A mold-steel purchase order should define the governing material specification, product form, delivery condition, dimensions, tolerances, quantity, heat-lot controls, hardness, nondestructive testing, surface condition, inspection documents, packaging, delivery point, and commercial terms. A grade name by itself does not define the material that the buyer expects to receive.
Basic Information
Grade Designation, Governing Standard, and Product Form
Identify one designation and one material standard as governing. Any other designation should be marked as a comparison or reference only. ASTM A681-24 covers wrought alloy tool-steel products, including bars, plates, sheets, strips, rods, wire, and forgings.[1] ISO 4957:2018 covers wrought tool steels and groups them as non-alloy cold-work, alloy cold-work, alloy hot-work, and high-speed tool steels.[2]
| Commercial family | Commonly compared designations | Purchase-order treatment |
| AISI H13 | 1.2344 / X40CrMoV5-1; JIS SKD61 is also commonly cross-referenced | These designations are useful for comparison but should not be treated as an unrestricted substitution rule. Daido Steel, for example, cross-references its hot-work grade to SKD61, H13 equivalent, and 1.2344 equivalent.[3] The governing standard, chemistry limits, product form, melting route, cleanliness, and delivery condition still control acceptance. |
| AISI P20 family | 1.2311 / 40CrMnMo7 is frequently compared with conventional P20 | P20 is a commercial family that includes conventional, modified, sulfur-treated, and nickel-alloyed products. Do not assume that all P20-family steels have identical chemistry, polishability, hardenability, or supplied hardness. One official 1.2311 product page, for example, specifies a supplied hardness of 280-325 HB.[4] |
Do not join several designations with slashes unless the order states which designation is governing. A proprietary supplier grade should not be presented as an ASTM, JIS, EN, DIN, or ISO designation unless the supplier's controlled specification expressly establishes that status.
ISO 4957 does not create a universal purchase-order quality level called “Class 3.” A requirement such as “ISO 4957 Class 3” is incomplete unless a separate customer or company specification defines that term.
Example: “Forged block, AISI H13 in accordance with ASTM A681-24. The references 1.2344 / X40CrMoV5-1 are provided for comparison only. Soft-annealed delivery condition. ESR required. No substitution of grade, product form, or melting route without the buyer's written approval.”
The order should also state whether the product is a rolled plate, rolled flat, forged block, forged bar, or another form. A UT standard, dimensional standard, or acceptance criterion suitable for a forging may be unsuitable for a rolled plate, even when both products have similar dimensions.
The heat number and unique piece or bundle identification must remain traceable to the steelmaker's inspection document. When an intermediary cuts, divides, machines, or repacks the material, transferred markings and records must preserve the link to the original heat and product.
Length, Width, Thickness, Machining Allowance, and Shape Tolerances
Write dimensions in a fixed order and identify whether they are supplied-blank dimensions or finished dimensions. A bare entry such as “400 x 500 x 800 mm” is ambiguous unless length, width, thickness, tolerances, surface condition, and machining allowance are defined.
BS EN 10029:2010 applies to hot-rolled non-alloy and alloy steel plates with nominal thickness from 3 mm to 400 mm and nominal width of at least 600 mm.[5] It does not automatically govern a forged block, a narrow flat below the stated width, or a buyer requirement tighter than the selected standard class. For products outside the standard's scope, the PO must state agreed limits directly.
