Purohit Steel is a leading Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Stockist and Exporter in India, supplying premium electro-slag-remelted hot work tool steel with verified chemical composition, mechanical properties and full traceability for die-casting houses, forging shops and tooling manufacturers.
As an ISO-certified company established in 1965, we maintain ready stock of Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR in round bar, flat bar and block form, with in-house bandsaw cutting, machining, grinding and EDM support for fast turnaround across India and export markets.
Table of Contents
- 1. What is Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Steel
- 2. Why Purohit Steel for H11 ESR
- 3. Comparison: H11 vs H13 vs H21
- 4. Chemical Composition
- 5. Mechanical Properties
- 6. Physical & Thermal Properties
- 7. Equivalent International Grades
- 8. Heat Treatment Guidelines
- 9. Available Forms & Sizes
- 10. Machining & Selection Notes
- 11. Applications & Uses
- 12. Industries We Serve
- 13. Related Products
- 14. Authorized Stockist Brands
- 15. Cities We Supply in India
- 16. Our Services
- 17. Frequently Asked Questions
- 18. About Purohit Steel
- Our Certifications
- Countries We Export Worldwide
- Export Packaging & Shipping
- Quality Inspection & Testing
- Latest Price List
- MOQ & Payment Terms
- People Also Search For
What is Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Steel?
Grade H11 (Werkstoffnummer 1.2343, chemical designation X38CrMoV5-1) is a chromium-molybdenum-vanadium hot work tool steel manufactured to DIN EN ISO 4957. The ESR (Electro Slag Remelting) variant is secondary-refined to reduce non-metallic inclusions and produce a cleaner, more homogeneous microstructure than conventionally cast H11, resulting in improved toughness, fatigue life and polishability.
H11 / 1.2343 ESR is supplied in the soft-annealed condition (typically ≤235 HB) for machining, and is hardened by the tool room to the target working hardness of approximately 44-54 HRC. A secondary hardening response allows it to retain useful hardness and strength at elevated service temperatures of roughly 600-650°C, which is central to its role in die-casting and forging tooling.
Compared to other members of the H-series, H11 offers an excellent balance of toughness and thermal-fatigue resistance, with slightly better crack resistance than H13 at a small cost in wear resistance — see the comparison table below.
Why Purohit Steel for Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR
- Ready Stock: Round bar, flat bar and block sizes held in inventory for immediate dispatch
- ISO-Certified Quality: Documented quality management since 1965
- Authorized Stockist: Sourced through globally reputed manufacturers, including NLMK Verona and SeAH CSS
- Value-Added Machining: In-house bandsaw cutting, precision machining, grinding, drilling, gun drilling, EDM and wire-cut
- Technical Support: Assistance with grade selection, heat treatment guidance and equivalence mapping
- Pan-India & Export Supply: Warehousing in Vasai with a sales outlet in Mumbai, serving customers across India and international markets
- Export-Ready Packaging: Palletised, moisture-protected packing suitable for both domestic transport and export shipment
Comparison: H11 vs H13 vs H21
Buyers often need to choose between related hot work tool steel grades. The table below compares H11 / 1.2343 against two other hot work grades Purohit Steel stocks, to help select the right material for the application.
| Factor | H11 / 1.2343 ESR | H13 / 1.2344 ESR | H21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alloy family | Cr-Mo-V (5% Cr) | Cr-Mo-V (5% Cr, higher V) | Tungsten-Cr-V (9-10% W) |
| Working hardness | 44-54 HRC | 44-54 HRC (typ. 48-52 HRC) | 40-55 HRC |
| Toughness | Very good | Very good (industry standard) | Good, more brittle at high hardness |
| Red hardness / hot strength | Good up to ~600-650°C | Good up to ~600-650°C | Excellent, best at >650°C service |
| Water/rapid cooling tolerance | Good (deep hardening) | Excellent, most forgiving grade | Poor — needs slow, careful cooling |
| Best suited for | Die-casting & forging dies needing thermal-shock resistance | General-purpose die-casting, extrusion & plastic mould inserts | Extreme-heat tooling, hot shear blades, furnace components |
Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Chemical Composition
Composition as per DIN EN ISO 4957 (typical mill range, weight %):
| Element | Symbol | Composition (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon | C | 0.35 - 0.42 |
| Silicon | Si | 0.80 - 1.20 |
| Manganese | Mn | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Chromium | Cr | 4.80 - 5.50 |
| Molybdenum | Mo | 1.10 - 1.75 |
| Vanadium | V | 0.30 - 0.60 |
| Phosphorus | P | 0.030 max |
| Sulphur | S | 0.030 max |
| Iron | Fe | Balance |
Mechanical Properties of Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR
Typical values; supplied soft-annealed and hardened by the customer or on request:
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Supply hardness (annealed) | ≤235 HB |
| Hardness (hardened & tempered) | 44 - 54 HRC |
| Tensile Strength (at ~48 HRC) | 1200 - 1500 MPa |
| Yield Strength (at ~48 HRC) | 1000 - 1300 MPa |
| Hot Hardness / Strength Retention | Good up to 600-650°C |
| Thermal Fatigue / Heat-Checking Resistance | Excellent (further improved by ESR refining) |
| Impact Toughness | High for the Cr-Mo-V family |
| Modulus of Elasticity (E) | ~210-215 GPa |
Values are typical and vary with section size, tempering temperature and mill batch. Mill test certificates (EN 10204 2.2 / 3.1) are available on request.
