1.2316 Mould Steel X38CrMo16 3Cr17NiMo
1.2316 mould steel is a corrosion-resistant plastic mould steel with good wear resistance, stable hardness, and reliable polishing performance. It is widely used for plastic molds, PVC injection molds, medical molds, optical component molds, and other tooling applications that require long service life, good surface finish, and strong resistance to corrosion from aggressive plastics and humid working environments.
Product Description
Xiri Tool Steel is a leading supplier of DIN 1.2316 mould steel (GB 3Cr17NiMo) in China. 1.2316 steel is a martensitic stainless steel with a high chromium content (about 16%), featuring excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance. It is often used in the production of plastic molds that are prone to chemical corrosion (such as PVC injection molds). This material can achieve a relatively high hardness through heat treatment and has a certain mirror polishing capability, making it suitable for manufacturing molds with high surface finish requirements. However, it has slightly poor thermal conductivity and a relatively high price, and is typically used in situations where specific corrosion resistance is required.
Whether you need 1.2316 flat bars, X38CrMo16 steel plates, or forged rounds, we provide custom dimensions with machining or grinding services. Our materials are strictly tested to ensure premium metallurgical structure.
1.2316 is an internationally recognised high-quality mould steel grade, holding particular significance within European standards such as DIN. It belongs to the category of pre-hardened corrosion-resistant plastic mould steels (also known as the 420 modified type). Compared to standard mould steels, 1.2316 undergoes quenching and tempering prior to shipment, achieving working hardness (typically around 30-34 HRC). This eliminates the need for subsequent quenching, significantly shortening mould production cycles while effectively mitigating risks of heat treatment distortion. Its core value lies in providing an exceptional material solution for manufacturing high-precision, high-gloss, long-life plastic moulds.
Chemical Composition of DIN 1.2316 / GB 3Cr17NiMo tool steel
| C | Si | Mn | Cr | P | S | Mo | Ni |
| 0.33-0.45 | max 1.00 | max 1.00 | 16.00-17.00 | max 0.030 | max 0.030 | 1.00-1.30 | 0.60-1.10 |
Supply Form & Size Range of 1.2316 / GB 3Cr17NiMo tool steel
We supply 1.2316 / GB 3Cr17NiMo steel in various forms to meet your manufacturing needs:
Round bar: Diameter 10mm – 800mm
Steel Plate / Flat: Thickness 5mm – 800mm x Width 200mm – 1800mm
Surface: Black, Peeled, Rough machined or Grinded.
Delivery Condition: Annealed or QT
Core Performance of 1.2316 Mould Steel | Ensuring Long-Term Durability and Superior Quality
1.2316’s status as the preferred material for mid-to-high-end plastic moulds stems from its comprehensive and outstanding performance characteristics:
Outstanding Corrosion Resistance: This is 1.2316’s most distinctive feature. Its significantly higher chromium content compared to standard plastic mould steels confers exceptional resistance to corrosive gases and liquids emitted during plastic decomposition (particularly from PVC, POM, PC, flame-retardant materials, etc.). This directly reduces rust and pitting corrosion during prolonged use, maximally preserving cavity surface finish and ensuring consistently smooth, lustrous product surfaces.
Superior Polishing Performance: Its pure composition and uniform microstructure (fine, uniformly distributed carbides) confer remarkable polishability upon 1.2316. It readily achieves mirror-finish surfaces (e.g., #10000 grit or finer), which is crucial for products demanding exceptional surface gloss—such as transparent components, automotive lamp housings, optical products, and cosmetic packaging—perfectly reproducing the intended design aesthetics.
Excellent Machinability: Even in the pre-hardened condition (30-34 HRC), 1.2316 maintains favourable cutting and EDM machining properties. This enhances mould production efficiency, reduces processing complexity, and facilitates faster translation of designs into physical moulds.
Superior heat treatment stability and toughness: Rigorous production process control ensures high material homogeneity, delivering stable performance during subsequent processes like nitriding and excellent thermal shock resistance. Concurrently, it possesses sufficient toughness to maintain stability under impact loads, extending mould service life.
Good weldability and dimensional stability: For moulds requiring repair or modification, 1.2316 exhibits favourable weldability. Its low residual stress levels further guarantee dimensional stability during machining and service.
Wide-ranging applications: Meeting diverse high-quality plastic production demands
Owing to these comprehensive properties, 1.2316 mould steel finds extensive use in production scenarios demanding stringent requirements for mould longevity, product surface finish, and corrosion resistance:
Optical components: Camera lenses, spectacle lenses, optical instrument housings.
Medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging: Syringes, infusion sets, vial caps, sterile packaging.
Electrical and electronic enclosures: Mobile phone casings, computer components, switch panels, high-gloss decorative parts.
Home appliances and daily necessities: Cosmetic packaging (bottles), transparent containers, premium tableware.
Automotive components: Headlight lenses and reflectors, interior high-gloss panels, bumper assemblies.
Food-grade packaging containers.
Plastic moulding for corrosive or abrasive components: PVC fittings, flame-retardant plastics (halogen/phosphorus-based), engineering plastics (e.g., POM, PC) products, glass-fibre reinforced plastic moulds.
Our advantages in Processing 1.2316 Mould Steel
Selecting 1.2316 tool steel, quality is the cornerstone. Leading manufacturers rigorously control every stage of production to ensure the materials you receive deliver outstanding, stable performance:
Advanced smelting techniques: Employing technologies like EAF + LF +VD refining to maximally remove impurities, gases (e.g., oxygen, hydrogen), and non-metallic inclusions from molten steel, significantly enhancing purity, isotropic properties, and fatigue resistance. This forms the fundamental guarantee for achieving superior polishability and corrosion resistance.
Stringent Composition and Hardness Control: Precise regulation of key elements (Chromium Cr, Molybdenum Mo, Vanadium V, etc.) ensures ideal corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Pre-hardening processes are strictly controlled to guarantee uniform hardness throughout the material (typically within ±2 HRC).
Precision machining and inspection: Modern rolling, forging techniques and subsequent precision machining ensure exceptional dimensional accuracy (e.g., six-sided finish), outstanding surface finish and flatness. From raw material intake to finished product dispatch, multi-tiered non-destructive testing (e.g., ultrasonic flaw detection) and physical/chemical property assessments (chemical composition analysis, hardness testing, metallographic examination, etc.) are implemented to eliminate defect leakage. This guarantees every delivered 1.2316 steel block meets standards and often exceeds expectations.
Not sure about the best equivalent for your application?
Why Manufacturers Choose Huangshi Xiri
Huangshi Xiri combines international-standard steel grades, a complete tool steel portfolio, strict quality control and reliable global supply. We match DIN / JIS / AISI equivalents precisely, offer cutting and heat-treatment services, and control every step from smelting to inspection. With stable capacity, on-time delivery and responsive technical support, we help manufacturers reduce risk, save costs and run production with confidence.
Contact Us
Contact Huangshi Xiri today for quotations, grade selection and technical support on tool steel, mold steel and alloy steel. Whether you need samples, cutting-to-size service or long-term supply for your projects, our engineers and sales team are ready to respond quickly with professional advice and reliable solutions for your manufacturing needs.
