What Thickness Wear Plate Should I Use?
The fast answer to this question…
It depends on your application, equipment limitations, current thickness and how long your existing wear plate lasts.
All steel is sold by the pound. For conversation, let’s compare ½” to ¾” thick wear plate. If you are only looking at the purchase price, you get a better value with heavier steel. It should deliver longer life due to additional material for a little more money.
Are you are considering using the same 3/8” thick wear plate that was the original piece? Or would it be an improvement going with a ½” thick piece of QT-PLUS ®?
From a cost standpoint you would add another 25% to the material cost, by going from 3/8” to ½”; by adding 1/8” thickness or 4/8” = ½”. If your wear plate IS through hardened, adding 25% more thickness will deliver at least 25% more wear life.
Is the item formed to a specific shape? Formed may be preferred if there is a tendency for heavy wear at the weld area. You will have more expense and longer lead time with a formed part, than if you ordered flat plates and welded them together. Forming is not fast as there is additional steps involved.
This is comparing flat steel. Additional processing or labor, increases the price for any manufacturer:
- Drilling or burning holes
- Additional machining of beveled or counter bored holes
- Forming
- Welding any sub-assemblies or hardfacing
But if your wear plate IS NOT through hardened…once you wear through the exposed surface area, you will be shocked to discover how rapidly the center of the plate wears away.
If your Abrasion Resistant Steel looks like this photo below, it is proof your abrasion resistant steel IS NOT THROUGH HARDENED. You have likely seen this type of wear when using inexpensive wear steel.
While many companies claim their steel is Through Hardened, the truth is very few plates actually deliver the same surface hardness values to the center of the steel thickness.
Is Your Wear Resistant Steel Through Hardened?
With QT-PLUS ® being the same hardness throughout the thickness of the steel, the heavier plate will last longer. The easy way to consider wear plate life is the ¾” steel will give you an additional 50% longer life compared to the ½” steel.
Important Note: This only applies to through hardened abrasion or impact wear resistant steel. However many steel suppliers will claim their material is through hard, when in fact, it is not.
Remember: There Are No Industry Standards for AR Type Steels.
You will be better off investing in a steel that is actually through hardened, than slightly increasing the material thickness. For the difference of just a few cents, you will find you have tripled the equipment life.
JADCO’s QT-PLUS ® delivers greater performance IN YOUR MOST CHALLENGING WEAR APPLICATIONS than the various AR400 steel plates you have used previously.
Being able to create wear resistant steel having the same hardness through the entire thickness of the steel, demands you accurately control the alloying chemistry with precise heat treating.
Doesn’t Every Steel Company Make Their Wear Plate Last As Long As JADCO QT-PLUS ®?
The quick answer is No; although the attention to alloy content required at the steel mill is available to anyone. Yet most wear plate distributors choose to reduce the proper quantities and percentages of these essential alloying elements, to get a lower selling price.
When you cut back on these critical alloys, wear life drops, and it is always the customer who suffers.
For over 45 years, JADCO has focused exclusively on delivering consistent, longer life for our customers.
We are able to deliver better results to our customers, because we think differently. How? By strictly focusing on improving your current results.
Allow us to help you today by emailing us at info@jadcomfg.com or calling (724) 452-5252.
We will schedule a meeting with one of our local wear plate specialists at a time that best fits your schedule.
Remember, the only thing you have to lose by not working with JADCO, are your profits.
When your usual screw conveyor gives out, give JADCO a shout!
