The Top Chinese Customize Mold Partner
We Offer a Variety of Mold Tooling Materials
We don’t just offer materials, we offer expert guidance. Our engineering team will help you select the optimal mold material based on:
Projected production volume
Part geometry and wall thickness
Material being molded (abrasiveness, corrosiveness)
Surface finish requirements
Budget and timeline constraints
Why Mold Tooling Materials Selection matter so much for custom parts?
Choosing the right material for custom parts is critical because it directly impacts performance, cost, manufacturability, and longevity.
Mechanical & Physical Properties
Application Environment
Manufacturing Compatibility
Cost & Lead Time
Surface Finish & Aesthetics
Regulatory & Safety Requirements
Custom Mold with More than 20+ Materials
Provide Various Tooling/Die Materials One-Stop Services for Different Industries.
Material Selection for Injection Molds:
The choice of mold material is primarily determined by:
Type of plastic: Corrosiveness, glass fiber (GF) content
Part requirements: High gloss, transparency, precision
Production volume: High-volume vs. low-volume
Selection Guidelines:
High-volume production: Use hardened steel (high hardness, wear resistance, long service life)
Low-volume production: Consider aluminum molds or pre-hardened steel (lower cost, shorter lead time)
Common Grades and Characteristics
P20 / 718H / NAK80 Pre-hardened (30-42 HRC), ready for direct machining; good balance of properties, low cost, short lead time; NAK80 offers superior mirror-finish polishability General-purpose plastics (ABS/PP/PE) housings, home appliances, automotive interior/exterior parts, high-gloss/transparent products.
S136 / 420 High-chromium stainless steel; hardness 48-52 HRC after heat treatment; excellent corrosion resistance and polishability Corrosive plastics (PVC/POM/flame-retardant plastics), medical/food-grade components, optical lenses.
H13 / 2344 Hot work tool steel; hardness 48-52 HRC after heat treatment; excellent red hardness (500-600°C); good thermal fatigue resistance High-temperature engineering plastics (PEEK/PEI/LCP/PPS), glass fiber (GF) reinforced plastics
Material Selection for Die Casting Molds:
Die-casting mold materials must possess two essential properties：high-temperature resistance and thermal fatigue resistance.
Most Common Die-Casting Mold Steel: H13 (SKD61) offering excellent overall performance and serving as the industry standard.
Common Grades and Characteristics:
H13 / SKD61 / 2344 The most widely used die-casting steel; combines high-temperature strength with good toughness; excellent thermal fatigue resistance Cores, cavities, and slides for aluminum, magnesium, and zinc alloy die-casting molds.
8418 / Dievar Advanced high-performance hot work tool steel; significantly superior toughness and heat-check resistance at elevated temperatures compared to H13 Demanding large or complex die-casting molds, such as automotive structural components
Material Selection for Stamping Dies
The choice of stamping die material depends primarily on three factors:
Workpiece material: Type and strength grade
Material thickness: Sheet thickness
Production volume: High-volume vs. low-volume
Selection Guidelines:
High-volume, high-strength production: Requires high-wear-resistance materials (e.g., SKD11, DC53) to ensure die life and product quality consistency
Low-volume or simple dies: Carbon tool steels (e.g., T10A) are suitable — low cost and easy to machine
Common Grades and Characteristics
Cr12MoV / SKD11 / D2：High-carbon, high-chromium cold work tool steel; hardness 58-62 HRC after heat treatment; extremely high wear resistance; minimal heat treatment distortion Heavy-duty blanking dies, drawing dies, forming dies; suitable for high-strength steel sheets.
DC53：Improved version of SKD11; toughness is twice that of SKD11; better wear resistance; less prone to chipping Precision stamping dies; stamping high-strength materials such as stainless steel.
T10A / CrWMn：Carbon / low-alloy tool steel; low cost, good machinability; limitation: poor hardenability Small-sized, simple-shaped stamping dies with light load requirements.
