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Hardfacing

The Hardfacing industry has made great advances both in alloy and process development.
Automation is replacing many of the labor intensive methods of manual arc welding. Lasers, electron beams and
ultrasonics are emerging as viable alternative hard facing processes. New alloys are continually being developed to
combat corrosion, erosion and abrasion. Cobalt and Nickel base materials are becoming more widely used in
applications involving heat and frictional wear. Iron base alloys are continually being upgraded to meet the demand
for more wear resistance.

As materials are being developed, so are the techniques to measure wear resistance. Thirty years ago, very few
reliable tests were available to actually measure wear. Now, many manufacturers and vendors, routinely employ
standard wear tests, such as the ASTM G-65 as part of their Quality Assurance programs. These standard test results
are also becoming an integral part of Original Equipment specifications.

We live in an age of great consumption, particularly in the West. As we progress into the next century, the World
will make even greater demands upon raw materials and consumer products. Hardfacing has not only met the
demands of the current century, it will no doubt rise to the challenge of the next century.

You may not have even heard of the word "Hardfacing" before reading this article. Let's face it, it's not a household
word and not even a popular industrial word, but it lives with us daily. It is responsible for bringing us many of the
products and services we enjoy today. Perhaps, knowing just how invasive this technology is in everyday industrial
settings, a new appreciation will be realized for its vast contribution and potential in a war against wear.

It has been said, (author unknown) that a dollar saved in Production is equitable to a 10 times increase in Sales and a
20 times increase in Profits. The numbers may be a little off, depending upon the industry, etc., but the concept is
sound. Hardfacing can play a major role in your bottom line and become your household or industrial "Word".

Hardfacing Materials Description:

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1. Hardfacing consists of depositing a layer of wear resistant material over a common metal in order to improve
its service life.
2. Depending on the application, hard faced parts in general can last 3 to 10 times longer than an untreated part
and costs a fraction of the prices if the same part was made entirely of the hard metal.
3. The material of choice to increase wear protection and useful life is Tungsten Carbide (WC) as its hardness is
much higher than most metals.
4. Hardfacing can save your company time and money by:
◦ Extending the useful life of your hardware.
◦ Selectively applying the hard alloy only where it is necessary instead of making entire pieces from very
hard materials.
◦ Reduces inventory costs by requiring fewer replacement parts on hand.
◦ Reduces equipment downtime.

Hardfacing Materials Industrial Applications:

Hardfacing is commonly used on heavy machinery in the following industries:

1. Construction and Excavation: Tractor and shovel parts, buckets, excavator teeth, drive sprockets, etc.
2. Mining, crushing and grinding: Dragline chains and buckets, shaker pan conveyers, ball mill scoops, etc.
3. Cement and Brick: Screw conveyers, pulverizer mill components, vibratory screens, etc.
4. Iron and Steel: Machine rails, sintering plant pallets, tap hole drill bits, etc.

01. What is Hardfacing?

Metal parts often fail their intended use not because they fracture, but because they wear, which causes them to lose
dimension and functionality. Hardfacing, also known as hard surfacing, is the application of buildup or wear-
resistant weld metals to a part's surface by means of welding or joining.

02. Benefits of Hardfacing

1. Reduces Cost: Restoring a worn part to "as new" condition generally costs between 20-70% of a brand new
replacement part.
2. Prolongs Equipment Life: Service life increases of 3 to 10 times are common with properly overlaid parts.
3. Reduces Downtime: Parts last longer and fewer shutdowns are required.
4. Less Spare Parts Inventory: There is no need to keep numerous spare parts when worn parts can be rebuilt.

03. What base metals can be hard faced?

Carbon and low-alloy steels with carbon contents of less than 1 percent can be hard faced. High-carbon alloys may
require a special buffer layer.

