GENERAL INFORMATION
Grinding Recommendations for Tool Steels

Many tool steels are specifically designed to resist wear in service. The presence of vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten and chromium promotes the formation of hard carbide particles throughout the matrix. Because they contain hard carbides, such wear-resistant tool steels often prove to be difficult to grind. The CPM process does minimize this difficulty by keeping the carbide particle size small. However, because many of the CPM grades are intentionally designed for very high wear resistance, the volume of small carbide particles, particularly vanadium carbides, can be quite high. Thus, despite the benefits of the CPM process, these grades may still present some difficulty in grinding.

Certain modifications to standard grinding practices can improve the grindability of these grades. The use of cubic boronitride (CBN) or other types of wheels designed to retain sharp cutting grains are recommended where practical. Within standard wheel types (aluminum oxide, etc.) moving to slightly coarser, softer, or more open wheels, or SG type wheels, can improve grindability, by helping to ensure a clean cutting surface, although wheel wear rates will increase. If possible, slower grinding speeds may also be beneficial. Refer to the following table of wheel recommendations for specific suggestions.
Click here for a pdf version of the chart (Acrobat Reader 4 required).
Guide to Norton Grinding Wheels
Disclaimer: For specific recommendations in your particular grinding operation, call your local Norton representative.
CRUCIBLE TRADE NAME (AISI GRADE)
STEEL CONDITION
CENTERLESS THROUGHFEED
CENTERLESS INFEED
INTERNAL GRINDING
SURFACE GRINDING STRAIGHT
SURFACE GRINDING CUP WHEEL
SURFACE GRINDING SEGMENT
CYLINDRICAL GRINDING
COLD WORK TOOL STEELS
KETOS (O1)
HARDENED
3SGP54-LVS
3SGP54-MVS
3SG54-LVS
5SG40-IVS
5SG46-IVS
5SG30-FVSP
3SG80-KVS
ANNEALED
57A54-LAVCN
57A54-M8VCN
32A60-LVBE
38A40-18VBE
32A36-E12VBEP
86A30-F12VBEP
64A60-K8V127
AIRKOOL (A2)
HARDENED
3SGP60-KVS
3SGP60-LVS
3SG60-LVS
5SG60-lVS
5SG60-lVS
5SG36-EVSP
3SG80-KVS
ANNEALED
57A60-K8VCN
57A60-L8VCN
32A60-KVBE
53A60-18VBE
32A46-D12VBEP
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-K8V127
AIRDI 150 (D2)
HARDENED
3SGP60-JVS
3SGP60-KVS
3SG60-KVS
5SG46-lVS
5SG46-lVS
5SG46-EVSP
3SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
57A60-JBVCN
57A60-K8VCN
32A60-JVBE
32A46-18VBE
32A46-D12VBEP
86A46-D12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
HOT WORK TOOL STEELS
NUDIE V/XL (H1 3)
HARDENED
3SGP60- LVS
3SGP60 - LVS
5SG60- IVSP
5SG60- JVS
5SG46- IVS
5SG30- FVSP
3SG60- KVS
ANNEALED
57A60-K8VCN
57A60-K8VCN
32A60-KVBE
32A60-J8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A30-F12VBEP
64A60-K8V127
PLASTIC MOLDING STEELS
S7 (S7)
HARDENED
3SGP60- KVS
3SGP60- KVS
3SG80- KVS
5SG60-JVS
5SG46- IVS
5SG30- FVSP
3SG60- KVS
ANNEALED
57A60-KSVCN
57A60-K8VCN
32A54-LVBE
38A60-J8VBE
32A46-H8VBE
86A30-F12VBEP
64A60-K8V127
CSM 2 (P20)
HARDENED
3SGP60-LVS
3SG60-NVS
3SG60-LVS
5SG46-JVS
3SG46-lVS
5SG30-FVSP
3SG60-LVS
ANNEALED
57A60-MSVCN
57A60-P6VCN
32A60-LVBE
32A46-LVBE
32A46-18VBE
86A30-FQVBEP
64A60-K8V127
CSM 420 (420)
HARDENED
3SGP80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
3SG80-KVS
5SG60-lVS
3SGP46-lVS
3SGP36-EVSP
3SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
53A80-K8VCN
53A80-P6VCN
32A80-KVBE
32A60-H8VBE
32A46-18VBE
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
MAXEL 400 FM (-)
HARDENED
SGP60-LVS
3SGP80-NVS
3SG80-KVS
5SG60-lVS
3SGP46-lVS
3SGP36-EVSP
3SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
53A60-L8VCN
53A80-P6VCN
32A80-KVBE
32A60-H8VBE
32A46-48VBE
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
MAXEL 2000 (-)
HARDENED
3SGP60-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
3SGP80-KVS
5SG60-JVS
5SG46-lVS
3SGP36-EVSP
3SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
53A60-K8VCN
53A80-O6VCN
32A80-LVBE
32A60-16VBE
32A46-18VBE
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-JV8127
CSM 21 (-)
HARDENED
5SGP80-KVS
5SGP80-NVS
3SGP60-KVS
5SG60-lVS
5SGP46-lVS
5SG46-DVSP
3SG60-lVS
ANNEALED
53A80-K8VCN
53A80-O6VCN
32A60-LVBE
32A60-18VBE
32A46-18VBE
86A46-D12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
HIGH SPEED STEELS
REX M2 (M2)
HARDENED
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
5SG60-KVS
ANNEALED
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
32AK6-VBE
CPM M4HC (M4)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
3SG60-KVS
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-GVSP
5SG36-EVSP
5SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
57AC60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
5SG80-HVSP
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM REX20 (M62)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
5SG80-HVSP
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-GVSP
5SG30-EVSP
5SG60-TVS
ANNEALED
57AC60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
32A80-JVS
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A30-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM T15 (T15)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
5SG60-HVSP
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SG30-EVSP
5SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
57AQ80-QB
53A80-K6VCN
32A60-lVS
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM REX76 (M48)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-MVS
3SG60-KVS
5SG80-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SG30-EVSP
5SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
57AQ60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
5SG60-lVSP
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A36-EDVBEP
64A60-J8V127
SPECIAL WEAR RESISTANT GRADES
CPM 9V (-)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
5SG60-HVSP
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SGP46—DVSP
5SG60-iVS
ANNEALED
57AQ60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
32A60-lVS
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A46-D12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM 10V (A11)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
5SG60-HVSP
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SGP46-DVSP
5SG60-lVS
ANNEALED
57AQ60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
32A60-lVS
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A46-D12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM 15V (-)
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-NVS
5SG60-HVSP
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SGP46-DVSP
5SG60-lVS
ANNEALED
57AQ60-QB
53A80-K6VCN
32A60-lVS
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A46-D12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
CPM S60V/S90V (-) 420V/440V
HARDENED
5SG80-KVS
3SGP80-MVS
5SG60-JVS
5SG60-GVSP
5SG46-lVS
5SG36-EVSP
5SG60-JVS
ANNEALED
57AC80-QS
53A80-K6VCN
5SG60-HVSP
32A60-H8VBE
32A36-G12VBEP
86A36-E12VBEP
64A60-J8V127
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