1. What is Wear-resistant Steel?
The hardness of wear-resistant steel is approximately three times that of ordinary carbon steel. Thanks to its superior durability, it can reduce the plate thickness to one-third of conventional steel while maintaining equivalent structural strength, cutting steel consumption by up to 70%.
GNEE STEEL supplies 30mm and below wear-resistant steel plates, including those with a thickness of 5mm and below.
These products are directly applicable to industrial structures subject to severe friction and impact, such as truck cargo bodies, arm rolling shutter containers and scrap bins.
Read more;China Launches World's First 1.5mm Ultra-Thin Heat-Treated Wear-Resistant Steel BW450, Successfully Delivered
2. Classification and Performance Analysis of Wear-resistant Steel
There are multiple classification methods for wear-resistant steel.
Wear-resistant steel features a wide range of grades. Based on material characteristics and service conditions, it is mainly classified into six core categories: high manganese steel, medium & low alloy wear-resistant steel, Cr-Mo-Si-Mn steel, cavitation-resistant steel, corrosion-wear resistant steel and special wear-resistant steel.
In terms of chemical composition, it can be divided into high manganese steel, ultra-high manganese steel, low-alloy and medium-alloy wear-resistant steel. According to metallographic structure, it is categorized into austenitic, bainitic, martensitic and bainite-martensitic duplex wear-resistant steel.
In addition, general alloy steels including stainless steel, bearing steel, alloy tool steel and alloy structural steel can also serve as wear-resistant steel under specific working conditions. With easy accessibility and excellent comprehensive mechanical properties, such steels occupy a stable market share in wear-resistant material applications.
Wear-resistant steel plates are generally divided into two categories:
GB wear-resistant steel plates and Hardox wear-resistant steel plates.
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Swedish Hardox Wear-resistant Steel Plates
The HARDOX series includes: Hardox 400, Hardox 450, Hardox 500, Hardox 550, and Hardox 600.
| Grade | Hardness | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Hardox 400 | 370-430 HBW | Excellent toughness, bendability, and weldability; suitable for equipment subjected to moderate wear. |
| Hardox 450 | 425-475 HBW | Improved dent resistance and wear resistance, combined with good bendability and weldability. |
| Hardox 500 | 470-530 HBW | Good processability and toughness; used for liners, screen bars, wear strips, and other wear-resistant parts in high-wear industries. |
| Hardox 550 | 525-575 HBW | Unique wear resistance, crack resistance, and processability; used for liners in crushers, chutes, and other processing equipment, or breaker hammers in recycling equipment. |
| Hardox 600 | 570-640 HBW | Commonly used in extremely severe wear conditions, and serves as a replacement for Hadfield steel and high-chromium alloys. |
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Chineses GB Wear-resistant Steel Plates
The Chineses GB Wear-resistant Steel Plates series includes: NM300TP, NM400, NM450, NM500, NM550, and NM600.
| Grade | Yield Strength (MPa) | Tensile Strength (MPa) | Elongation (%) | Hardness (HBW) | Available Thickness Range (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NM300TP | 600-800 | ≥900 | ≥8 | ≥270 | 3.0-5.0 |
| NM400 | ≥1000 | ≥1200 | ≥10 | 370-430 | 3.0-25.0 |
| NM450 | ≥1100 | ≥1250 | ≥7 | 420-480 | 3.0-25.0 |
| NM500 | ≥1200 | ≥1500 | ≥7 | ≥470 | 3.0-25.0 |
| NM550 | / | ≥1650 | ≥6 | ≥530 | 4.0-25.0 |
| NM600 | / | ≥1750 | ≥5 | ≥570 | 4.0-25.0 |
Professional NM Series Quenched & Tempered Wear-resistant Steel
GNEE STEEL supplies the NM series quenched and tempered wear-resistant steel plates, featuring ultra-thin specifications, excellent flatness, stable performance and quality, alongside high production efficiency. Replacing ordinary structural steel with GNEE wear-resistant steel can significantly reduce plate thickness, lighten product dead weight, lower energy consumption, and achieve energy conservation and environmental protection.
The steel plates exhibit outstanding processability including cutting, bending, rolling and circle forming, coupled with excellent weldability. They stand as one of the preferred materials for energy conservation, emission reduction, carbon footprint reduction and weight lightening.
This product series is widely applicable to medium and heavy-duty trucks, dump trucks, waste collection vehicles, concrete mixers, industrial fans, hoppers, crushers and other heavy-duty equipment.
3. Chemical Composition of Core Wear-resistant Materials
Medium and low alloy wear-resistant steel dominates industrial applications, with major alloying elements including silicon, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, nickel, titanium, boron, copper and rare earth elements. The multi-alloy formulation synergistically improves wear resistance, impact resistance and structural toughness.
