In August 2024, Chinese steel mills successfully developed and trial-produced the ultra-high carbon tool steel SK120, marking a significant breakthrough in tool steel production.
The SK120 product pushed the boundaries of existing steelmaking and hot-rolling production capabilities in terms of carbon content, presenting considerable challenges in trial production. With strong technical support, Chinese steel mills conducted thorough technical analyses, refined trial production plans, and established detailed contingency measures to complete the first round of trial production.
The trial-produced products met composition requirements, and hot-rolling process control achieved design targets, resulting in 229 tons of qualified steel coils. The project team will evaluate the trial products and subsequently send them to users for trial use and certification.
The development and trial production of SK120 signify that Chinese steel mills have reached a new height in high-carbon tool steel technology capabilities, laying a solid foundation for realizing a million-ton-level premium fine-blanking tool steel production base.
Ultra-High Carbon Tool Steel — SK120
SK120 is an ultra-high carbon tool steel with a carbon content as high as 1.2%. It is used for manufacturing high-end cutting tools and utility knife blades, requiring high standards of internal cleanliness, structural uniformity, and surface decarburization. Due to its high carbon content, the product poses extreme difficulties in continuous casting and hot rolling production. Previously, only a few steel mills in China had attempted hot-rolled wide coil trial production, with the material primarily being imported.
