M-STEEL®
MACHINE LESS, MAKE MORE
M-Steel is a low alloyed, or non-alloyed, M-treated steel that is the ultimate choice when you need superior machinability combined with exceptional toughness and fatigue strength. It has proven its ability to achieve significant reductions in machining costs for component manufacturers which have replaced conventional steel with M-Steel. M-Steel enables higher cutting speeds and improved efficiency. Tests show that M-Steel can reduce machining costs by 30-40%, significantly boosting profitability.
In a highly competitive world, maximum utilisation of machining equipment is vitally important as is the time taken to produce each single component. Tool life and operational efficiency are also factors that have an impact on business profitability. With cutting speeds up to 30 % faster than conventional steel, M-Steel meets market demands for lower processing costs. In many circumstances, the tool life span can be more than doubled when machining components from M-Steel. This not only saves on the actual machining time, but also reduces the true cost per component.
Advantages of M-Steel
• Reduced machining costs
• Faster throughput of up to 30%
• Zero production interruptions
• Less resetting – fewer tool changes
• Longer tool life
• Increased production capacity
The M-Steel concept
Our M-Steel treatment can be applied to any steel grade. The basis for the concept is that non-metallic inclusions are modified and controlled with calcium treatment. These inclusions are modified 1n a way to maximise machinability and to improve transverse fatigue strength. The treatment also forms a protective layer on the cutting tool during machining that very significantly reduces the wear on the tool and increases the tool life. At every stage of the M-Steel production process the material 1is optimised to improve machinability, from raw material through melt, to casting, hot rolling and the final heat treatment. Individual delivery requirements can be met to supply your material in the best form for your machines in compliance with tight straightness and dimensional tolerances. M-Steel has a consistent machinability from cast to cast, meaning that machines can be run with fixed high cutting rates and predictable tool change intervals from one production run to another.
How much can you save?
By replacing conventional steel with M-Steel it is possible to lower machining costs by 30-40 %, boosting both your productivity and profitability. This is down to M-Steel’s ability to facilitate faster run times through higher cutting speeds, more predictable and longer tool lives, and easier chip formation. More than 400 customers have already proven the manufacturing advantages of lvl-Steel, achieving significant reductions in machining costs tor component manufacture. Recent findings also show that the M-Steel effect 1s particularly pronounced 1n turning in very hard condition using Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) inserts. Replacing traditional grinding of case- or induction-hardened
surfaces with Hard Part Turning can mean very large cost savings, together with production lead time and quality improvements.
M-Steel - durability you can count on
Hard. non-metallic inclusions in conventional steel cause considerable wear of machine tools, but in M-Steel they are transformed into safer, calcium-contained inclusions
that are softer. They even create a beneficial protective layer between the tool and the chip interface during machining. Additionally, the sulphur content is optimised
to achieve the best possible machinability. This is all done in a way that balances performance against other properties, such as hardenability, impact toughness, tensile and fatigue strength.
Fine-tuning the process
M-Steel is available in a wide range of standard dimensions as round and square bar. Alternatively, the material can be supplied to suit customer requirements, even with tight dimensional tolerances. It can be supplied cut to length to fit the specific needs of individual machining centres.
Select your M-Steel
M-Steel, high-quality, low-alloy engineering steels with improved machinability are available in a range of steel grades with bar sizes from 20 mm up to 200 mm and square bar up to 1 50 mm. A selection of popular grades is shown in the table on the next page.
Typical M-Steel grades
| EN-standard | Ovako | Comments | C | Si | Mn | Cr | Mo | Ni | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16N1CrS | 4730 | Good tougt'lness, controlled hardenability, good machinability | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | S | |
| 115Mn30 | 2715 | Lead-free cutting steel, also known as Green Cut | 0.11 | 0.2 | 1.2 | S | |||
| S355JO | 2720 | Also known as Hydax 15. A low-carbon, high tensile strength structural steel which can be readily welded to other weldable steel | 0.16 | 0.4 | 1.3 | S | |||
| 20MnS* | 2630 | Also known as Hydax 25. High temperature constitutional weldable steel | 0.20 | 0.4 | 1.3 | S | |||
| 4CrMn16-4* | 8302 | Also known as lmacro M. Suitable for gas/air hardening | 0.04 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | Nb | ||
| 21 CrMoVS-7* | 6132 | Also known as lmanite. Steel suitable for nitriding | 0.18 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | V | |
| C45 | 5081 | Also known as 4M, Steel suitable for cold working and quenching and tempering | 0.47 | 0.3 | 0.7 | ||||
| S355J2 | 2723 | Also known as 520. A low carbon, high tensile strength structural steel which can be readily welded to other weldable steel | 0.14 | 0.3 | 1.2 | V | |||
| 16MnCrS | 4306 | Used for small-sized components | 0.16 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | |||
| 25CrMo4 | 6014 | High toughness and good weldability. Suitable for heat treatment | 0.27 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | ||
| 34CrMo4 | MoC310M | Steel suitable for cold heading | 0.30 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | ||
| 34CrN1Mo6 | 6502 | Steel for high strained automotive and motor construction components. Suitable for heat treatment | 0.34 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.3 | |
| 42CrMo4 | 6082 | Med um carbon Q&T steel for general purposes | 0.42 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | ||
| 20NiCrM02-2 | 4548 | A high cleanliness steel used for small-Sized hearing and transmission components | 0.20 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.5 | |
| 20MnVS6 | 7266 | Also known as 280M. A low carbon, high tensile strength structural steel which can be readily welded to other weldable steel | 0.20 | 0.4 | 1.5 | V | |||
| S355J2 | 9864 | A low carbon, high tensile strength structural steel which can be readily welded to other weldable steel | 0.51 | 0.3 | 1.2 |
