When to pick this combination
Maraging steel is the AM tooling default: high strength after a low-distortion 490 °C age, excellent machinability in the solution-treated condition, and a thermal expansion well matched to mold steel. Pick this combo for conformal-cooled injection-mold inserts and short-run forming dies.
- Injection-mold inserts with conformal cooling
- Short-run stamping and forming dies
- High-strength structural fittings (with caution — low elongation)
- Repair / hybrid build onto wrought tool steel
Typical defects and how the model accounts for them
Residual stress is severe — un-supported overhangs and tall thin walls crack during build. ForgeCast widens uncertainty bands on thin-wall (<1 mm) features and recommends checker-board scan strategies for blocks > 50 mm.
Required post-processing
The allowables above assume the full post-processing chain. Skipping any step degrades the row by 15–35 %.
- Stress relief: 815 °C / 1 h / Ar (optional, lowers age strength ~5%)
- EDM from plate
- Solution: 815 °C / 1 h / AC (only if stress relief skipped)
- Age: 490 °C / 6 h / AC
- Machine cavity surfaces
- Polish or texture per mold spec
Suggested build parameters
Starting recipe; tune against first-article inspection on geometry-sensitive features.
- Layer: 40 μm
- Laser: 280 W
- Scan: 960 mm/s
- Hatch: 110 μm
- Build plate: 80 °C
Frequently asked questions
Can I weld maraging steel onto wrought tool steel?
Yes — maraging steel is one of the most weldable high-strength alloys because hardening is age-driven, not quench-driven. DED-onto-substrate is a common repair workflow.
Sources
- DIN 1.2709 (X3NiCoMoTi 18-9-5)
- Tan, C. et al. (2017). Microstructure and mechanical properties of maraging steel by L-PBF. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 696.