Boston, November 23-Desktop Metal announced today that it has used D2 tool steel for its production system platform, which utilizes patent-pending single-pass jet (SPJ) technology to achieve the fastest construction speed in the metal additive manufacturing industry Companies can now use SPJ technology to produce parts in high-strength, high-temperature applications, such as cold-work metal forming tools, molds and punches, and injection molds with conformal cooling channels. 

D2 tool steel is a high-carbon, high-chromium air-hardening tool steel with a wide range of uses. It is characterized by high hardness and compressive strength after heat treatment. This tool steel also has extremely high wear resistance, dimensional stability and corrosion resistance under hardened conditions, which is a key advantage for conformal cooling applications. D2 is used for various cold work tools that require both wear resistance and medium toughness, such as stamping and sizing tool components, blanking and forming molds, shearing tools, gauges, polishing tools and other wear-resistant parts.  

Jonah Myerberg, co-founder and chief technology officer of Desktop Metal, said: "Our materials science team has been committed to developing new materials and new processes to make 3D printing suitable for all industries and applications." "We are responding to customers in the manufacturing and industrial industries. There is a demand for materials such as D2 tool steel that can produce critical forming and cutting tools, as well as various other applications where high hardness is important." 

Desktop Metal's material science team printed out qualified and fully characterized D2 tool steel on the production system technology according to ASTM test requirements.