Steel D6 Annealed
Temper · default condition
AISI/SAE D6 · UNS T30406
Standard stocking condition for machining/EDM of the die blank before hardening.
Values for the Annealed condition
Other D6 tempers and conditions
D6 is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at D6.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefaultThis page spheroidize annealed, as-supplied bar/plate | Standard stocking condition for machining/EDM of the die blank before hardening. | 450 | 800 | 15 | 22 HRC | — |
Oil quenched, tempered ~400–450 °C | Pick when some shock loading is expected and maximum wear life can be traded for a little toughness. | — | 1,900 | 1 | 57 HRC | — |
Oil quenched, tempered ~250–300 °C | Balanced working hardness for thicker blanking punches and forming dies in heavier sections. | — | 2,050 | 0.5 | 59 HRC | — |
Oil quenched, tempered ~180–220 °C | Most common in-service hardness for high-volume blanking, trimming and thread-rolling tools. | — | 2,150 | 0 | 61 HRC | — |
Oil quenched, low temper ~150–180 °C | Maximum wear resistance for thin, well-supported cutting edges on abrasive sheet or laminations; least tolerance for shock. | — | 2,200 | 0 | 63 HRC | — |
What is D6 Annealed?
D6 Annealed is D6 in the Annealed temper — standard stocking condition for machining/EDM of the die blank before hardening. D6 Annealed has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). D6 Annealed has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,250°C (2,282 °F).
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 25/100, better than 92% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 99% 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
- Low electrical conductivity — 2.7 % IACS, worse than 96% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 93% of steel grades
D6 Annealed properties
Typical room-temperature values for D6 Annealed; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are D6 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
D6 Annealed has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,250°C (2,282 °F).
Mechanical13
D6 Annealed has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal5
D6 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 10.8 µm/m·K (6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
D6 Annealed conducts electricity at 2.7 % IACS, worse than 96% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (25/100), better than 92% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of D6 Annealed takes about 40 MJ of energy and emits 2.9 kg of CO₂ — more than 91% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
D6 Annealed's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 89% of steel grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability not recommended (8/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with D6 Annealed
Is D6 easy to machine?
Machine only in the annealed condition with rigid setups, low speeds and hard-carbide or CBN tooling; hardened D6 is a grind/EDM-only material and grinds slowly because of the coarse carbide network.
Can D6 be welded?
Essentially unweldable for structural purposes; repair only with preheat 300–350 °C, matching high-alloy filler, small stringer beads and an immediate temper, otherwise cracking is near-certain.
Can D6 be formed, bent or molded?
No cold forming; hot work at 900–1050 °C with slow, controlled cooling and a mandatory 800–850 °C anneal, then oil quench from ~950–980 °C and temper at 150–250 °C for working hardness (expect distortion and low hardenability in thick sections).
What surface finishes work on D6?
Take polish well after hardening but carbide banding can streak mirror finishes; protect with oil, black oxide, hard chrome, nitriding or CrN/TiCN PVD coatings applied below the tempering temperature.
D6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chigh carbon for dense M7C3 carbide network | 2 – 2.35 | 2.15 |
| Cr | 11 – 13 | 12 |
| Wdistinguishing addition vs D3; JIS SKD2 uses 0.60–0.80 | 0.6 – 1.2 | 0.85 |
| Mn | 0.15 – 0.6 | 0.35 |
| Si | 0.1 – 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Voptional/residual; up to 0.5 in SKD2 | ≤ 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Moresidual only | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
D6 Annealed — frequently asked
What is D6 Annealed used for?
D6 Annealed is typically used for heavy-duty blanking dies, deep-draw dies and forming rolls. In short: most wear-resistant D-series; tungsten-boosted abrasion resistance; lowest machinability of family.
What is the yield strength of D6 Annealed?
D6 Annealed has a typical yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) — stronger than 52% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is D6 Annealed easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 89% of steel grades). Machine only in the annealed condition with rigid setups, low speeds and hard-carbide or CBN tooling; hardened D6 is a grind/EDM-only material and grinds slowly because of the coarse carbide network.
Can D6 Annealed be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Essentially unweldable for structural purposes; repair only with preheat 300–350 °C, matching high-alloy filler, small stringer beads and an immediate temper, otherwise cracking is near-certain.
What surface finishes work on D6 Annealed?
Take polish well after hardening but carbide banding can streak mirror finishes; protect with oil, black oxide, hard chrome, nitriding or CrN/TiCN PVD coatings applied below the tempering temperature.
Can D6 Annealed be formed, bent or molded?
No cold forming; hot work at 900–1050 °C with slow, controlled cooling and a mandatory 800–850 °C anneal, then oil quench from ~950–980 °C and temper at 150–250 °C for working hardness (expect distortion and low hardenability in thick sections).
What is the maximum service temperature of D6 Annealed?
D6 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.
Sources
- ASTM A681 — Alloy Tool Steels (D-series chemistry framework) — ASTM International (2020)
- JIS G 4404 — Alloy tool steels (SKD2) — JSA (2015)
- DIN EN ISO 4957 — Tool steels (X210CrW12 / 1.2436) — DIN (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys (Tool Steels) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 16 — Machining (machinability ratings of tool steels) — ASM International (1989)
- Cold-work tool steel 1.2436 / X210CrW12 datasheet — European tool steel producers (typical published physical data) (2022)
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.