| Order item | Required information | Common error to avoid |
| Length and width | Nominal dimension, unilateral or bilateral tolerance, and measurement reference | Writing a nominal dimension without a contractual upper and lower limit. |
| Thickness | Nominal thickness, tolerance, and whether machining stock is included | Rejecting a delivery against an unstated lower limit. |
| Flatness and straightness | Maximum deviation, reference length, support condition, and applicable class or method | Using “flat” or “straight” without a measurable acceptance value. |
| Squareness and parallelism | Maximum angular or linear deviation and datum scheme | Assuming saw-cut faces are automatically square or parallel. |
| Machining allowance | Allowance per face or total allowance per dimension | Writing “+6 mm allowance” without saying whether it means +3 mm per face or +6 mm per face. |
| Edge and cut condition | Saw-cut, flame-cut, machined, chamfered, or as-forged; removal of heat-affected or decarburized material where required | Treating a flame-cut edge as equivalent to a finish-machined edge. |
ISO 18203 is not a general dimensional-tolerance standard. ISO 18203:2026 concerns measurement of the thickness of surface-hardened layers.[6]
For new technical documentation, surface-texture indications should follow ISO 21920-1:2021; parameter terms and definitions are covered by ISO 21920-2:2021; and the complete specification operator is addressed by ISO 21920-3:2021.[7][8][9] ISO 1302:2002 has been withdrawn and replaced by ISO 21920-1:2021.[10]
Example: “Supplied blank size: L 1500 +5/0 mm x W 600 +5/0 mm x T 300 +3/0 mm. All six faces milled. Flatness ≤1.0 mm per 1000 mm when supported on the agreed inspection points. Parallelism of opposite major faces ≤0.8 mm over the full length. The stated dimensions include machining allowance.”
Quantity, Heat Allocation, and Piece Identification
State quantity in pieces and, where useful, the estimated total mass. An over-delivery or under-delivery tolerance should be included only when the buyer is prepared to accept it.
Do not require a fixed number of heats without confirming that the quantity and steelmaking route make the requirement practical. Conversely, do not assume that a large order will come from one heat. The order should use one of the following approaches:
• one heat required;
• a maximum number of heats permitted;
• multiple heats permitted, provided every piece remains traceable and a compliant inspection document is supplied for every heat or defined inspection lot.
Example: “Target quantity: 100 pieces. Permitted over-delivery: 0 to 5 pieces; under-delivery not permitted. Maximum three heats. Planned split approximately 33/33/34 pieces. Final heat allocation shall be declared before shipment. Each piece shall carry a unique piece number and heat number.”
Do not write “100 pieces ±5%, split into three heats of 33-34 pieces” without explaining how permitted totals outside 99-102 pieces would be allocated.
Single-piece handling limits are facility-specific. Replace a generic statement such as “single-piece weight ≤5 tons” with the actual maximum gross mass, center-of-gravity information, lifting arrangement, support points, skid capacity, vehicle limit, and receiving-machine or crane capacity.
Technical Requirements
Delivery Condition and Hardness
The order must distinguish among soft annealed, prehardened, normalized, quenched and tempered, stress relieved, and other delivery conditions. A hardness range without a delivery condition is incomplete.
| Material and condition | Published example | Correct PO treatment |
| 1.2311 plastic-mold steel, prehardened | One official supplier page gives 280-325 HB as the supplied condition.[4] | State the accepted HBW range, test method, test locations, surface preparation, and permitted piece-to-piece or section variation. Do not extend one supplier's range to all P20-family products. |
| AISI H13 / 1.2344, soft annealed | One H13 product datasheet states approximately 180 HB,[11] while another official 1.2344/H13 plate datasheet specifies delivery below 230 HB.[12] | The difference illustrates why the buyer must state the governing specification and acceptance limit rather than use “annealed” alone. |
| AISI H13 / 1.2344, hardened and tempered | Published application recommendations span the mid-40s to low-50s HRC, depending on tool type, alloy being processed, section size, and required toughness.[11] | A value such as 48-52 HRC is a project requirement, not a universal H13 delivery condition. State whether the supplier or buyer performs final heat treatment and define the heat-treatment record and acceptance plan. |
Use ASTM E10-23 for Brinell hardness where specified and ASTM E18-25 for Rockwell hardness where specified.[13][14] If the block size requires a portable instrument, identify the portable method and validation requirements; ASTM E110-14(2023), for example, addresses portable Rockwell and Brinell testing.[15]
Hardness conversions are approximate and material-dependent. ASTM E140-12B(2019)e1 provides conversion tables for specified materials and conditions, but a converted value should not replace the contractual test scale unless the order expressly permits conversion.[16]
The hardness clause should define:
• delivery condition;
• acceptance scale, such as HBW or HRC;
• test method and instrument type;
• surface preparation and minimum material removal before testing;
• number and coordinates of test points;
• distance from edges, flame-cut surfaces, decarburized zones, and other affected areas;
• permitted point-to-point and piece-to-piece variation;
• whether section-center hardness must be demonstrated by a coupon, prolongation, sacrificial sample, or representative qualification block;
• whether converted values are informational only.