Mold materials of Investment Casting & Vacuum Casting
Both investment casting and vacuum casting are indirect replication processes, but their purposes are completely different:
Investment casting: Uses ceramic molds to produce metal parts
Vacuum casting: Uses silicone molds to produce plastic or elastomer parts
Comparsion of Mold Materials
| Content | AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) | DIN (German Institute for Standardization) | JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) | Feature | Type & Application | ||
| ABS、PS、PP、PE、ABS+PC | P20 | 1.2311 | SCM | Mold steel for general requirements, ideal for small to medium production runs. | P20 / 2311 / 618 /Injection Mold | ||
| GPPS、K、PMMA、SAN、PC、PVC,etc transparent or corrosive plastics | 420（SS） | 1.2083 | SUS420J2 | Pre-hardened, high-gloss mold steel for corrosive plastic materials | 420 / 2083 / S136/Injection Mold | ||
| 1.2316 | |||||||
| Suitable for zinc, aluminum alloys, polyamide (PA), and glass‑fiber‑reinforced materials — requiring high precision, extended service life, or other high‑performance molding applications. | H13 | 1.2344 | SKD61 | Suitable for general zinc alloy die-casting molds, as well as for hardened plastic injection molds. | H13 / SKD61 / 2344/8418/Die Casting Mold | ||
| High-wear applications such as blanking and forming dies, as well as wear-resistant inserts in injection molds. | D2 | 1.2379 | SKD11 | D2 is the top choice for cold stamping, wear-resistant inserts, slides, precision forming, and high-volume production lines where wear resistance is critical. | Cr12MoV / SKD11 / D2/Stamping Die | ||
| Molds demanding high-quality surface texturing for plastics such as ABS, PC, and others. | P21 | close to 1.2312 | NAK80 | Suitable for B-side (moving half) steel of high-demand plastic injection molds, or for high-demand plastic injection mold steel in general. | NAK80 / P80//Injection Mold | ||
| Non-critical mold (typically the ejector side / bottom half) | 1050 | 1.1209 | S55C | Medium carbon steel for general mold base applications. | 1050/1055/S55C /Mold Base/Simple Die | ||
| 1055 | |||||||
| Beryllium Copper | C17200 | CuBe2 | C1720 | Cooling inserts in injection molds. Corrosion-resistant applications: it is a top choice for mold cores when processing plastics like PVC and POM that emit corrosive gases. | C17200/CuBe2/Injection Mold Insert | ||
| Alloy Copper | C95400/C95500 | 2.0940.03/2.0975.03 | CAC704/CAC703 | Gravity and low-pressure die casting molds for producing parts from copper alloys, aluminum alloys, etc. Continuous casting molds，specifically the crystallizers for manufacturing metal tubes, bars, and rods. | C95400/C95500/Die Casting | ||
| Non-Deforming Oil-Hardening Steel | O1 | 1.2510 | SKS3 | For high-wear-resistance mold parts. | O1/SKS3/Precise Stamping Die/Injection Mold | ||
| Other Steel | H11 | 1.2343 | SKD6 | Widely used for zinc and aluminum alloy dies, hardened plastic molds, and also suitable for high‑requirement aluminum‑magnesium alloy molds. | H11/SKD6/Die Casting Mold / Fiberglass Molding | ||
| 6F7 | 1.2767 | This high-toughness cold work tool steel is often specified by European customers and has proven to deliver outstanding performance. | 6F7/Injection Mold/Stamping Die | ||||
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FAQs About Mold Tooling Materials
What are the most commonly used mold tooling materials?
The most widely used mold materials include:
P20 – General-purpose, pre-hardened steel for medium-volume injection molds
H13 – Heat-resistant steel for die casting and high-temperature molding
S136 / 420SS – Stainless steel with corrosion resistance and mirror polishability
NAK80 – Pre-hardened steel with excellent polishability and dimensional stability
Beryllium Copper – High thermal conductivity for rapid cooling
Aluminum – Lightweight, fast-machining option for prototype and low-volume tooling
How do I choose the right mold material for my project?
Selection depends on several key factors:
Factor Consideration
Production volume High volume → Hardened steel (H13, D2); Low volume → Aluminum or P20
Part material Abrasive/corrosive plastics (e.g., PVC, GF-filled) → Corrosion-resistant steel (S136)
Surface finish High-gloss or optical parts → NAK80 or S136 with mirror polish
Cycle time Faster cooling → Beryllium copper inserts
Budget Lower upfront cost → Aluminum or P20; Longer lifespan → Premium steels
Operating temperature High heat → H13 or tool steels with good thermal fatigue resistance
When should I choose stainless steel (S136/420SS) for my mold?
Choose stainless steel when:
The molded part is for medical, food, or pharmaceutical applications (hygiene requirements)
The molding material is corrosive (e.g., PVC, some flame-retardant grades)
The part requires a mirror-like high-gloss surface (e.g., optical lenses, cosmetic packaging)
S136 offers excellent corrosion resistance and can achieve a SPI A-1 mirror finish.
What is SPI surface finish and how does it relate to material selection?
SPI surface finish standards range from A-1 (highest gloss, mirror finish) to D-3 (lowest, textured finish). Achieving higher gloss finishes requires materials that can be polished well:
A-1 / A-2 (Mirror) – S136, NAK80, 420SS
B-1 / B-2 (High gloss) – P20, NAK80
C-1 / C-2 (Semi-gloss) – P20
D-1 / D-2 (Texture) – Most materials, including P20
How do cost and lead time vary across different mold materials?
Material Cost/ Lead Time/ Tool Life
Aluminum $ /Short (1–2 weeks) /Short
P20 $$ /Moderate (2–4 weeks) /Moderate
NAK80 $$$ /Moderate (3–5 weeks) /Moderate–High
H13 $$$ /Longer (4–6 weeks) /High
S136 $$$$ /Longer (5–7 weeks) /Very High
Cost and lead time depend on mold complexity, size, and specific requirements.
How does the material being molded affect tooling material choice?
Molded Material Mold Requirement
ABS, PP, PE Standard steel (P20) typically sufficient
Glass-filled (GF) plastics High wear resistance → Hardened steel (H13, D2), often with wear-resistant coatings
PVC, POM, flame-retardant grades Corrosion resistance → Stainless steel (S136/420SS)
Transparent plastics (PC, PMMA) High polishability → NAK80, S136
When should I use aluminum molds?
For prototypes, bridge tooling, or low-volume runs (<50,000 shots). They’re faster to machine and cost less, but wear out quicker.