Steel D2 · heat-treated state
Steel D2 Q&T
Properties of the Q&T condition, compared with the other D2 tempers.
Equivalent to hardened & tempered; use when the order specifies Q&T without a hardness band.
What is D2 Q&T?
D2 Q&T is D2 heat treated to Q&T — equivalent to hardened & tempered; use when the order specifies Q&T without a hardness band. D2 Q&T has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,000 MPa (290 ksi) — stronger than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). D2 Q&T has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,421°C (2,590 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Q&T is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 28/100, better than 93% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 65/100, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- 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
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 91% of steel grades
- High embodied carbon — 3 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 91% of steel grades
D2 Q&T properties
Typical room-temperature values for D2 Q&T — 8 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every D2 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical2
D2 Q&T has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,421°C (2,590 °F).
Mechanical15
D2 Q&T has a yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,000 MPa (290 ksi) — stronger than 53% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
D2 Q&T 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 10.5 µm/m·K (5.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
D2 Q&T conducts electricity at 2.7 % IACS, worse than 96% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (28/100), better than 93% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of D2 Q&T takes about 36 MJ of energy and emits 3 kg of CO₂ — more than 88% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 45%.
Manufacturability8
D2 Q&T's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 89% of steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability poor (15/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other D2 tempers and conditions
D2 is also supplied in 8 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the D2 overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStandard mill supply for bar, plate and ground flat stock; machine to shape in this state, then harden.450 MPa yield · 220 HB
- H&T 60-62 HRCHighest wear resistance for thin-gauge blanking, slitters and cold-forming inserts; least chip-tolerant.2,100 MPa tensile
- Q&TEquivalent to hardened & tempered; use when the order specifies Q&T without a hardness band.2,000 MPa tensile
- H&T 58-60 HRCBalanced wear/toughness setting used for most blanking dies and shear blades, and the base for nitriding or PVD.1,950 MPa tensile
- H&T 54-56 HRCChoose for shock-loaded or thick-section tooling where chipping, not wear, is the failure mode.1,800 MPa tensile
- Hardened & TemperedGeneric finished tooling condition, typically 58–62 HRC for cold-work punches, dies and blades.1,700 MPa yield · 60 HRC
Working with D2 Q&T
Is D2 easy to machine?
Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated carbide at modest speeds; after hardening it is a grind/EDM-only material (leave 0.2–0.4 mm grind stock).
Can D2 be welded?
Poor weldability — repair welding only, with 300–450 °C preheat, matching Cr-Mo-V or tool-steel filler, and immediate temper below the last tempering temperature to avoid quench cracks.
Can D2 be formed, bent or molded?
Not a cold-formable steel; hot forge 1050–900 °C with slow cooling and mandatory soft anneal, and design dies with generous radii since the hardened part has almost no ductility.
What surface finishes work on D2?
Grind, lap and polish to a fine finish, then protect by nitriding, black oxide, hard chrome or PVD (TiN/CrN/TiAlN) below the tempering temperature; the 12% Cr does not make it stainless, so oil bare surfaces in storage.
D2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CASTM A681 / GB Cr12MoV runs 1.45–1.70 in some Chinese grades | 1.4 – 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Cr | 11 – 13 | 12 |
| Mo | 0.7 – 1.2 | 0.9 |
| V | 0.5 – 1.1 | 0.9 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.6 | 0.35 |
| Si | ≤ 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.3 | — |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | — |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
D2 Q&T — frequently asked
What is D2 Q&T used for?
D2 Q&T is typically used for blanking and piercing dies, shear and slitter blades, thread rolling dies, cold heading and coining dies, forming and trim dies and forming rolls. In short: high-carbon; high-chrome wear.
What is the yield strength of D2 Q&T?
D2 Q&T has a typical yield strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,000 MPa (290 ksi) — stronger than 53% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is D2 Q&T easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 89% of steel grades). Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated carbide at modest speeds; after hardening it is a grind/EDM-only material (leave 0.2–0.4 mm grind stock).
Can D2 Q&T be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Poor weldability — repair welding only, with 300–450 °C preheat, matching Cr-Mo-V or tool-steel filler, and immediate temper below the last tempering temperature to avoid quench cracks.
What surface finishes work on D2 Q&T?
Grind, lap and polish to a fine finish, then protect by nitriding, black oxide, hard chrome or PVD (TiN/CrN/TiAlN) below the tempering temperature; the 12% Cr does not make it stainless, so oil bare surfaces in storage.
Can D2 Q&T be formed, bent or molded?
Not a cold-formable steel; hot forge 1050–900 °C with slow cooling and mandatory soft anneal, and design dies with generous radii since the hardened part has almost no ductility.
What is the maximum service temperature of D2 Q&T?
D2 Q&T 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.
Can FabDigit make parts in D2 Q&T?
Yes — D2 Q&T 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)
- GB/T 1299 (Cr12MoV / Cr12Mo1V1) — SAC (2014)
- EN ISO 4957 Tool steels (X153CrMoV12, 1.2379) — CEN/ISO (2018)
- JIS G4404 Alloy tool steels (SKD11) — JSA (2015)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1: Properties and Selection — Tool Materials — ASM International (1990)
- Uddeholm Sverker 21 / Böhler K110 cold-work tool steel datasheets — voestalpine (2023)
- SMM / 1688 (Cr12MoV, SKD11) — SMM / 1688 (2026)
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.