Example: “Delivery condition: soft annealed. Hardness: maximum 230 HBW, tested in accordance with ASTM E10-23 at the locations shown on inspection drawing QI-04 after removal of scale and decarburized material. Values converted from another hardness scale are not acceptable for final release.”
Ultrasonic Testing
Select the ultrasonic-testing standard according to the product form. ASTM A388/A388M-26 applies to contact pulse-echo ultrasonic examination of steel forgings using straight-beam and angle-beam techniques.[17] It should not be cited automatically for every thick rolled plate or saw-cut block.
| Product form | Possible reference | Scope and ordering limitation |
| Steel forging | ASTM A388/A388M-26 | The PO must still state coverage, calibration, reporting threshold, acceptance criteria, and any angle-beam requirement. |
| Rolled steel plate for special applications | ASTM A578/A578M-17(2023) | This specification covers straight-beam UT of rolled carbon and alloy steel plate and contains defined acceptance levels. The selected level and any supplementary requirements must be written in the order.[18] |
| Rolled fully killed carbon or alloy steel plate | ASTM A435/A435M-17(2023) | This is a straight-beam plate specification. It is not a forging standard and should not be used as a substitute for a more demanding project requirement without review.[19] |
| Uncoated steel flat product | ISO 17577:2016 | Use it only where the product form and thickness fall within its scope and the selected acceptance class is stated.[20] |
| Other wrought product | ASTM E2375-26a, where contractually appropriate | The applicable ultrasonic class and supplemental requirements must be identified. The standard should not be cited without a class or acceptance basis.[21] |
ASTM A388/A388M does not establish four universal acceptance grades called Level 1 through Level 4. A phrase such as “UT Level 2” is valid only when the order identifies the product standard, company specification, or customer table that defines that level.
An equivalent flat-bottom-hole diameter by itself does not determine acceptance. The order must also address reference distance, signal amplitude, indication length and area, location, clustering, loss of back reflection, dead zones, scanning direction, and the applicable acceptance table.
| UT item | Required PO entry |
| Standard and revision | Identify a standard suitable for the product form and state the revision. |
| Examination volume | Define 100% accessible-volume scan, grid scan, specified faces, edge zones, near-surface limitations, and inaccessible regions. |
| Technique | Straight beam; angle beam where required; contact, immersion, or another agreed technique; DGS or reference-block calibration. |
| Probe and frequency | Define probe type, active size, nominal frequency, and any alternate frequency permitted for coarse-grained or highly attenuative material. |
| Acceptance criteria | State the exact class, level, table, drawing zone, or project-specific limits. |
| Personnel | State the accepted qualification and certification scheme. ISO 9712:2021 covers qualification and certification of NDT personnel, including ultrasonic testing.[22] |
| Report | Require equipment identification, calibration, probes, frequency, couplant, surfaces scanned, scan coverage, indications, back-wall response, disposition, operator identity, and piece/heat traceability. |
Example: “UT in accordance with ASTM A388/A388M-26. Examine 100% of the accessible volume from all practicable faces. Straight-beam examination is mandatory; angle-beam examination shall be performed in the zones identified by drawing UT-02. Calibration, recording threshold, acceptance criteria, and report format shall comply with attached specification UT-SPEC-001. ‘UT qualified’ without the attached acceptance basis is not acceptable.”
Surface Condition and Surface Texture
Terms such as “blank,” “black surface,” and “machined” are not sufficiently precise. State the manufacturing condition and the acceptance limits for scale, decarburization, seams, laps, cracks, cut damage, grinding damage, and machining stock.
