[tintuc] FAQ of hardfacing wear plate

What is hardfacing in wear plates?

Hardfacing is a welding process used to deposit a wear-resistant alloy layer onto a base metal.
In wear plates, this layer typically consists of chromium carbide or other engineered carbides designed to resist abrasion, impact, and erosion.

 What is the purpose of a wear plate?

Wear plates are used to protect equipment surfaces from wear and extend service life.
They help to:

• Reduce maintenance and downtime
• Lower replacement costs
• Improve operational efficiency

What is a wear plate?

A wear plate (or liner) is a material designed to absorb wear instead of the base equipment.
It is commonly used in:

• Mining
• Cement plants
• Steel mills
• Bulk material handling systems

What are wear plates made of?

Most wear plates are bimetallic materials, consisting of:

• A wear-resistant overlay (chromium carbide or other alloys)
• A tough base plate (usually mild steel)

This combination provides both:

• High wear resistance
• Impact toughness

What is a bucket wear plate made of?

Bucket wear plates are typically made from duplex materials with:

• A hard alloy overlay for abrasion resistance
• A ductile steel backing for impact absorption

What sizes are wear plates available in?

Typical ranges:

• Thickness: 2 mm to 130 mm
• Width: 1000 – 2500 mm
• Length: up to 6000 mm

Custom sizes and shapes are commonly available.

What is the hardness of wear plates?

• Standard wear plates: ~400–500 HB
• High-performance plates: up to 600+ HB

For chromium carbide overlay:

• Overlay hardness: HRC 57–63
• Carbide hardness: HV 1400–1800

What are the hardest wear plates?

Some high-performance plates can reach:

• 650–700 HB
• or around 60 HRC

These are typically used in extreme abrasion environments.

Can wear plates be used in high-temperature environments?

Yes, but it depends on the alloy composition.
Special formulations are required for high-temperature or thermal cycling conditions.

Can wear plates be customized?

Yes. Wear plates can be customized in:

• Thickness
• Dimensions
• Shape
• Alloy composition

Can wear plates be recycled?

Yes. Steel-based wear plates can be recycled after service, provided they are properly processed.

How do wear plates compare in cost?

While wear plates may have a higher upfront cost, they typically provide:

• Longer service life
• Lower maintenance cost
• Better overall lifecycle value

The correct comparison should be based on cost per operating hour or per m² protected, not just initial price.

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D-Plate & POP Technology

What is special about D-Plate?

D-Plate is a wear plate produced using POP (Powder Overlay Process).

Unlike conventional methods, POP allows:

• Full control of alloy composition
• Higher material efficiency
• Customization for each wear condition

D-Plate can be understood as a POP-engineered wear plate

What is the structure of D-Plate?

D-Plate is a duplex material consisting of:

• Overlay layer: Chromium carbide + engineered carbides
• Base material: Impact-resistant mild steel (customizable)

What is the overlay material in D-Plate?

The overlay is created using:

• High-quality engineered powder
• Combined with solid mild steel wire

Microstructure:

• Dominant carbides: M7C3
• Matrix: carbide-austenite eutectic

The chemical composition is fully adjustable based on the working environment.

What is the advantage of POP over flux cored wire?

Traditional flux cored wire contains:

• A significant portion of mild steel strip (non-wear material)

POP changes this by:

• Separating powder and wire
• Maximizing wear-active material

Key advantages:

• Higher material efficiency
• Lower consumption
• Better performance consistency
• Full flexibility in alloy design

Why is powder design important?

Because:

Wear resistance is determined by the alloy composition, not the carrier material.

With POP:

• Powder can be tailored to:
  • abrasion
  • impact
  • corrosion
  • temperature

 This enables:

Application-specific wear solutions, not one-size-fits-all products

Supported documents:

1. D-Plate Standard Workshop Introduction 

2. BCM WP Series Specifications

3. D-Plate Introduction

4. D-Plate100 - Testing reports

5. KOVI Catalogue for powder specifications

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