CRU-WEAR®
CRU-WEAR® is an air hardening tool steel possessing an excellent combination of high wear resistance and toughness. This grade is readily machined in the annealed condition (using parameters similar to D2) and exhibits minimal distortion in hardening. The normal heat treatment is compatible to a wide variety of surface coatings such as nitriding, tin coating, etc.
    CRU-WEAR excels in applications that require higher wear resistance than D2, greater toughness than M2 high speed steel, or in applications that require both.
    The combination of wear resistance, compressive strength, and exceptional toughness make CRU-WEAR a great choice for a wide variety of demanding tooling applications.
Typical Chemistry
Carbon 1.10%
Manganese 0.35%
Silicon 1.10%
Chromium 7.50%
Vanadium 2.40%
Tungsten 1.15%
Molybdenum 1.60%
Typical Applications
Punches Blanking Dies
Knives Thread Rolling Dies
Shear Blades Rolls
Forming Blades Planer Blades
Gauges Wear Parts
Coining Dies Trim Dies
Laminating Dies

Annealed Hardness: 207/248 BHN
Thermal Treatments
Annealing: 1550-1600F(845-870C) Hold 2 hours, slow cool 50F(10C) per hour maximum to 1200F(650C).

Hardness: 225/255 BHN

Stress Relieving: (Prior to heat treat) 1100-1300F (595-740C), hold 2 hours and air or furnace cool.

Straightening: Best done warm 400-800F(200-430C).

Hardening: (Salt, vacuum or atmosphere)

Preheat: 1100-1200F (595/650C) equalize, 1550-1600F (845-870C) equalize.

High Heat: 1850-2050F (1010-1120C), hold 20/45 minutes at temperature.

Quench: Salt, air or positive pressure to below 150F(65C) or to a temperature at which the tool may be held comfortably in the bare hands.
Surface protection techniques should be used to prevent unintentional decarburization, carburization,
or oxidation (scaling).

Tempering: 900-1050F (480-565C)
CRU-WEAR should be tempered as soon as the parts have cooled below 150F(65C). The usual tempering temperature is 900-1050F(480-565C) but this may be varied to suit the hardness or toughness requirements. Tempering time should be 2 hours minimum or at least one hour per inch (per 25mm) of total thickness for sections over 2"(50mm) thick. Double tempering is mandatory. Triple tempering is recommended. When multiple tempering is employed, the workpiece should be cooled to room temperature between the tempering operations.

Stress Relieving (Hardened Parts): Temper 25F(15C) below original tempering temperature.
Hardening Data
Air cooled from austenitizing temperature shown and double tempered 2+2 hours.

Tempering
HEAT TREAT RESPONSE
Temperature
1850F
(1010C)
1950F
(1065C)
2050F
(1120C
)
°F
°C

AQ
63-65
63-65
62-64
900
480
61-63
62-64
61-63
950
510
61-63
62-64
64-66
1000
540
57-59
60-62
63-65
1025
550
56-58
58-60
61-63
1050
565
54-56
55-57
59-61

Note: Optimal performance indicated by boxed hardness.
Surface Treatments
CRU-WEAR can be nitrided, steam tempered, or titanium-nitride coated if desired. If the CVD TiN treatment is used, care is required in vacuum hardening.

Physical Properties
Modulus of Elasticity ...............................................30-32 psi x 106 (207-221 GPa)
Specific gravity ........................................................................................................7.78
Specific Heat ............................................................................................................0.10
Density .................................................................................0.281 lb/in3 (7785 kg/m3)
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