Carbonitriding of stamping tooling can be very beneficial in many cases, but is not always required.
If the tooling is used to process materials that cause little tool wear (for example, soft metals), carbonitriding may not be worthwhile.
However, if the tooling is used for materials that cause severe tool wear (for example, heat-resistant alloys), carbonitriding may be necessary to extend tool life and reduce replacement and maintenance costs.
In addition, carbonitriding can help increase surface hardness and wear resistance, and improve thermal and chemical resistance. This can increase equipment productivity and reduce operating costs.
Thus, carbonitriding of stamping tooling is not mandatory, but can be very useful when the tooling is used for highly abrasive materials, or when higher surface hardness and wear resistance are required.