NAK80 and P20 are both pre-hardened plastic mould steels, but they target different priorities.

P20 is primarily valued for balanced performance and economical mould manufacturing.

NAK80 is more strongly associated with high precision, superior surface finishing and high-value plastic components.

Quick Comparison

Where P20 Performs Best

P20 is suitable for a very broad range of general injection moulds.

The steel is easy to machine in its pre-hardened condition and offers sufficient toughness and wear resistance for many production requirements.

Typical uses include appliance housings, industrial plastic products, automotive components and medium-to-large injection moulds.

If the end product does not require optical clarity or exceptional mirror polishing, P20 frequently provides a more economical solution.

Why Choose NAK80?

NAK80’s biggest advantage is not simply higher hardness.

Its value comes from the combination of:

• High pre-hardened hardness
• Excellent polishing capability
• Fine surface finishing
• Good EDM response
• Dimensional stability
• Detailed texture reproduction

This makes it especially useful for high-value products where mould surface quality directly determines product appearance.

Applications include:

• Optical covers
• Light guides
• High-gloss appliance panels
• Automotive interiors
• Electronic housings
• Cosmetic containers
• Precision textured components

Mirror Polishing

For many buyers, this is the deciding factor.

A normal industrial housing may not benefit commercially from very high polishing performance.

An optical component or premium cosmetic package is different.

Any polishing defect in the mould may be reproduced repeatedly across thousands of moulded parts.

In these applications, material cleanliness and uniform microstructure can justify selecting NAK80 instead of a standard P20 grade.

Does Higher Hardness Mean NAK80 Is Always Better?

No.

Higher hardness can improve resistance to deformation and wear, but it can also increase machining demands.

If your project produces a general plastic housing with moderate surface requirements, NAK80 may be unnecessary.

Using a premium material where the application cannot exploit its advantages increases mould cost without necessarily increasing profitability.

Selection Rule

Choose P20 for:

• General injection moulding
• Cost-sensitive projects
• Large moulds with normal finish
• Fast machining
• Moderate production volume

Choose NAK80 for:

• Mirror-finished components
• High-gloss products
• Optical applications
• Fine texture reproduction
• Precision moulds
• Premium consumer products

Material should follow the product requirement—not the other way around.

When requesting a quotation, specify your desired surface finish and moulded resin together with the required steel size.

FAQ

Can NAK80 replace P20?
In many applications it can technically be considered, but the additional material performance may not be economically necessary.

Which steel polishes better?
NAK80 is typically chosen when very high mirror polishing is required.

Which steel is better for general injection moulds?
P20 remains a practical choice because of its balanced cost, machining performance and mould properties.