| Surface condition | Suitable PO treatment | Important qualification |
| As-rolled or as-forged | Specify allowable scale, seams, laps, pits, decarburization, local dressing, and minimum machining allowance. | For a heavily scaled surface, Ra alone is normally an inadequate acceptance criterion because it does not define scale integrity or subsurface defects. |
| Saw-cut or flame-cut | Specify cut method, squareness, surface discontinuities, heat-affected-zone removal, and allowance for subsequent machining. | A flame-cut face should not be treated as a finished datum unless it is subsequently qualified or machined. |
| Rough-milled or peeled | A buyer may specify a project target such as Ra ≤6.3 µm, together with flatness and stock allowance. | The value is a contractual target, not a universal process grade. |
| Ground | A buyer may specify a project target such as Ra ≤1.6 µm, together with lay, flatness, stock removal, and thermal-damage controls. | A roughness result does not by itself demonstrate absence of grinding burn or tensile residual stress. |
| Fine-milled or precision-ground | Ra ≤0.8 µm may be specified when functionally required and technically achievable over the stated area. | Confirm that dimensional, flatness, and texture requirements can be achieved simultaneously. |
A complete surface-texture requirement identifies the parameter, limit, lay where functional, evaluation conditions, sampling locations, and acceptance rule under the ISO 21920 series.[7][8][9]
ISO 14104:2017 is titled Gears — Surface temper etch inspection after grinding, chemical method. Its stated applications include steel parts such as gears, shafts, splines, and bearings, and it excludes certain materials and conditions.[23] It should not be cited automatically as the grinding-burn acceptance standard for every mold block. Where grinding-burn inspection is required, the parties should confirm that ISO 14104 fits the component or agree a qualified project procedure, reference standard, sampling plan, and acceptance criteria.
Inspection Documents and Regulatory Records
EN 10204 Inspection Documents
EN 10204:2004 defines the principal inspection-document types for metallic products.[24]
| Document type | Meaning |
| 2.1 | Declaration of compliance with the order without test results. |
| 2.2 | Test report containing results based on non-specific inspection. |
| 3.1 | Inspection certificate containing results from specific inspection, validated by the manufacturer's authorized inspection representative independent of the manufacturing department. |
| 3.2 | Inspection certificate validated by the manufacturer's authorized inspection representative and the purchaser's authorized representative or an inspector designated under official regulations. |
There is no EN 10204 Type 4.1. “MTC required” is also incomplete because it does not identify the required document type.
EN 10168 provides standardized designations for information used in inspection documents for steel products in conjunction with EN 10204.[25] EN 10204 does not, by itself, require every possible test result. The governing product specification and PO determine which specific-inspection results must appear in or be traceably linked to the certificate.
For mold steel, a Type 3.1 certificate should contain, or be traceably linked to, the information required by the product standard and order, which commonly includes:
• manufacturer and production facility where contractually required;
• buyer, PO number, item number, and product description;
• governing grade and standard;
• product form and delivery condition;
• heat number and inspection-lot identification;
• quantity and dimensions;
• chemical analysis;
• hardness and other ordered test results;
• heat-treatment condition or cycle record where ordered;
• UT or other NDT results, either on the certificate or on a separately identified report;
• validation by the authorized inspection representative.
Tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, impact energy, cleanliness, grain size, microstructure, toughness, and other results should be requested when required by the applicable product standard or PO, not assumed to be mandatory on every mold-steel Type 3.1 certificate.
EU Iron and Steel Origin Evidence
For goods potentially falling within Article 3g and Annex XVII of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, the EU importer must verify the current CN classification, product coverage, processing route, relevant iron and steel inputs, exceptions, and partner-country provisions. The EUR-Lex consolidated text available for 24 April 2026 should be checked together with any later amending acts published in the Official Journal.[26]
The European Commission's consolidated sanctions FAQs, updated on 15 June 2026, explain that an MTC may constitute sufficient evidence of the origin of relevant iron and steel inputs, but it is not the only document that a competent authority may accept.[27] The importer remains responsible for producing adequate evidence when requested.
For a semi-finished input, relevant evidence may need to identify the facility and country corresponding to the ladle of melting. For a finished product processed through more than one facility, the evidence may also need to identify relevant later processing operations and locations. A Type 3.1 certificate that omits the necessary origin and processing chain is not automatically sufficient merely because it is called an MTC.
Example for a potentially covered EU shipment: “The supplier shall provide an EN 10204 Type 3.1 inspection certificate and all origin and processing evidence reasonably required by the EU importer to demonstrate compliance with the current version of Article 3g of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014. Records shall be linked to the relevant heat and shall identify the country and facility of ladle melting and subsequent relevant processing facilities where applicable.”
