Hardox steel is widely known for being one of the toughest, most abrasion-resistant steels available on the market. Suitably designed to perform in challenging environments, this particular metal type is often utilised across heavy-duty sectors, such as defence or construction. Armour and wear plates are particularly valued in protecting equipment from damaging impact, which requires them to be incredibly robust and maintain a long lifespan. This guide delves into the characteristics of Hardox steel and how it can be applied across industries, along with the essential role of advanced cutting technologies such as waterjet, waterjet bevel, and laser bevel.
The unique traits of armour and wear plate steel
The most defining property of steel, such as Hardox, is just how remarkably strong it is. A material’s strength can be determined by a Brinell hardness test, with Hardox steel achieving between 400HB to over 600HB with resistance to cracking and chipping, depending on the grade type. In comparison to traditional steel, which can achieve just over 400HB, brittleness can come as a cost. This makes armour and wear plate steel extremely versatile, withstanding abrasion from the demands of mining or resisting ballistic impact with ease. It also features exceptional formability and welding characteristics, which allow for the steel to be formed into complex shapes and achieve a wide range of designs across various sectors.
However, this same strength also makes these steels incredibly difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to machine or weld post-cutting, especially with traditional tools. Advanced profiling, such as waterjet, waterjet bevel, and laser bevel, is critical in this instance, allowing the material to be processed within tight tolerances without causing distortion, cracking, or hardening. Laser bevelling provides huge production time and cost savings through weld prepped parts arriving to site fabrication ready.
Key applications of Hardox Armour and Wear Plate
Industrial and Heavy-Duty Sectors
Construction and Mining: Heavy use in the bodies of trucks, crushers, hoppers, conveyor systems, and any equipment that is frequently exposed to consistent wear and impact.
Transport and Agriculture: This steel type offers lightweight and resilient capabilities for trailers, containers, ploughs, and any piece of equipment that is required to reduce weight without compromising on durability.
The longevity of Hardox steel effectively reduces downtime and the cost of replacement, which is invaluable where operational efficiency is critical. Additionally, waterjet and laser cutting beds can deliver high precision with little post-processing. This significantly cuts down the need for expensive machining or welding preparation, which is particularly useful in large-scale fabrication where material integrity is key.
If you’re looking for metal profiling that maintains structural integrity and exceptional finishes, then speak to a member of our team today for a no-obligation quote:
T 0114 244 5544
sales@daysteel.co.uk
https://www.daysteel.co.uk