A useful H13 inquiry does more than name a grade. It describes the tool, the operating conditions and the condition in which the steel must arrive. That information lets the supplier review whether the requested material, production route and inspection plan fit the job. It also makes quotations easier to compare.
Start with the application
AISI H13 is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium hot-work tool steel used for applications such as die-casting dies, extrusion tooling and forging dies. Its appeal is the balance of hot strength, toughness, hardenability and resistance to thermal fatigue. These properties do not remove the need to define the actual service conditions.
Tell the supplier what the tool will do. Useful details include the processed alloy, working temperature, cycle severity, expected production volume, cooling arrangement and known failure mode. A die that suffers heat checking presents a different selection problem from one that fails by gross cracking, erosion or plastic deformation.
Source: Uddeholm AISI H13 overview ↗
Confirm the grade and governing specification
H13 and DIN 1.2344 are commonly treated as corresponding designations, but an RFQ should still identify the governing standard and any chemistry, cleanliness or toughness requirement that takes priority. Do not assume that every commercial grade name is interchangeable with generic H13. If the drawing names a proprietary grade, quote that designation exactly and ask whether an approved equivalent is allowed.
For demanding die-casting work, the purchaser may request premium or ESR material and a defined quality specification. Uddeholm describes Orvar Supreme as an ESR AISI H13 product that meets NADCA #207 requirements for superior-quality H13. That is a product-specific statement; it should not be copied into a purchase order for another material unless the supplier confirms conformity.
Source: Uddeholm Orvar Supreme technical data ↗
Define the size, form and machining allowance
State the finished dimensions and the required supply form: round bar, flat bar, block, disc, ring or custom forging. Then identify whether the dimensions are rough forged, saw cut, peeled, machined or finished. A drawing should show critical faces, holes and any areas that must remain free of scale or decarburization.
Machining allowance cannot be selected from the finished size alone. It depends on the starting form, forging route, heat-treatment condition, dimensional tolerance and the amount of stock needed for inspection and final machining. Ask the supplier to state the quoted supply dimensions and tolerances rather than leaving the allowance implied.
State the delivery and heat-treatment condition
Tool steel is often supplied soft annealed for machining and then hardened and tempered for service. Your RFQ should say whether you require soft-annealed stock, pre-machined material, stress-relieved material, or a finished heat-treated tool. If heat treatment is included, define the target hardness range, measurement locations, dimensional-control requirements and the report you expect.
Avoid sending only a target hardness. Section size, tool geometry, quenching method and tempering plan all affect the final result. The heat treater needs the grade, material condition, finished geometry, service requirement and any previous thermal or welding history.
Make inspection requirements measurable
List the documents and tests that matter to acceptance. Depending on the project, the order may call for a material certificate, heat-number traceability, chemical analysis, hardness results, dimensional inspection, ultrasonic examination or metallographic evaluation. Name the test standard, examination stage, coverage and acceptance criteria wherever possible.
For ultrasonic testing, writing “UT required” is incomplete. The purchase order should identify the applicable standard and quality level. It should also state whether the report, scan plan or indication map must accompany the shipment.
RFQ checklist
- Application and processed material
- Grade designation and governing standard
- Finished drawing with revision number
- Supply form and quoted dimensions
- Quantity and repeat-order forecast
- Delivery condition and target hardness, if applicable
- ESR or other production-route requirement, if applicable
- Ultrasonic, metallographic and dimensional acceptance criteria
- Required certificates and traceability records
- Packaging, destination and requested delivery date
A complete RFQ does not force the buyer to decide every metallurgical detail alone. It gives the supplier enough information to identify open questions before production, document exceptions in the quotation and build an inspection plan around the actual application.