In overseas engineering practices, liners for large and medium-sized ball mills in the United States are mostly made of Cr-Mo-Si-Mn steel and chromium-molybdenum steel, while industrial grinding balls are generally manufactured from medium and high-carbon chromium-molybdenum steel.
For components operating under abrasive wear at elevated temperatures (200～500℃), or parts with surface high temperature caused by friction heat, Cr-Mo-V, Cr-Mo-V-Ni and Cr-Mo-V-W series alloy wear-resistant steels are preferred. After quenching followed by medium or high temperature tempering, these steels deliver an obvious secondary hardening effect, greatly enhancing high-temperature hardness and wear resistance to adapt to severe high-temperature wear conditions.
4. Application Status of Wear-resistant Steel Plates in the Global Market
With the rapid advancement of wear-resistant technology and related industries, high-strength wear-resistant steel plates have seen increasingly wide application in mechanical manufacturing. This trend is driven by the need to mitigate economic losses caused by equipment and component wear failure, thereby fueling a rapid growth in market demand.
Such steel plates are typically delivered in a quenched and tempered condition, boasting a tensile strength of over 1000 MPa. Combined with excellent plasticity and toughness, they are extensively applied across sectors including vehicles, marine engineering, mining equipment, construction machinery, and cement production equipment.
While leading European and Japanese steel giants have historically dominated the global high-performance wear-resistant steel plate market, GNEE STEEL is changing the game with Chinese-made wear-resistant steel solutions.
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SSAB Group (HARDOX Series)
As a world-leading manufacturer of wear-resistant steel plates,its HARDOX series has a complete range of grades, including HARDOX 400, HARDOX 450, HARDOX 500, HARDOX 550, HARDOX 600, HARDOX HiTuf, HARDOX Extreme, HARDOX 700 and HARDOX 800, with a maximum hardness of up to 700 HB.
Through optimized chemical composition design and advanced manufacturing processes, this series of steel plates achieves uniform performance, high toughness, and excellent bending and welding properties. They are widely used in the manufacturing of buckets, dump trucks, crushers, and other equipment.
The typical chemical composition and mechanical properties of Hardox 450 steel are as follows:
Impact Properties
| Product | Typical Charpy V-notch impact energy (longitudinal test, 10×10 mm specimen) ¹ |
|---|---|
| Hardox® 450 thin & heavy plates | 50 J / -40 °C |
¹ Impact properties are measured by agreement. For steel plates with thickness between 3–11.9 mm, small-size Charpy V-notch specimens are used. Compared to full-size specimens (10×10 mm), the specified properties are proportional to the cross-sectional area of the test specimen. Impact tests are performed in accordance with ISO EN 145 standard, taking the average of three tests.
Chemical Composition (ladle analysis)
| Product Type | C ¹(max %) | Si ¹(max %) | Mn ¹(max %) | P(max %) | S(max %) | Cr ¹(max %) | Ni ¹(max %) | Mo ¹(max %) | B ¹(max %) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold-rolled thin plate | 0.19 | 0.30 | 1.50 | 0.020 | 0.005 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.05 | 0.004 |
| Thin & heavy plate | 0.26 | 0.70 | 1.60 | 0.025 | 0.010 | 1.40 | 1.50 | 0.60 | 0.005 |
Grain refining steel. ¹ Intentionally added alloying elements.
Mechanical Properties
| Product | Plate Thickness(mm) | Hardness ²)(HBW) | Typical Yield Strength(MPa), not guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardox® 450 cold-rolled thin plate | 0.8–2.10 | 425–475 ³) | 1250 |
| Hardox® 450 thin plate | 2.0–8.0 | 425–475 ³) | 1250 |
| Hardox® 450 heavy plate ¹) | 3.2–80.0 | 425–475 | 1250 |
| Hardox® 450 heavy plate | 80.1–103.0 | 410–475 | 1250 |
| Hardox® 450 heavy plate | 103.1–160.0 | 390–475 | 1250 |
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Finland Ruukki (Raex Series)
Ruukki of Finland is a world leader in the field of high-strength special steel. Its Raex series is a type of wear-resistant steel with both high hardness and excellent impact toughness.
Thanks to its lightweight performance, Raex steel plates can effectively reduce the wear of structural components and are widely applied in the automotive, lifting & transportation, and mining industries.
The chemical composition and mechanical properties of Raex AR 400 are shown below:
Chemical Composition
| Product type | C (max %) | Si (max %) | Mn (max %) | P (max %) | S (max %) | Cr (max %) | Ni (max %) | Mo (max %) | B (max %) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plate | 0.23 | 0.80 | 1.70 | 0.025 | 0.015 | 1.50 | 1.00 | 0.50 | 0.0005 |
| Sheet | 0.16 | 0.50 | 1.60 | 0.025 | 0.010 | 1.20 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 0.0005 |
The steel is grain refined.
