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Tungsten steel is a metal alloy made from tungsten and iron, known for its hardness and heat resistance. It is used in industrial tools and machinery, including high-speed cutting tools and drills. Tungsten is also a primary alloying element in hot work tool steel.
Tungsten steel is a type of metal alloy made from a combination of tungsten and iron. The addition of tungsten to the alloy gives it greater hardness and heat resistance, allowing equipment made from tungsten steel to maintain high performance and resist wear at high temperatures. Tungsten steel is prized for its industrial uses as a tool steel and is commonly used in industrial tools and machinery used to work other metals, such as molds and cutting tools.
The chemical element tungsten is a transition metal with the atomic number 74. It is also sometimes called tungsten and for this reason it has the chemical symbol W. Tungsten is one of the densest and most heat resistant chemical elements in existence. It melts at a temperature of 6192°F (3422°C), giving it the second-highest melting point of any chemical element and the highest of any unalloyed pure metal. Its density, 19.25 grams per cubic centimeter, is higher than that of uranium, lead and most of the transuranic elements. The tensile strength of tungsten is also very high.
Because of its hardness and heat resistance, tungsten is a common alloying element in high speed steels, a type of tool steel. These are tool steel alloys that maintain high hardness at high temperatures, allowing them to withstand the heat and abrasion experienced by high-speed cutting tools and drills. Their tungsten content varies according to the alloy, but can reach 18.75%. These steels also contain carbon and several percentage points of their composition often consist of other alloying metals such as molybdenum, chromium and vanadium. Small amounts of additional elements such as copper, nickel and phosphorus are also used.
High speed tungsten steel is commonly used to make machinery such as saw blades, taps and drill bits. Due to its resistance to abrasion, it is also sometimes used in hand tools. These include chisels, files and kitchen knives.
Tungsten is also the primary alloying element in some types of hot work tool steel, a form of tool steel used in tools that must be able to withstand prolonged exposure to high temperatures. In addition, hot work tool steel must be highly resistant to stresses caused by rapid changes in temperature, called thermal shock. Hot work tungsten steel also usually has a high chromium content and may also contain vanadium. It is used in equipment that works with other heated metals, such as extrusion molds and forgings.
