Bohler Special Steels

Cold Work Tool Steel

When manufacturing tools which are required for applications that involve surface temperatures that are under 200°C, steel with particular properties is needed to ensure the associated stresses can be coped with. Bohler manufactures cold work steel to meet these requirements including properties such as resistance to high wear, a good level of toughness, superior hardness, high compressive and impact strength and a high level of dimensional stability during heat treatment. Bohler cold work steels are suitable for a huge range of applications including use as punching and cutting tools, knives and die plates, stamping and drawing tools and thread rollers to name but a small selection.

Hot Work Tool Steel

For tool steels that are required to withstand constant temperatures above 200°C when in use, hot work steel is a necessity due to the thermal stresses that are applied over and above the usual stresses that the steel will undergo. Bohler manufactures a range of hot work tool steels with very high levels of high temperature wear resistance for superb durability even in extreme conditions. Our hot work steels are required in numerous different applications including extruding, pressure casting, tube and pipe production and when manufacturing specialised glass products with high performance processes. 

Plastic Mould Steel

Bohler manufactures a range of plastic mould steels which can be grouped into two main categories: plastic mould steel for use with 'bolsters and larger tools', and, plastic mould steel for use with 'inserts and smaller tools'. Within these two broad groups, both stainless steel and non-stainless steel options can be found. Our plastic mould steel in the former group is pre-hardened, removing the need for heat treatment, and has good levels of impact strength, polishability and machinability. In the latter group, our plastic mould steel features good hardenability, impact strength and polishability as well as having improved wear properties and dimensional stability when undergoing heat treatment.

High Speed Steel

High speed steels are essential for modern industrial processes, and particularly mass production, that involve machining for shaping and forming items. All of the grades of high speed steel that Bohler manufacture include such properties as a high resistance to wear, high levels of working hardness and toughness, compressive strength and excellent retention of hardness and red hardness. Depending on the specific application for which the high speed steel is intended, Bohler can supply steels with varying chemical compositions designed to withstand the particular stresses of their application. By making such adjustments, Bohler is able to provide high speed steels to suit almost any type of application.

Powder Metallurgy

Powder metallurgy technology is able to produce materials capable of performing at very high levels and that have a homogenous carbide structure that offers fantastic properties when in use. Bohler has invested in an advanced powder metallurgy production plant now manufacturing the third generation of powder metallurgy, Bohler Microclean®. The Microclean range provides some amazing advantages in a world that demands high performance materials that can cope with even changing applications. These advantages include a better distribution of carbon, a smaller carbide size, a low scatter band in properties, a reduction of non-metallic inclusions, and enhanced levels of toughness, fatigue strength and bending strength.

Special Materials

Bohler produces a range of special materials specifically designed for applications in the automotive, aerospace and offshore industries and has grown to become one of the leading manufacturers in the world of such special materials. Our commitment to providing outstanding and reliable quality has led to our gaining OEM approvals throughout the world. Our vast range of special materials comprises of over 400 different grades including high temperature alloys, nickel based alloys and creep resistant stainless. We are able to provide our special materials in various forms such as sheet, billet, plate and bar as well as forged and finished to your custom specifications.

L625

As part of our special materials range, Bohler can supply L625, a material perfectly suited to the oil and gas industry but also highly suitable for use in a wide number of other sectors including the chemical and processing industries and the aerospace industry. L625 is a nickel base alloy that has non-magnetic properties as well as having a resistance to corrosion and oxidation. With a high level of toughness and strength, L625 can withstand temperatures ranging from cryogenic up to 1000°C. L625 can also resist stress corrosion cracking and has a high level of fatigue strength as well as a good weld ability.

Aviation

For the aviation industry, Bohler manufactures a wide selection of special steels and nonferrous metal alloys of the very highest quality possible in order to meet the strict regulations of the aerospace and aeronautics sectors. We ensure consistency of quality via our independent and fully accredited testing laboratories. Bohler's special materials for aviation can be produced in bright steel, forgings, rolled wire, strips, plates, circular or other blanks, and in bar form whether your requirement is for rolled, forged or premachined bars. We can also manufacture blanks to your exact specifications in a huge selection of materials from high strength heat treatable steels to Ni-based alloys.