Mechanical Properties
| Product type | Thickness (mm) ¹ | Width (mm) ¹ | Length (mm) ¹ | Hardness (HBW) ² | Typical yield strength (MPa), not guaranteed | Typical tensile strength (MPa), not guaranteed | Typical Elongation A (%), not guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet | 3.00 - 8.00 | 1000 - 1960 | 2000 - 12000 | 360 - 440 | 1100 | 1250 | 10 |
| Plate | 6.00 - 40.00 | 1000 - 3200 | 2000 - 12000 | 360 - 440 | 1100 | 1300 | 10 |
| Plate | 40.01 - 80.00 | 2000 - 2500 | 4000 - 9500 | 360 - 440 | 1100 | 1300 | 10 |
¹ More detailed information on dimensions is provided from RaexSmart. Please contact your local sales representative for more information.² Brinell Hardness is measured, according to EN ISO 6506-1 on milled surface 0.3-3.0mm below surface. Hardness value is being announced in the material certificate.Mechanical properties are tested in transverse direction and tabulated for information only and values are not shown in material certificate.
Impact Properties
| Product | Longitudinal test, typical impact energy, Charpy V 10×10 mm test specimen ¹ |
|---|---|
| Raex® AR 400 sheet & plate | 30 J / -40 °C |
¹ Impact testing according to EN ISO 148-1 is performed on thickness ≥6mm. The specific value corresponds to a full size specimen. Impact values are tabulated for information only and values are not shown in material certificate.
Germany Dillinger Group(DILLIDUR Series)
Dillinger's DILLIDUR 400V wear-resistant steel features an average Brinell hardness of 400 HB after quenching. It is designed for severe abrasive working conditions and well recognized for excellent workability and weldability.
It is widely applied in earthmoving machinery, conveying equipment, crushers, waste treatment facilities and other fields.In the same product range, DILLIDUR 500V delivers an average hardness up to 500 HB.
The chemical composition and mechanical properties of DILLIDUR 500 steel are listed below:
Chemical Composition (Ladle Analysis)
The following maximum values (in %) apply to ladle analysis:
| Element | C | Si | Mn | P | S | Mo | Ni | Cu | Cr | V | Nb | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max % | 0.30 | 0.70 | 1.60 | 0.020 | 0.005 | 0.50 | 1.0 | 0.30 | 1.50 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.005 |
Hardness
| Plate thickness t [mm] (in.)¹ | Surface hardness in Brinell [HBW] at room temperature |
|---|---|
| t≤30 (1.2) | 470 - 530 |
| t>30 (1.2) | 450 - 530 |
¹ The approximate converted values in brackets are for information only.
Thyssenkrupp (Germany) - XAR Series
Since the mid-1960s, Thyssenkrupp (TKS) has been manufacturing high-performance wear-resistant steel plates. Through quenching or quenching and tempering treatment, its products form a dense martensitic or bainite-martensitic microstructure.
The XAR series covers a complete hardness range of 300 / 350 / 400 / 450 / 500 / 550 / 600 HB with a comprehensive product portfolio. It includes not only the conventional grades of XAR 400, XAR 450 and XAR 500, but also customized grades: normalized XAR 300 for mild and moderate wear conditions, heat-resistant XAR 400W, and ultra-high hardness XAR 600.
Thyssenkrupp XAR Series: Hardness & Chemical Composition
| Steel grade | Delivery condition | Thickness range [mm] | Hardness [HBW] | Alloying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XAR® 300 | normalized | 4 – 50 | ≥ 270° | ~0.20% C**, Cr(Mo)-alloyed |
| XAR® HT | normalized | 40 – 100 | 310 – 370 | ~0.25% C**, Cr(Mo)Ni-alloyed |
| XAR® 400 | normalized | 4 – 100 | 370 – 430 | ~0.15% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 400 PREMIUM | normalized | 40 – 100 | 370 – 440 | ~0.16% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 400W | quenched (+ tempered) | 4 – 40 | 360 – 440 | ~0.19% C**, Cr(Mo)-alloyed |
| XAR® 450 | quenched (+ tempered) | 4 – 100 | 420 – 480 | ~0.21% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 450 PREMIUM | quenched (+ tempered) | 40 – 100 | 420 – 480 | ~0.21% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 500 | quenched (+ tempered) | 4 – 100 | 470 – 530 | ~0.25% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 500 PREMIUM | quenched (+ tempered) | 40 – 100 | 470 – 530 | ~0.26% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
| XAR® 600 | quenched (+ tempered) | 4 – 50 | > 550 | ~0.35% C**, CrNiMo-alloyed |
Footnote: *plate thickness ≥ 20 mm *plate thickness ≥ 15 mm
Japan JFE Steel Corporation (JFE EVERHARD Series)
JFE Steel has been producing and selling wear-resistant steel plates since the mid-1950s.The ultra-wear-resistant steel EH-SP developed by JFE delivers wear resistance superior to HB 500 grade, while maintaining excellent welding and forming performance.