The following base metals can be hard faced:

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1. Stainless steels
2. Manganese steels
3. Cast irons and steels
4. Nickel-base alloys
5. Copper-base alloys

04. What is the most popular procedure used to apply hardfacing?

In order of popularity, the following procedures can be used:

1. Flux cored arc welding (FCAW)

2. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
3. Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
4. Submerged arc welding (SAW)
5. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)
6. Oxyfuel welding (OFW) or oxyacetylene welding
7. Plasma transferred arc welding, laser welding, thermal spray, and brazing

05. Is there a convenient way to categorize the many alloys when determining which hard
facing to use?
Yes. Iron-base alloys can be divided into three main categories:

1. Martensitic This includes all hardenable steels with Rockwell hardness from 20 to 65. This group, similar to
tool steel, hardens upon cooling. They are good for metal-to-metal and abrasive wear. They also can withstand
a great deal of impact.
2. Austenitic Austenitic alloys include work-hardening steels, such as manganese and stainless. This group
generally is soft when it's welded and hardens only after the weld metal is worked. They have good impact
properties and moderate abrasion resistance. The stainless steel family is good for corrosion resistance.
3. Metal carbide These alloys contain large amounts of metal carbides in a soft, tough matrix and are good for
severe-abrasion applications. The alloys that contain large amounts of chromium and carbon are known as the
chromium carbide family and are closer to a cast iron or white iron. Their hardnesses are from 40 HRC to 65
HRC. Alloys that contain large amounts of tungsten and carbon belong to the tungsten carbide family. Some
contain small amounts of chromium and boron that form borides and are good for severe-abrasion
applications.

06. Many hard facing alloys crack. Is this normal?

It depends on the hardfacing alloy. Many chromium carbide alloys check-crack when cooled to moderate
temperatures; this is normal. Others, such as the austenitic and martensitic families, don't crack when applied with
proper welding procedures.

07. What is chromium carbide hard facing?

Generally, these are iron-base alloys that contain high amounts of chromium (greater than 18 percent) and carbon
(greater than 3 percent). These elements form hard carbides (chromium carbides) that resist abrasion. The deposits
frequently check-crack about every 1/2 in., which helps relieve stress from welding. Their low friction coefficient
also makes them desirable in applications that require material with good slip.

Generally speaking, the abrasion resistance increases as the amount of carbon and chromium increases, although
carbon has the most influence. Hardness values range from 40 HRC to 65 HRC. They also can contain other

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elements that can form other carbides or borides that help increase wear resistance in high-temperature applications.
These alloys are limited to two or three layers.

08. What type of gas is used in GMAW hard facing?

Low penetration and dilution are the major objectives in hard facing, so pure argon and mixtures of argon with
oxygen or carbon dioxide generally will produce the desired result. You also can use pure carbon dioxide, but you'll
get more spatter than you would with an argon mixture.

09. Must parts be preheated before hard facing?

As a rule, you should bring all parts at least to room temperature. You can select higher preheat and interpass
temperatures based on the base metal chemistry and hard facing product you're using.

Manganese and some stainless steels and similar hard facing products require no preheating, and welding
temperatures should be kept as low as possible. Other steels usually require proper preheat and interpass
temperatures. You should consult the manufacturer for the best combination to prevent cracking and spalling.

10. When is a cobalt or nickel hard facing alloy used?

Cobalt alloys contain many types of carbides and are good for severe abrasion at high temperatures. They also have
good corrosion resistance for some applications. Deposit hardness ranges from 25 HRC to 55 HRC. Work-hardening
alloys also are available.

Nickel-base alloys can contain chromium borides that resist abrasion. They can be good particularly in corrosive
atmospheres and high temperatures when abrasion is a problem.

11. Why are some hard facing products limited to two or three layers?
Limited-layer products usually are in the metal carbide families, such as chromium carbide and tungsten carbide.
You can apply martensitic and austenitic products in unlimited layers unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise.

The brittle nature of the metal carbides leads to check-cracking, and as multiple layers are applied, stress continues to
build, concentrating at the root of the check cracks, until separation or spalling occurs between the parent metal or
buffer and the hard facing deposit.

12. What is meant by a buildup or buffer alloy?

These alloys often resemble the parent metal alloy and are applied to severely worn parts to bring them back to
dimension or act as a buffer for subsequent layers of a more wear-resistant hard facing deposit. If the hard facing
produces check cracks, then it's wise to use a tough manganese product as the buffer to blunt and stop the check
cracks from penetrating into the base metal.

13. Can cast iron be hard faced?

Yes, but you must take preheat and interpass temperatures into account. Nickel and nickel-iron products usually are
suitable for rebuilding cast iron. These products aren't affected by the carbon content of the parent metal and remain
ductile. Multiple layers are possible. If further wear protection is required, metal carbide products can work well on
top of the nickel or nickel-iron buildup.

Submit

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