2 – 2.35 | 2.1 |
| Cr1.2080: 11.0–12.0 | 11 – 13.5 | 12 |
| Mn | 0.1 – 0.6 | 0.35 |
| Si | 0.1 – 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Voptional in ASTM A681; absent in 1.2080 | ≤ 1 | 0.2 |
| Woptional in ASTM A681 | ≤ 1 | — |
| Moresidual/optional | ≤ 1 | — |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
D3 Annealed — frequently asked
What is D3 Annealed used for?
D3 Annealed is typically used for cold blanking and piercing dies, trimming dies, drawing and forming dies, shear blades, cold-heading tools and thread rolling dies. In short: cold-work die tool.
What is the yield strength of D3 Annealed?
D3 Annealed has a typical yield strength of 460 MPa (66.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 56% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is D3 Annealed easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of steel grades). Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, low speeds and carbide or coated-carbide tooling; the coarse Cr-carbide network is highly abrasive, and hardened parts require grinding, EDM or wire EDM.
Can D3 Annealed be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Not intended for structural welding; repair only with matched high-alloy electrodes at 400–500 °C preheat followed by slow cool and re-temper to avoid cracking.
What surface finishes work on D3 Annealed?
Finish by grinding/lapping and polish for die surfaces; protect with oil, black oxide or phosphating, and use nitriding or PVD (TiN/CrN/TiCN) below the tempering temperature for extra wear life.
Can D3 Annealed be formed, bent or molded?
Hot forge 1050–900 °C with slow furnace cooling and immediate soft annealing at 800–850 °C; no meaningful cold formability, and heavy carbide banding makes forging reduction important for tool life.
What is the maximum service temperature of D3 Annealed?
D3 Annealed is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in D3 Annealed?
Yes — D3 Annealed is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM A681 — Standard Specification for Tool Steels Alloy — ASTM International (2022)
- DIN EN ISO 4957 — Tool steels (X210Cr12 / 1.2080) — ISO/DIN (2018)
- GB/T 1299 (Cr12) — SAC (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys (Tool Steels) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.16 — Machining (tool steel machinability ratings) — ASM International (1989)
- Cold-work tool steel 1.2080 / X210Cr12 datasheet — Böhler / voestalpine (2020)
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.