Best Steel for Wear Resistance

The Complete Guide for Best Steel for Wear Resistance

There are a lot of arguments about what the best steel for wear resistance is. When in reality, there’s not a single answer to it.

Wear is a broad term – it can be anything from abrasion, corrosion, adhesion, friction, etc. You can easily define it as the gradual removal or the damaging of the surfaces of solids; which can either be caused be chemical or mechanical.

In this guide, we’ll let you know about the best types of steel for wear resistance. More so, we’ll also assist you in landing on the best wear resistant steel plate manufacturer in the market.

Is a Cheap Wear Resistant Plate Good?

If you’re looking for a cheap wear resistant plate, you need to lower your expectations on its quality.

A Hardox 400 Plate example, one of the most expensive wear plates in the market

The industrial sector is all about raw materials and manufacturing processes; therefore, a good quality wear resistant plate needs to be at a suitable price.

There are the best steel for wear resistance that are cheap and affordable; but not to the point that it’s too good to be true.

Can You Drill and Cut Wear Resistant Steel Plates?

The best steel for wear resistance is labeled like that for a reason – but can you actually drill and put a hole on it?

Drilling a Hardox 500 wear plate

More often than not, clients ask this question because they ought to use it specific to their cause.

To answer the question, yes, you can drill and cut wear resistant steel – even those that have a hardness level of 500 BHN.

You can create holes even on the best wear resistant steel through:

• Drilling Using CNC Machining Centers (better results if you use cooled bits)
• Threading Using a Machining Center
• Powerful Electric Drills (Mag drills)

How Do You Choose the Best Steel for Wear Resistance?

There are a lot of steels and metals to choose from – but how do you choose the best one for your needs?

One kind of wear resistant plates stacked together

The best steel and steel plates for wear resistance aren’t always the cheapest ones. In fact, it’s the other way around.

In choosing the wear resistant steel to use, you’d have to take note of the following properties:

• Toughness and Tensile Strength
• Hardness
• Carbon Content
• Heat Treatment

These are the key properties you need to prioritize in purchasing wear resistant steel.

The higher the carbon content or level, the harder and the more durable it is. The better the heat treatment, the more malleable and more resistant it is to impact.

Try balancing these properties for you to get the best steel for the wear resistance you need!

Would You Know if Your Wear Plate Has Problems?

What signs do you need to note to determine if your wear resistant plate has a problem?

Worn-out and damaged wear resistant plate

You Constantly Replace Them in a Few Months

Wear resistant steel is made to withstand time, even if they’re regularly used.

If you notice that you’re constantly replacing them in just a few months, then there’s a problem.

There are a lot of possible causes on why this might be, some of the most include:

• You’re using a different material for what it’s meant for
• You fail to track and to observe their status
• You don’t maintain them quite regularly

You Spend Less on Wear Resistant Plates But Do it Almost Monthly

Do you think it’s better to spend less but frequently, or seldom but expensively?

This is the most common dilemma businesses have – when in truth, the answer is the latter.

Going for a more expensive, but stronger and more durable wear resistant steel is a lot better than purchasing cheap ones, replacing them regularly.

The Wear Resistant Steel Changes Properties When Exposed to High Temperatures

The best steel for wear resistance also includes resistance to heat, temperature, and oxidation.

Therefore, you might be using “the incorrect” wear resistant steel if it’s not effective in high temperature applications.

Which Industries Need Wear Resistant Steel Plates the Most?

A lot of companies and sectors need wear resistant steel in order for their machines and equipment to last, but which industries and sectors need them the most?

Gas & Oil Industry utilizing wear plates for their pipes and fittings

They’re often used in the sectors and industries that frequently undergo locomotion and movement.

Industries and sectors that need it include:

• Mining Industry
• Pulp and Paper Industry
• Petrochemical and Chemical Industries
• Gas & Oil Industry
• Automotive and Aerospace Industries
• And Many More!

Lining vs. Replacing: How Should You Decide?

So your machine part is worn-out, should you just replace the lining or replace the part itself?

Wear plate lining if a bucket

Even if you have the best steel for wear resistance, it’s not perfect and it will always be worn-out. But, you have the option to just renew and rehabilitate the lining or replace the part altogether.

Here are a couple of signs that you only need lining:

• If the base steel or metal is just damaged or broken
• If you want to save up on costs, replacement is more costly
• You’re looking for a fast rehabilitation of your parts

Otherwise, if you are experiencing any of the following, replacement of the wear resistant steel would be the most ideal:

• Parent material is completely damaged and/or dismantled
• You want a complete replacement of the entire part
• You plan to prolong the life of the part/component (without replacing the whole machine)

Where Can I Find the Best Steel Plate for Wear Resistance?

China is home to a lot of wear resistant steel manufacturers, but we here at Waldun have been the best for more than 20 years.

We’re capable of providing the best metal and steel for wear resistance to our clients. We have over a thousand clients worldwide, trusting us, our products, and our services.

The same as them, you can also bank and count on us to help you in the supplication of wear resistant steels, specific to your needs.

Who Do I Trust With Wear Resistant Steel Plates?

Waldun must be your first choice when it comes to wear resistant steels.

Apart from the fact that we are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified we also hold certifications that are rightfully accepted in various regions of the world!

Get the best wear resistant steel from the best and the most trusted manufacturer in China for a reasonable price!