Do not use a generic “EU anti-dumping certificate of origin” as a substitute for sanctions compliance. Anti-dumping measures, preferential and non-preferential customs origin, and Article 3g restrictions are separate legal regimes. Where classification or origin is uncertain, the importer should obtain advice based on the current CN code, source materials, processing route, and competent customs authority requirements.
Rust Prevention, Packaging, and Marking
ASTM A700-14(2019) is a guide for packaging, marking, and loading steel products for shipment. It is intended to support delivery in good condition, but it does not define a universal package grade called “ASTM A700-D.”[28]
The packaging clause should be based on the route, transport duration, storage conditions, surface condition, corrosion sensitivity, package-opening method, and handling equipment. A complete requirement may include:
• clean and dry surfaces before packing;
• an approved removable rust preventive compatible with subsequent machining, coating, or cleaning;
• a sealed VCI or other barrier system where specified;
• desiccant sized for the barrier volume, cargo moisture, route, climate, and expected storage period;
• protection against direct water entry and uncontrolled condensation;
• edge, corner, cut-face, and machined-face protection;
• a skid, crate, or support structure rated for actual gross mass and center of gravity;
• approved lifting points and handling marks;
• PO number, item number, grade, heat number, unique piece number, dimensions, net mass, and gross mass;
• container and seal number;
• barrier-film, VCI, and desiccant batch traceability where required;
• a humidity indicator or calibrated data logger inside the barrier package when transport humidity is an acceptance parameter.
Where raw-wood pallets, skids, crates, or dunnage are used and the destination country applies ISPM 15, require compliant treatment and marking. ISPM 15 addresses phytosanitary risk associated with wood packaging material made from raw wood; packaging made entirely from processed wood products is outside that raw-wood scope.[29] The importer should still verify destination-country implementation requirements.
Example: “Packaging and marking shall follow the agreed ASTM A700-based procedure. Each machined block shall be clean and dry, coated with the approved removable rust preventive, enclosed in a sealed barrier package with the specified VCI system and calculated desiccant, protected at all edges, and secured to a load-rated skid. Raw-wood packaging shall comply with applicable ISPM 15 requirements. Each piece shall display the PO number, item number, unique piece number, heat number, dimensions, and net mass.”
An ambient relative-humidity reading taken hours after opening a container does not reliably prove the humidity inside a sealed package during transport. If humidity is an acceptance criterion, specify the sensor type, calibration, location, recording interval, limit, and exact first-opening procedure.
A stated corrosion-protection period, such as 6 or 12 months, should define package integrity, storage environment, maximum temperature and humidity, inspection interval, and actions after opening. It should not be presented as an unconditional property of VCI film alone.
Lead Time and Trade Terms
Define lead time by objective start and completion events. “Lead time: 30 days” is incomplete unless the order states when the period begins and what event constitutes completion.
| Milestone | Definition to include |
| Order effectiveness | Signed contract, receipt of deposit, credit approval, or another stated event. |
| Technical release | Date on which material, dimensions, heat treatment, UT, surface, packaging, and documents are frozen. |
| Production completion | Date on which manufacture, heat treatment, machining, testing, and final inspection are complete. |
| Ready for shipment | Date on which packing, inspection records, and export documents are complete. |
| Contractual delivery | The delivery event and point under the selected Incoterms rule and named place or port. |
Production and transit durations vary with stock availability, remelting, forging, section size, heat treatment, machining, testing, documentation, port pair, carrier schedule, transshipment, customs, and season. A supplier-specific milestone schedule is more reliable than an unsupported market-wide range.
