Become an expert in abrasive wear management
As mentioned in our article “The 10 types of stress that impact your operating costs“, 67% of wear in the bulk industry is linked to abrasion.
Overview:
Abrasive wear is a process caused by hard particles rubbing or scratching the surface of a material. Abrasive particles can be minerals, dust, metal fragments or other hard materials. Abrasive wear can occur on a wide variety of substrates, including metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, glass, etc.
Generally speaking, abrasive wear can have various consequences, with varying degrees of impact on production:
- Loss of material: abrasive wear results in a loss of mass on the contacting surfaces, which can lead to decreased mechanical strength and a deterioration in the physical properties.
- Degradation of surface quality: abrasion can cause scratches and gouges on surfaces, which can impair the functionality of parts (clogging).
- Increased friction and wear: abrasion can increase friction between contacting surfaces, which can lead to increased wear and a reduction in part lifespan.
- Reduced precision: abrasion can lead to a reduction in the precision of parts.
- Risk of contamination: abrasive wear can produce fine particles and debris that can contaminate mechanical systems or industrial processes. This can affect the quality of the finished product and the safety of workers.
Abrasive wear can occur in many different industrial contexts (mines, bulk industries, power stations, steelworks, cement works, chemical industries, etc.).
If there is one application that is common to all these industries, it is the removal of bulk materials by a loader.
Depending on the type of aggregate, the external conditions (humidity, temperature etc.), the volume of bulk handled and the operation of the equipment, the wear phenomena can be very different (abrasion, impact, friction, corrosion, etc.), although abrasion is often the most common in this field.
Loader in an aggregates production unit
Loader transporting blast furnace slag
For example, a loader working in a limestone aggregate production unit will experience moderate abrasion due to the mineral’s hardness (140 HV) and rounded shape. A good first step to prevent abrasive wear is to overlay parts with low- or medium-alloy steels. This can improve wear resistance and make components more durable. These products are available as wires (ROBODUR K 600-G, ROBODUR F 600-G, HARDFACE L-O, HARDFACE LP-G) or sheets (CREUSABRO, DURSTEEL) with varying degrees of hardness.
The same loader used to load hydrocracked blast furnace slag will be subject to very severe abrasive wear due to the very nature of the slag (hardness >800 HV and shape similar to volcanic rock). Under these conditions, the conventional solutions mentioned above cannot effectively combat this type of wear.
To reduce the wear from abrasion, various solutions are available, including chromium cast irons, complex carbides and tungsten carbide alloys. The choice depends on factors such as budget, maintenance schedule, downtime costs and overall total cost of ownership (TCO).
The ASTM G65 test allows us to create custom solutions by distinguishing between different alloys. This test helps Welding Alloys precisely tailor the alloy and the thickness of the overlay, extending the service life of the part or equipment.
Our solutions have all been evaluated using the ASTM G65 test (p.32 and 33 of our brochure “The Fundamentals of Hardfacing by Arc Welding”).
Our best-sellers for preventing and combating abrasive wear are:
- HARDFACE HC-O, HARDFACE CN-O, HARDFACE CV-O
- HARDFACE NCWB
- HARDFACE NICARBW
- HARDPLATE™
- DURHART, ALDUR
All the hardfacing products mentioned in this article are certified to standard NF EN 14700, which specifies the requirements for classifying consumables.
Loader transporting hot slag
If this same loader now handles hot slag (>500°C) from the blast furnace, the abrasion phenomenon will be significantly amplified, with abrasive wear worsening particularly due to temperature.
Loader operators play a crucial role in the durability of the equipment. Applying low pressure between the bucket and the ground can help preserve the bucket. However, when the pressure is higher and the bucket scrapes the ground, it can cause significant gouging damage to the outer surface of the bucket.
Abrasive wear can cause substantial damage to industrial equipment, leading to diminished performance, higher maintenance costs, and a shortened equipment lifespan.
To mitigate abrasive wear, using specific metal alloys like HARDFACE CNV-O or applying composite wear plates or liners such as HARDPLATE 600 are highly effective solutions.
To discuss erosion wear phenomena, we will focus on blast furnace slag and its use in the cement industry.
Blast furnace slag is ground before being added to cement using vertical or ball mills. Like ground clinker, ground slag is extremely fine-grained. The slag is sucked into storage using a vacuum and selected through a dynamic separator.
The very high speed of these particles causes erosion.
Our best-sellers for this type of application are:
Vertical crusher
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