Material Recommendations

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The most common failure mechanisms when working with extrusion of aluminum are wear, plastic deformation and cracking due to a combination of high temperatures and mechanical loads. Below is a list of some materials for aluminum extrusion.


Hot work tool steel featuring high retention of hardness, good toughness and very good resistance to heat checking.  Ideal for applications requiring better hot wear resistance and resistance to plastic deformation. Use in smaller block dimensions.


A remelted hot work tool steel with excellent toughness up to 58 HRC.  Use in applications where hot wear resistance and resistance to plastic deformation are required.  Best combination of ductility and hot wear properties in this higher hardness range. Use for optimum wear resistance and toughness in intricate aluminum extrusion dies.  Readily nitrided.


A high performance low silicon containing premium H11 die steel with excellent resistance to gross cracking.  Produced via Vacuum Arc Remelting, it is the toughest grade at 50-52 HRC.  Use where cracking is a major issue in lieu of H13 type material.


Conventionally produced AISI H13 with good high temperature strength and hot wear resistance.  This grade is widely used for extrusion die applications.


Alvar 14 is a Cr-Ni-Mo-V alloyed steel used in different tooling applications like support parts for extrusion dies. This material conforms to W. Nr. 1.2714 / EN 56NiCrMoV7. It is close to AISI L6.


Dievar is a high performance chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed hot work tool steel which offers a very good resistance to heat checking, gross cracking, hot wear and plastic deformation. Use this grade where cracking in high tongue ratio areas and high temperature aluminum reduce the wear resistance of the die.


A premium hot work die steel with very good high temperature properties. Can be hardened and tempered to 58 HRC giving an outstanding hot wear resistance. Use it for applications where hot wear and/or plastic deformation are the dominating failure mechanisms.


A premium hot work die steel with very good strength and hardness at elevated temperatures. It also has good thermal conductivity. Use this material for high tongue ratio dies, where creep resistance is critical.