End mill for hardened steel

End mill for hardened steel Introduction

The series includes square end mills, ball nose end mills, and corner radius end mills for different machining requirements, including side milling, shoulder machining, 3D contour finishing, mold cavity finishing, and profile machining.

For hardened mold steels such as H13, 718H, NAK80, S136, and similar high-hardness materials, HEX Series end mills help achieve stable cutting performance, reliable tool life, and consistent finishing quality.

HEX Series Product Introduction

Key Features of HEX Hardened Steel End Mills

1. Ultra-Fine Carbide for HRC60–68 Machining

HEX Series end mills are made from ultra-fine carbide with 0.4 μm grain size and 9% cobalt content. This carbide substrate provides high hardness, excellent wear resistance, and enough toughness for high-hardness steel machining.

It helps the tool maintain edge strength and cutting stability when machining hardened steel materials where ordinary carbide end mills may wear quickly or suffer from micro-chipping.

2. DR3 High-Wear-Resistant Coating

HEX Series tools use DR3 high-wear-resistant coating, designed for high-temperature and high-load machining conditions. The coating offers heat resistance up to 1300°C, helping improve oxidation resistance, reduce friction, and extend tool life during continuous hardened steel cutting.

For HRC60–68 machining, cutting heat and tool wear are common problems. DR3 coating helps maintain stable performance under demanding cutting conditions.

3. Reinforced Geometry for Hardened Steel Cutting

HEX Series end mills adopt reinforced geometry for high-hardness machining. The design focuses on rigidity, edge strength, and stable cutting engagement. Key geometry advantages include:

• Large core design for higher rigidity

• Negative rake angle design for stronger edge support

• Optimized helix angle for smoother cutting

• Stable flute geometry for better vibration resistance

• Tool options for flat surfaces, 3D contours, shoulders, side walls, and mold cavities

4. Designed for Precision Mold Finishing

HEX Series is especially suitable for finishing and semi-finishing of hardened mold components. The tools are used in high-precision mold and die applications where dimensional accuracy, surface consistency, and tool life are important.

How to Choose the Right HEX End Mill

Choosing the right tool geometry is important when machining hardened steel. Different HEX tool types are designed for different machining tasks.

For flat surfaces and side walls, choose a HEX square end mill.
   For 3D surfaces and mold cavities, choose a HEX ball nose end mill.
   For shoulders, steps, and areas where stronger edge protection is required, choose a HEX corner radius end mill.

Suitable Materials and Applications

HEX Series end mills are suitable for machining hardened steel from HRC60 to HRC68, including:

1、H13

2、718H

3、NAK80

4、S136

5、Hardened mold steel

6、Hardened die steel

7、Other high-hardness mold and die materials within the recommended range

Typical applications include:

1、Hardened steel finishing

2、Mold cavity finishing

3、3D surface machining

4、Side-wall finishing

5、Shoulder machining

6、Step machining

7、Profile finishing after roughing

8、Precision mold and die manufacturing

HEX Series tools are mainly used for semi-finishing and finishing applications where stable cutting, strong edge support, and consistent surface quality are required.