Tool Steel, Drill Rod

Drill rod is round tool steel stock ground to a tight tolerance diameter, usually ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm).  It is commonly used to make drill bits, taps, reamers, punches, dowel pins, and shafts.

W1 drill rod is the most popular, versatile, and least expensive grade of drill rod. W1 drill rod has a high carbon content, allowing it to be used often without heat treatment, for maintenance applications. W1 drill rod provides both toughness and maximum wear resistance. W1 drill rods are ground to a surface finish of better than 40 micro inches and are free from defects and decarburization.

O-1 drill rod is a non-deforming tool steel which can be hardened at relatively low temperatures in oil. Tools and dies made from O1 drill rod will have good wearing and abrasive qualities due to the tungsten and higher chromium content, which gives improved wear resistance.

A2 drill rod is an air hardening chromium alloy die steel that replaces O1 drill rod when safer hardening, less distortion and increased wear resistance are required. Characteristics of A2 drill rod include good machinability, high compressive strength, very good non-deforming properties, deep hardening, and high dimensional stability after hardening and tempering.

A2 flat bar is an air hardening chromium alloy die steel that replaces A1 flat bar when safer hardening, less distortion and increased wear resistance are required. Characteristics of A2 flat bar include, good machinability, high compressive strength, very good non-deforming properties, deep hardening, and high dimensional stability after hardening and tempering.

O2 flat bar is an oil-hardening, non-deforming tool steel which can be hardened at relatively low temperatures. Tools and dies made from O1 flat bar will have good wearing and abrasive qualities since the tungsten and higher chromium content gives improved wear resistance.

D2 flat bar is an air-hardening, high carbon , high chromium tool steel with extremely high wear resisting properties. D2 flat bar is a very deep hardening steel and will be practically free from size change after proper treatment. The high percentage of chromium gives it mild corrosion resisting properties in the harden condition.

Grade 440C stainless steel is a high carbon martensitic stainless steel. It has high strength, moderate corrosion resistance, and good hardness and wear resistance. Grade 440C is capable of attaining, after heat treatment, the highest strength, hardness and wear resistance of all the stainless alloys. Its very high carbon content is responsible for these characteristics, which make 440C particularly suited to such applications as ball bearings and valve parts.  Typical applications include: rolling element bearings, valve seats, high quality knife blades, surgical instruments, chisels.