P20 tool steel equivalents
P20 tool steel is nearest to EN 1.2311 (40CrMnMo7) and China GB 3Cr2Mo. There is no direct JIS equivalent. These are nearest equivalents, not identical grades: the governing standard or mill certificate decides.
- AISI / ASTM / SAE US
- P20
- EN steel number EN 10027-2
- 1.2311
- EN steel name EN 10027-1
- 40CrMnMo7
- JIS Japan
- no direct equivalent
- GB China
- 3Cr2Mo
- Family
- Pre-hardened mould steel
About P20
Pre-hardened mould steel. General characteristics; check the standard and the supplier for anything critical.
What it is
A mould steel usually supplied pre-hardened, so mould cavities can be machined straight to size without a later heat treatment. There is no direct JIS equivalent; makers offer their own pre-hardened mould grades.
Typical uses
Plastic injection mould cavities and cores, mould bases, holder blocks and machine parts that need moderate hardness without heat treatment.
Machining notes
Machined in the pre-hardened condition with carbide tools. It polishes and textures well.
Related grades
Grades people often compare with this one.
Drilling and tapping
Tap drills
P20 is normally drilled and tapped in its pre-hardened condition, so use sharp, rigid tooling. A slightly larger tap drill, around 60–70 % thread, eases the load on the tap.
Tap drill chartDrill sizes
Number, letter and fractional drill sizes with metric equivalents, for dowel, clearance and pilot holes in tooling.
Drill size chartAll tool steel grades
Nearest equivalents across the five designation systems.
| AISI / ASTM | EN name | EN number | JIS | China GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | X153CrMoV12 | 1.2379 | SKD11 | Cr12Mo1V1 |
| H13 | X40CrMoV5-1 | 1.2344 | SKD61 | 4Cr5MoSiV1 |
| O1 | 100MnCrW4 | 1.2510 | SKS3 | 9CrWMn |
| A2 | X100CrMoV5 | 1.2363 | SKD12 | Cr5Mo1V |
| M2 | HS6-5-2 | 1.3343 | SKH51 | W6Mo5Cr4V2 |
| P20 | 40CrMnMo7 | 1.2311 | — | 3Cr2Mo |
Common questions
What is the European equivalent of P20 tool steel?
The nearest EN grade is 1.2311, steel name 40CrMnMo7.
What is the JIS equivalent of P20 tool steel?
There is no direct JIS equivalent; Japanese makers sell their own pre-hardened mould steels.
What is the Chinese GB equivalent of P20 tool steel?
The nearest Chinese GB grade is 3Cr2Mo.
Is 1.2311 the same as P20?
1.2311 (40CrMnMo7) is the nearest European equivalent of P20, not an identical grade. Composition limits and required properties differ in detail, so check the governing standard or the mill certificate when it matters.
What is P20 used for?
Plastic injection mould cavities and cores, mould bases, holder blocks and machine parts that need moderate hardness without heat treatment.