Physical & Thermal Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 7.80 g/cm³ |
| Thermal Conductivity (room temp.) | ~24 W/(m·K) |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (20-200°C) | ~10.5 × 10-6 /K |
| Specific Heat Capacity | ~460 J/(kg·K) |
| Modulus of Elasticity | ~210-215 GPa |
Equivalent International Grades
| Country / Standard | Designation |
|---|---|
| Germany (Werkstoffnummer, DIN EN ISO 4957) | 1.2343 / X38CrMoV5-1 |
| USA (AISI / SAE, ASTM A681) | H11 |
| Japan (JIS) | SKD6 |
| USA (UNS) | T20811 |
| China (GB/T 1299) | 4Cr5MoSiV1 (closest equivalent) |
H11 shares its Cr-Mo-V family with H13 / 1.2344 and the tungsten-based H21 — refer to the comparison table above before substituting grades.
Heat Treatment Guidelines
| Process | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Supply condition | Soft-annealed, ≤235 HB — ready to rough-machine before hardening |
| Stress relieving (after heavy machining) | 650-700°C, hold approx. 2 hrs, furnace or air cool, prior to final hardening |
| Preheating | Two-stage preheat, approx. 550-650°C then 800-850°C |
| Hardening (austenitizing) | 995-1025°C, hold 15-45 min depending on section size, quench in oil, forced air or salt bath |
| Tempering | Double or triple temper at 550-650°C (2 hrs each cycle, air cool between tempers) for target 44-54 HRC; secondary hardening peak near 525-540°C |
| Nitriding (optional, for die-casting cavity wear) | Gas or plasma nitriding can be applied to raise surface wear resistance while retaining a tough core |
Actual cycles depend on section size and target hardness; consult Purohit Steel’s technical team or the mill datasheet before finalising a heat treatment schedule.
Available Forms & Sizes
- Round Bars
- Flat Bars / Plates
- Blocks
- Custom sizes cut to drawing via in-house bandsaw cutting
Material is machined, ground, drilled and finished in-house through our precision machining, grinding, drilling, gun drilling, EDM and wire-cut facilities, so blocks and inserts can be supplied close to finished dimensions.
Machining & Selection Notes
- Rough machining: Carry out the bulk of roughing in the annealed condition (≤235 HB) before final hardening to reduce machining cost and tool wear.
- Post-hardening finishing: Use coated carbide tooling with adequate coolant for finish machining and cavity work after hardening, to control heat build-up.
- Welding / repair: H11 has moderate weldability; preheat to 400-450°C and stress-relieve after weld repair to reduce cracking risk.
- EDM finishing: Well suited to EDM cavity sinking; a light stress-relief temper after heavy EDM is recommended to reduce the white/recast layer's effect on fatigue life.
- Grade selection: Choose H11 where thermal-shock resistance and toughness are the priority; step up to H13 for a more forgiving, general-purpose die-casting grade, or H21 where sustained service temperatures exceed what Cr-Mo-V grades can tolerate — see the comparison table above.
Applications of Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Steel
H11 / 1.2343 ESR is widely used across die-casting, forging and extrusion tooling in India and export markets. Its balance of toughness, thermal-fatigue resistance and hot strength suits demanding hot-work applications.
