High speed steel (HSS or HS)

High speed steel (HSS or HS)

High speed steel (HSS or HS) is a subset of steel/" target="_blank" class="keylink">tool steels, commonly used in tool bits and cutting tools. It is often used in power saw blades and drill bits. It is superior to theolder high carbon steel tools used extensively through the 1940s in that it can withstand higher temperatures without losing its temper (hardness). This property allows HSSto cut faster than high carbon steel, hence the name high speed steel. At room temperature, in their generally recommended heat treatment, HSS grades generally displayhigh hardness (above HRC60) and a high abrasion resistance (generally linked to vanadium content often used in HSS) compared to common carbon and steel/" target="_blank" class="keylink">tool steels.

Types:

M2
M2 is a high speed steel in tungsten-molybdenum series. The carbides in it are small and evenly distributed. It has high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness

is the same as T1, but its bending strength can reach 4700 MPa, and its toughness and thermoplasticity are higher than T1 by 50%. It is usually used to manufacture a

variety of tools, such as drill bits, taps and reamers. Its decarburization sensitivity is a little bit high.

M35
M35 is similar to M2, but with 5% cobalt added. The addition of cobalt increases heat resistance.

M42
M42 is a molybdenum series high speed steel alloy with an additional 8% cobalt. It is widely used in metal manufacturing because of its superior red-hardness as compared to more conventional high speed steels, allowing for shorter cycle times in production environments due to higher cutting speeds or from the increase in time between tool changes. M42 is also less prone to chipping when used for interrupted cuts and cost less when compared to the same tool made of carbide. Tools made from cobalt-bearing high speed steels can often be identified by the letters HSS-Co.