Dohre UEX Series end mills are designed for mold steel and die steel machining up to HRC60, including materials such as H13, SKD61, P20, 718H, S136, CPM powder steel, and other pre-hardened or hardened mold materials.
Mold steel machining requires stable cutting performance, strong wear resistance, vibration control, and reliable surface quality, especially in cavity machining, side-wall finishing, shoulder milling, contour finishing, and semi-finishing operations. UEX Series carbide end mills are developed with ultra-fine carbide, high-performance TIALSIN coating, and anti-vibration geometry to support longer tool life, smoother cutting, and more consistent machining accuracy.
The series includes square end mills, ball nose end mills, and corner radius end mills for different mold steel machining needs. Dohre also supports standard sizes, custom tool geometry, OEM production, and stable batch supply for mold manufacturers, die makers, precision machining factories, and CNC production workshops.
What Is Mold Steel and Why It Needs Special End Mills
Mold steel such as P20, H13, and S136 features high hardness and toughness, making it difficult to machine with standard tools. To achieve precise dimensions and smooth surface finishes, specialized carbide end mills for mold steel are required. These tools are optimized for high hardness materials (up to 60 HRC) and maintain excellent wear resistance under continuous cutting conditions.
Suitable Mold Steel Materials
UEX end mills are suitable for a wide range of mold and die steels commonly used in mold manufacturing and precision tooling.
| Mold Steel Material | Typical Application |
|---|
| P20 mold steel | Pre-hardened molds, plastic injection molds, general mold components |
| H13 mold steel | Hot-work dies, die casting molds, high-load mold components |
| S136 mold steel | Stainless mold steel, precision mold cavities, high surface finish applications |
| SKD61 mold steel | Hot-work mold steel, die-casting and forging mold components |
| 718H mold steel | Pre-hardened plastic mold steel, large mold components |
| CPM mold and die steel | High-wear mold components and difficult machining applications |
For mold steel materials with higher hardness or special machining conditions, tool geometry, coating, and cutting parameters should be selected according to the actual application.
UEX Tool Types for Mold Steel Machining
Different mold steel machining tasks require different end mill geometries. UEX series provides multiple tool types to match different cutting needs.
| UEX Tool Type | Best For | Typical Applications |
|---|
| UEX Square End Mill for Mold Steel | Flat surfaces, slots, side walls, shoulders | Slotting, side milling, step face machining, shoulder machining |
| UEX Ball Nose End Mill for Mold Steel | 3D surfaces and curved profiles | Mold cavity finishing, curved surface machining, contour finishing |
| UEX Corner Radius End Mill for Mold Steel | Stronger edge protection and better stability | Semi-finishing, side wall machining, corner transition machining |
For flat surfaces and slots, the UEX square end mill is usually the first choice. For 3D contouring and cavity finishing, the UEX ball nose end mill provides smoother surface transitions. For side walls, shoulders, and applications where edge chipping must be reduced, the UEX corner radius end mill offers better edge protection and longer tool life.
Features of UEX Mold Steel End Mills
UEX series end mills are developed for stable machining of mold steel and difficult-to-machine materials up to HRC60. The series combines ultra-fine carbide material, high-performance TIALSIN coating, and anti-vibration geometry to support better tool life, smoother cutting, and more consistent surface quality.
Ultra-Fine Carbide Material
UEX end mills use ultra-fine micro-grain carbide below 0.6 μm with 12% cobalt content. This material provides a balanced combination of hardness, toughness, and wear resistance, helping the tool maintain stable cutting performance in mold steel machining.
TIALSIN Coating with HIPIMS Technology
The tool is coated with TIALSIN, offering heat resistance up to 1200°C and strong oxidation resistance. The HIPIMS-enhanced coating process with special X-element improvement helps increase high-temperature coating stability, reduce friction, and improve impact resistance and crack propagation resistance.
Anti-Vibration Geometry
The end teeth adopt an unequal division design of 88° / 92°, while the peripheral cutting edges use an unequal helix angle of 35° / 37°. Combined with a 0° to -5° rake angle, this geometry helps reduce vibration, improve surface finish, and support more stable machining.
Suitable for Mold Steel up to HRC60
UEX series end mills are mainly suitable for mold steel and difficult-to-machine materials within HRC60, including H13, SKD61, CPM powder steel, 718H, and similar pre-hardened or hardened mold steels.
