Material Guides
P20 vs P20-Ni: picking a mold steel for thick-section molds
Standard P20 works for most plastic molds, but large or thick-section molds need P20-Ni's nickel addition for hardness that holds up through the core.
H13 vs D2: choosing between hot-work and cold-work tooling
A practical comparison of H13 and D2 tool steel for Pakistani die shops: when each one is the right call and why swapping them fails.
EN31 bearing steel: what "through-hardening" actually buys you
EN31, also known as 52100, is the standard bearing steel. Here's what through-hardening means in practice and where the grade is actually used.
D2 tool steel: composition, hardness, and why Karachi's tool rooms default to it
What D2 tool steel is made of, how hard it gets, and why it's the default cold-work grade in Karachi's die shops.
8620 vs 8640: case-hardening vs through-hardening, which one and why
The difference between 8620 and 8640 alloy steel comes down to one question: does the part need a hard case over a tough core, or uniform hardness throughout?
4140 alloy steel: the forging industry's workhorse, explained
Why 4140 shows up in nearly every Pakistani auto parts forging shop, and what its composition actually gives you.
410 stainless steel: what makes it the surgical instrument standard
Sialkot's surgical instrument industry runs on 410 stainless. Here's the metallurgy behind why it's the standard for general surgery instruments.
304 vs 316 stainless: when Wazirabad-grade 304 isn't enough
304 stainless covers most cutlery and general fabrication work in Pakistan, but 316's molybdenum addition matters the moment chlorides or industrial chemicals enter the picture.
1045 carbon steel: the most ordered grade you've never thought about
1045 doesn't get the attention alloy or tool steels do, but it's likely the highest-turnover grade in a Pakistani steel supplier's catalog. Here's why.