Steel H11 Stress Relieved
Heat-treated state
AISI/SAE H11 · UNS T20811 · ASTM A681 · EN 1.2343 · GB 4Cr5MoSiV1, 4Cr5MoSiV
Intermediate step for large dies to minimise distortion before hardening; mechanical level stays near annealed.
Values for the Stress Relieved condition
Other H11 tempers and conditions
H11 is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at H11.
- Annealed
- Stress Relieved
- Q&T
- Nitrided
- HIP
- As Printed
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault spheroidize annealed, soft supply condition | Standard mill-supply state for bar/plate that will be machined then hardened by the toolmaker. | 510 | 800 | 20 | 200 HB | — |
Stress RelievedThis page 600–650 °C after rough machining | Intermediate step for large dies to minimise distortion before hardening; mechanical level stays near annealed. | 530 | 820 | 18 | 16 HRC | 3.3 % IACS |
Quenched and tempered | Standard working hardness for die-casting and extrusion dies where thermal-fatigue resistance and toughness matter most. | 1,300 | 1,550 | 12 | 46 HRC | — |
Q&T core plus gas/plasma nitrided case | Pick for die-casting cores and extrusion dies needing soldering/wear resistance; 0.1–0.3 mm case on a 44–48 HRC core. | 1,300 | 1,550 | 8 | 46 HRC | 3.3 % IACS |
Hot isostatic pressed | Use for AM or PM tooling where residual porosity must be closed; gives near-wrought toughness and isotropic properties. | 1,400 | 1,650 | 9 | 48 HRC | — |
laser powder bed fusion, as-built (self-quenched martensite) | AM 1.2343 straight off the machine: already hard and strong but low ductility with residual stress — stress relief is normally mandatory. | 1,450 | 1,750 | 3 | 52 HRC | — |
What is H11 Stress Relieved?
H11 Stress Relieved is H11 heat treated to Stress Relieved — intermediate step for large dies to minimise distortion before hardening; mechanical level stays near annealed. H11 Stress Relieved has a yield strength of 530 MPa (76.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 820 MPa (119 ksi) — stronger than 69% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 18% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). H11 Stress Relieved has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,427°C (2,601 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Stress Relieved is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High service temperature — 550°C (1,022 °F), better than 95% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 75/100, better than 94% of steel grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 88% of steel grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 3.3 % IACS, worse than 86% of steel grades
- High embodied carbon — 2.5 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 82% of steel grades
H11 Stress Relieved properties
Typical room-temperature values for H11 Stress Relieved; 22 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are H11 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
H11 Stress Relieved has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 87% of steel grades. It melts at 1,427°C (2,601 °F).
Mechanical13
H11 Stress Relieved has a yield strength of 530 MPa (76.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 820 MPa (119 ksi) — stronger than 69% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 18% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
H11 Stress Relieved is rated for continuous service to 550°C (1,022 °F). It conducts heat at 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 88% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.9 µm/m·K (6.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
H11 Stress Relieved conducts electricity at 3.3 % IACS, worse than 86% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (18/100), better than 83% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of H11 Stress Relieved 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
H11 Stress Relieved's machinability is fair (53/100, better than 53% of steel grades); weldability fair (38/100); formability poor (32/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with H11 Stress Relieved
Is H11 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed state (≈200 HB) with rigid setups and coated carbide; hardened 46–52 HRC parts need ceramic/CBN, EDM or grinding, and EDM white layer must be stoned or stress-relieved off.
Can H11 be welded?
Repair-weldable with matched 1.2343/H11 filler at 300–450 °C preheat, small stringer beads, then temper 20–30 °C below the last tempering temperature; never weld cold.
Can H11 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work only — forge 1050–1100 °C, stop above 900 °C and cool slowly, then spheroidize anneal at 750–800 °C; cold forming is not practical.
What surface finishes work on H11?
Vacuum-harden and double/triple temper above 550 °C for dimensional stability, then nitride, PVD-coat (CrN/AlCrN) or hard-chrome for wear and soldering resistance; ESR grades polish to a mirror/photo-etch finish.
H11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C1.2343: 0.36–0.42 | 0.33 – 0.43 | 0.38 |
| Si | 0.8 – 1.2 | 1 |
| Mn | 0.2 – 0.5 | 0.35 |
| Cr | 4.75 – 5.5 | 5.1 |
| Mo1.2343: 1.10–1.40 | 1.1 – 1.6 | 1.3 |
| V1.2343: 0.25–0.50 | 0.3 – 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | — |
| Wresidual | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Smax; premium ESR ≤0.005 | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
H11 Stress Relieved — frequently asked
What is H11 Stress Relieved used for?
H11 Stress Relieved is typically used for die casting dies and inserts, forging dies, aerospace landing gear forgings, rocket motor structural components, hot extrusion dies and mandrels and hot shear blades and punches. In short: hot-work tool steel.
What is the yield strength of H11 Stress Relieved?
H11 Stress Relieved has a typical yield strength of 530 MPa (76.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 820 MPa (119 ksi) — stronger than 69% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is H11 Stress Relieved easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (53/100, better than 53% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed state (≈200 HB) with rigid setups and coated carbide; hardened 46–52 HRC parts need ceramic/CBN, EDM or grinding, and EDM white layer must be stoned or stress-relieved off.
Can H11 Stress Relieved be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (38/100). Repair-weldable with matched 1.2343/H11 filler at 300–450 °C preheat, small stringer beads, then temper 20–30 °C below the last tempering temperature; never weld cold.
What surface finishes work on H11 Stress Relieved?
Vacuum-harden and double/triple temper above 550 °C for dimensional stability, then nitride, PVD-coat (CrN/AlCrN) or hard-chrome for wear and soldering resistance; ESR grades polish to a mirror/photo-etch finish.
Can H11 Stress Relieved be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work only — forge 1050–1100 °C, stop above 900 °C and cool slowly, then spheroidize anneal at 750–800 °C; cold forming is not practical.
What is the maximum service temperature of H11 Stress Relieved?
H11 Stress Relieved is rated for continuous use to about 550°C (1,022 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between H11 Annealed and H11-HIP?
Annealed is the default condition — standard mill-supply state for bar/plate that will be machined then hardened by the toolmaker. HIP: use for AM or PM tooling where residual porosity must be closed; gives near-wrought toughness and isotropic properties. Yield strength is 510 MPa in Annealed versus 1,400 MPa in HIP.
Can FabDigit make parts in H11 Stress Relieved?
Yes — H11 Stress Relieved 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)
- EN ISO 4957 — Tool steels (1.2343 / X37CrMoV5-1) — CEN/ISO (2018)
- GB/T 1299 — (4Cr5MoSiV) — SAC (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1: Properties and Selection — Tool Steels — ASM International (1990)
- Tool Steels, 5th ed. (Roberts, Krauss, Kennedy) — ASM International (1998)
- BÖHLER W300 / W302 hot work tool steel data sheet — voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl (2022)
- Uddeholm hot-work tool steel technical data (5%Cr grades) — Uddeholm/voestalpine (2021)
- MMPDS aircraft-quality H11 (5Cr-Mo-V) ultra-high-strength steel data — Battelle/FAA (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.