A cold-work tool steel powder is used to fabricate 3-dimensional objects by selective laser melting using a high-pressure gas atomization process. The spherical powder particles form continuous carbide networks among the austenite matrix and its decomposition products. The carbides comprise Nb-rich MC and Mo-rich M2C. In the SLM process, the process parameters such as the laser power (90 W), layer thickness (25 μm), and hatch spacing (80 μm) are kept fixed, while the scan speed is changed from 50 mm/s to 4000 mm/s. At a low scan speed of 50 mm/s, spherical cavities develop due to over melting, while they are substantially reduced on increasing the speed to 2000 mm/s. The carbide network spacing decreases with increasing speed. At an excessively high speed of 4000 mm/s, long and irregularly shaped cavities are developed due to incomplete melting. The influence of the scan pattern is examined, for which 1 × 1 mm2 blocks constituting a processing layer are irradiated in a random sequence. This island-type pattern exhibits the same effect as that of a low scan speed. Post processing of an object using hot isostatic pressing leads to a great reduction in the porosity but causes coarsening of the microstructure.

SKD11 (ASTM D2) tool steel is a versatile high-carbon, high-chromium, air-hardening tool steel that is charac- terized by a relatively high attainable hardness and numerous, large, chromium rich alloy carbide in the microstructure. SKD11 tool steel provides an effective combination of wear resistance and toughness, tool performance, price, and a wide variety of product forms. The CNTs was good additives to improve the mechanical properties of metal. In this study, 1, 3 vol% CNTs was dispersed in SKD11 matrix by mechanical alloying. The SKD11+ CNT hybrid nanocomposites were investigated by FE-SEM, particle size distribution, hardness and wear resistance. The CNT was well dispersed in the SKD11 matrix and the mechanical properties of the composite were improved by CNTs addition. It shows good fea- sibility as cold work die tool.

In high-performance cold work applications, tool failure depends on the predominating loading conditions. Typical failure mechanisms are a combination of abrasive wear, adhesive wear, plastic deformation, cracking and edge crumbling. In this paper we demonstrate how the microstructure of tool steels can be positively influenced by modifying the alloying system and the production route to meet the demands of the different loading situations which occur during operation. The investigation was focused on ductility, fatigue strength and wear resistance. Theoretical considerations were confirmed by practical tests.