Power Generation

Bohler manufactures a range of special materials designed to cope with the extreme levels of thermal and mechanical strain that are found with power generation turbines, whether gas, steam or hydro powered. Turbine blades can accelerate to the speed of sound, causing the very tips of the blades to turn red hot from calorific intensity. As such, Bohler produces specific high temperature alloys that can withstand such conditions while maintaining material properties at an optimum level. Our high temperature alloys include Ni-based alloys and Co-based alloys, used by some of the leading manufacturers of power generation turbines in the world.

Chemical Processing Industry

The chemical processing industry covers a wide ranging number of different tasks from extracting fossil fuels to processing seawater into drinking water. The tools used in these applications can be subject to extremely corrosive elements as well as high levels of mechanical strain and, therefore, need to be made from special materials that can withstand the rigours and pressures of their role. Bohler develops and manufactures materials specially designed to have a high resistance to corrosion and strain such as Ni-based alloys and super duplex materials.

Automotive & General Engineering

Bohler is fully equipped to provide special materials to the automotive industry that reflect the sector's constant need for high quality steel that helps automotive manufacturers to achieve incredible end product versatility. Bohler's ongoing commitment to quality and reliability has led some of the world's leading car and automotive accessory manufacturers to become Bohler customers. For full technical information about the products specific to the automotive and general engineering industries, please visit our website. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your enquiries as well.

Rolled Profiles

With more than 5,000 different special profiles available as well as the facility to provide bespoke 'made to measure' profiles, Bohler is one of the most experienced manufacturers of profiles in the world. We produce our profiles using a technique known as hotwork forming which offers an enhanced level of quality over more traditional techniques like casting, forging, welding or machining, as well as numerous cost-saving advantages. Produced to incredibly small tolerances, we can manufacture and finish our special profiles in both a hot rolled or cold drawn condition and can also accommodate requests for special surface requirements.

Precision Strip

With manufacturing taking place across two specialist mills in Austria, Bohler can provide various precision strip products including rule steel, rule die steel, and bimetal strip suitable for a huge variety of different applications. Strip steel is vital for the production of saw blades for various industries including the wood and stone sectors with bimetal strip, which uses both high speed and hot strength spring steel together, allowing the production of high performance saws. Bohler's rule steel can be used to create rotary rules, cutting rules, creasing rules and special rules.

Cutting Services

For fast response times, Bohler holds a huge range of our products in stock in large quantities at our warehouse in Oldbury. In order to carry out cutting services for our customers, our warehouse is also fully kitted out with a completely automated sawing centre, 17 automatic saws, and a specialised saw system which is used for multiple cut blanks at close tolerances. Bohler can provide a fast track service, comprehensive cutting and demagnetising, and facilities for grinding and machining, offering a complete range of high-quality and reliable services for our customers. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your requirements.

Machining/Processing Services

In order to provide our customers with the quality of service they expect, Bohler holds a huge range of our products in stock in large quantities at our warehouse in Oldbury for fast dispatch times. Our warehouse is also fitted with an automated sawing centre, 17 automatic saws, and a specialised saw system capable of producing close tolerance multiple cut blanks. As well as our fast track service and comprehensive cutting and demagnetising services, we can also provide complete machining and grinding services including milling, 6-sided machining, surface grinding, Lumsden/Snow grinding, and precision grinding. Please feel free to contact us with your requirements.

Logistics

Covering our warehouse, transport, quality, health & safety and enviromental areas, our Logistics/Service Centre aims to offer our customers a comprehensive and high quality experience when dealing with Bohler. We always strive to ensure that the steel you have ordered is where you need it in the most efficient way possible and is provided with all the necessary documentation and complete product traceability. In order to ensure our services are always operating at the very highest level of quality and reliability possible, Bohler also undergoes a constant monitoring process in order to identify potential improvements and efficiencies. As such, we're confident in our ability to provide our customers with the very best service available.