What Does The Appearance of Your Current Carbide Overlay Plate Tell You?
Apr 6, 2022
You’re paying top dollar for what you think is a premium quality wear resistant material. However, not all chromium or complex carbide overlay plates are equal. There are many different flaws which can significantly reduce the suitability for an application and service life of the material.
The surface finish of most carbide overlay plates are very rough, producing a surface finish with a high coefficient of friction. This not only looks bad, but mechanically it can cause material hang-up and sticking. In some chutes and hopper systems, this can severely restrict material flow and reduce throughput. Carry back also reduces the tonnage a haul truck can carry and add extra wear on the moving components.
Inclusions in the carbide overlay can occur if strict quality control measures are not in place during manufacturing. These small holes inside of the chromium or complex carbide overlay reduce the wear resistant properties of the material and can cause spalling.
Having a good even penetration line is very important to ensure that dilution of the chromium / complex carbide is minimized and the substrate integrity is not compromised. The carbide microstructure becomes diluted from the base material in areas where the penetration line dips too low. This dilution reduces the concentration of carbides in the overlay, creating areas of low wear resistance. It is equally important that the penetration is deep enough to get a strong bond between the overlay and the base material. Spalling and delimitation of the overlay can occur if there is insufficient penetration.
Is the surface of your current overlay plate flat? Areas of turbulence are created as abrasive material flows across uneven surfaces, which prevent smooth linear flow and increase the possibility for material hang-up. This will not only reduce the service life of the material, but could also hinder the efficiency of your operation.
SAS Global Corporation believes you deserve the highest quality chromium carbide and complex carbide overlay plates available. If your current “premium” CRC plate exhibits any of the above characteristics, it is time to make a change. Experience what you deserve with SAS Global’s SureAlloy Premium Carbide Overlay Plates, the true Premium.