- High-pressure aluminium and zinc die-casting dies
- Hot forging dies and inserts
- Aluminium extrusion dies and tooling
- Die holders and bolsters
- Shear blades for hot cutting
- Hot punches and mandrels
- Plastic mould components requiring high toughness
- Tools exposed to repeated thermal cycling
Die-Casting Dies
H11 / 1.2343 ESR is favoured for aluminium and zinc die-casting dies because of its excellent resistance to thermal fatigue (heat checking) and its ability to retain hardness under repeated heating and cooling cycles.
Forging & Extrusion Tooling
The grade's crack resistance under thermal shock and good hot strength make it suitable for hot forging dies, inserts and aluminium extrusion tooling operating at sustained elevated temperature.
Industries We Serve
- Die-casting industry
- Forging industry
- Aluminium extrusion industry
- Automotive component manufacturing
- Plastic injection moulding industry
- Engineering & tooling workshops
Authorized Stockist
Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR Supply Locations Across India
We supply Grade H11 / 1.2343 ESR steel across major industrial cities including Mumbai, Pune, Khopoli, Nashik, Aurangabad, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Umbergaon, Vapi, Valsad, Daman, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gurgaon, Manesar and Sonipat — as well as to export markets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Purohit Steel
Purohit Steel was established in 1965 by Shree Bherumalji Rajpurohit, a visionary in metallurgy. Over the decades, we have built a strong reputation as a trusted stockist and exporter of tool steel, plastic mould steel and engineering steel products across India.
As an ISO-certified company, we source premium materials from globally reputed manufacturers and operate a modern warehousing facility in Vasai along with a sales outlet in Mumbai, enabling efficient storage, fast processing and timely delivery across India and export markets.
With decades of relationships with tool & die manufacturers and a customer-focused approach, Purohit Steel continues to deliver reliable, technically supported steel solutions for the hot work tooling industry.
Read more about Purohit Steel, view our certifications, or get in touch with our technical sales team.
Our Certifications
Purohit Steel operates as an ISO-certified company, backed by documented quality management, safety and compliance certifications that support reliable supply to domestic and export customers.
View all certificates in detail on our Certifications page.
Countries We Export Worldwide
Beyond India, Purohit Steel exports tool & mould steel grades to customers across the following countries and regions:
| Export Destinations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | Saudi Arabia | Oman | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka | Nepal |
| Vietnam | Thailand | Indonesia | Kenya | Nigeria | South Africa |
For export enquiries and destination-specific documentation, please contact our sales team.
Export Packaging & Shipping
Bars, flats and blocks are packed to withstand handling, transit and marine shipment, whether for domestic dispatch or export orders.
- Palletised and strapped packing for round bars, flat bars and blocks
- Moisture-protected wrapping to prevent surface corrosion in transit
- Seaworthy export packing with clear shipping marks and material identification
- Documentation support including packing lists, invoices and mill test certificates for customs clearance
- Shipment by road, rail or sea freight as per order requirement and destination
Quality Inspection & Testing
Every batch held in our stock is checked through documented inspection procedures before dispatch, so mould makers and OEMs receive material with verified, traceable quality.
- Chemical composition verification against mill certificates
- Hardness testing (Brinell / Rockwell) on received stock
- Dimensional inspection as per standard bar and block tolerances
- Visual and surface defect inspection
- EN 10204 2.2 / 3.1 mill test certificates provided on request
- Third-party inspection coordination available for export orders
Full material traceability is maintained from incoming stock through to dispatch for every order.
Latest Price List
Pricing depends on section size, quantity, form (round bar / flat bar / block) and current raw material rates. Indicative guidance is below — contact us for a firm, up-to-date quotation.
| Form | Typical Price Basis |
|---|---|
| Round Bar | Per Kg, based on diameter & length — contact for latest rate |
| Flat Bar / Plate | Per Kg, based on thickness & size — contact for latest rate |
| Block (cut to size) | Per Kg / Per Piece, based on drawing — contact for latest rate |
Prices are subject to change with raw material and freight costs. Share your required size and quantity via the quotation form or WhatsApp for the latest price.
MOQ & Payment Terms
Minimum Order Quantity: Flexible MOQ depending on size and form — from small trial quantities for tooling houses up to bulk orders for OEMs, subject to confirmation at enquiry stage.
Payment Terms: Advance payment / part-advance with balance before dispatch for domestic orders; T/T (bank transfer) or Letter of Credit (LC) for export orders, depending on order value and destination.