Incoterms 2020 contains 11 rules that allocate specified delivery obligations, costs, and risks between seller and buyer.[30] State the three-letter rule, precise named place or port, and “Incoterms 2020.”
| Rule | Appropriate use | Risk and insurance point |
| FCA | Any mode of transport. It often fits containerized mold-steel shipments handed to a carrier or terminal before vessel loading. | Risk transfers when the seller delivers the goods to the carrier or other nominated person at the agreed place and point. The seller has no Incoterms cargo-insurance obligation unless separately agreed.[31] |
| FOB | Sea or inland-waterway transport where delivery occurs on board the vessel. It is generally less well aligned with container cargo delivered to a terminal before loading. | Risk transfers when the goods are on board the vessel at the port of shipment. FOB imposes no seller cargo-insurance obligation.[31] |
| CIF | Sea or inland-waterway transport to a named destination port. | The seller arranges freight and minimum insurance corresponding to Institute Cargo Clauses (C), unless broader cover is agreed. Risk transfers when the goods are loaded on board at the port of shipment, not when they reach the destination.[32] |
| CIP | Any mode or multimodal transport to a named destination. | The seller arranges carriage and Institute Cargo Clauses (A) or equivalent cover for at least 110% of the contract price unless otherwise agreed. Risk transfers when the goods are delivered to the first or agreed carrier, not at the named destination.[33] |
Example: “CIP [precise named destination, terminal, and address], Incoterms 2020. The parties additionally agree that the point at which the goods are delivered to the first carrier is [precise origin point]. The seller shall provide cargo insurance compliant with the CIP requirement and issue the policy or certificate in favor of the buyer or another named party with an insurable interest.”
Under the Incoterms “C” rules, the seller pays carriage to the named destination, but risk transfers earlier at the contractual delivery point. Cost destination and risk-transfer point are therefore not the same.
Incoterms do not determine title transfer, payment terms, governing law, dispute resolution, product acceptance, liquidated damages, demurrage rates, detention rates, or the complete document set. These items must be addressed separately.
A demurrage or detention dispute should not be attributed solely to a missing or poorly chosen Incoterms rule. Carrier tariffs, free-time agreements, bill-of-lading release, customs clearance, terminal operations, and document delays must also be examined.
Any delay-damages clause should define the triggering milestone, grace period, calculation basis, rate, maximum cap, exclusions, force-majeure treatment, notice procedure, and governing law. A percentage deduction is a negotiated commercial term, not an industry-wide mold-steel standard.
Complete Purchase-Order Example
Item: Forged hot-work tool-steel block.
Material: AISI H13 in accordance with ASTM A681-24. The references 1.2344 / X40CrMoV5-1 are for comparison only. ESR melting route required. Soft-annealed delivery condition. No substitution without written buyer approval.
Dimensions: L 1500 +5/0 mm x W 600 +5/0 mm x T 300 +3/0 mm. All six faces milled. Flatness ≤1.0 mm per 1000 mm on the agreed supports. Parallelism of opposite major faces ≤0.8 mm over full length. Surface texture Ra ≤6.3 µm under the agreed ISO 21920 specification conditions. Dimensions include machining allowance.
Quantity: 12 pieces. Under-delivery and over-delivery are not permitted. Maximum two heats. Each piece shall be permanently marked with PO number, item number, unique piece number, heat number, grade, dimensions, and net mass.
Hardness: Maximum 230 HBW, tested in accordance with ASTM E10-23 at the locations shown on inspection drawing QI-04 after removal of scale and decarburized material. Converted hardness values are not acceptable for final release.
UT: ASTM A388/A388M-26. Examine 100% of the accessible volume from all practicable faces. Straight-beam examination is mandatory; angle-beam examination shall be performed in the zones identified on drawing UT-02. Calibration, recording threshold, acceptance criteria, and reporting shall comply with attached specification UT-SPEC-001. Personnel qualification shall comply with the scheme identified in UT-SPEC-001.
Inspection documents: EN 10204 Type 3.1 certificate for each heat. The certificate, heat-treatment record, hardness report, and UT report shall be linked to every piece number.
Packaging: Agreed ASTM A700-based export packaging. Surfaces clean and dry; approved removable rust preventive; sealed barrier package with specified VCI system and calculated desiccant; edge protection; load-rated skid; applicable ISPM 15 compliance for raw-wood packaging; container and seal records.
Delivery: CIP [precise named destination, terminal, and address], Incoterms 2020. The contractual delivery date is [date] and is measured from receipt of deposit and written technical release. The carrier handover point for risk-transfer identification is [precise origin point].
Document precedence: Signed PO and amendments; approved drawings; project technical specifications; applicable material and test standards. Any conflict shall be submitted to the buyer for written resolution before manufacture.