Grades such as EH360LE and EH500LE retain outstanding toughness and resistance to welding cracking even at low temperatures of -40°C, ensuring the quality and structural safety of welded joints.
| Type | Brand name | Thickness(mm) | Brinell surface hardness [guaranteed] |
Charpy impact properties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test temperature (℃) |
Charpy absorbed energy(J) [guaranteed] |
||||
| Standard Series |
EVERHARD-C340 | 38〜160 | 340±30 | ーーー | ーーー |
| EVERHARD-C400 | 5～101.6 | 400±30 | |||
| EVERHARD-C450 | 5～101.6 | 450±25 | |||
| EVERHARD-C500 | 5～101.6 | 500±40 | |||
| EVERHARD-C550 | 6～32 | 550±40 | |||
| EVERHARD-C600 | 6～25.4 | 600±40 | |||
| High Toughness Series |
EVERHARD-C400LE | 5～101.6 | 400±30 | －40 | ≧27 |
| EVERHARD-C450LE | 5〜50.8 | 450±25 | －40 | ≧27 | |
| 50.9～80 | 410～475 | ||||
| EVERHARD-C500LE | 5〜50.8 | 500±40 | －40 | ≧27 | |
| 50.9～80 | 450～540 | ||||
| Super Grade | EVERHARD-SP | 5〜65 | ≧401 | ーーー | ーーー |
＊Ceq=C＋Mn/6＋(Cu＋Ni)/15＋(Cr＋Mo＋V)/5
GB NM Series wear steel plate
The NM Series wear steel plate is engineered for high strength and exceptional wear resistance, boasting a Brinell hardness range of 420 to 580 HBW. Designed to extend equipment life and minimize maintenance, this wear plate is ideal for demanding environments where durability is critical.
Typical Applications
The wear plate finds extensive use in industries such as mining, power generation, cement production, dredging, steel manufacturing, waste management, glass production, and pulp and paper. Common applications include:
- Mining: Chutes, hoppers, truck bed liners, dozer blades, shovel and dragline buckets, excavators
- Cement: Separator guide vanes, discharge cones, sintering ore chutes, clinker mill ducts, receiving hoppers
- Dredging & Steel: Pipes, pumps, suction pipelines, pump discharges
- Power: Coal handling chutes, feeder liners, crusher screen plates, classifier cones, silo bunkers
Chemical Composition of NM400 / NM450 / NM500 Wear Plates
Below are the detailed chemical compositions of NM400, NM450, and NM500 steel plates, ensuring consistent quality and traceability for buyers.
| Grade | c | Si | Mn | P | S | Al | Cr+Ni+Mo | Nb+V+Ti |
| NM400 | 0.10-0.40 | 0.20-0.40 | 1.00-2.00 | Max 0.015 | Max 0.003 | Min 0.020 | Max 0.9 | Trace Amount |
| NM450 | 0.10-0.40 | 0.20-0.40 | 1.00-2.00 | Max 0.015 | Max 0.003 | Min 0.020 | Max 1.2 | |
| NM500 | 0.10-0.40 | 0.20-0.45 | 1.00-2.00 | Max 0.015 | Max 0.003 | Min 0.020 | Max 1.5 |
Services and Specifications
- Cutting: Compatible with plasma, laser, water jet, arc gouge, and abrasive saw cutting; not recommended for oxy-fuel cutting.
- Welding: Use 480 MPa (70 ksi) or 560 MPa (80 ksi) consumables; cap joints with overlay for enhanced wear resistance.
- Machining: Not suitable for traditional machining; grinding and EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) for precise countersunk holes recommended.
- Forming: Typically formed with overlay facing inward; for pipes under 0.6m diameter, use hardfacing pipe instead of fabricating from plates.
- Drilling: Maintain a minimum 15mm distance between holes; hole diameter should be at least plate thickness or 1.5× thickness if thicker than 20mm.
Quality Control and Testing
All NM series wear steel plates undergo rigorous testing to meet or exceed industry standards. Third-party testing includes quality system verification and calibration documentation to ensure consistent product reliability.
What is the HS code for wear resistant plates?
Wear-resistant steel plates (like XAR, JFE EVERHARD, HARDOX, NM series) fall primarily under Chapter 72 (Steel) of the HS code. The exact code depends on:
Alloy or non-alloy
Hot-rolled / Cold-rolled
Width ≥ 600mm or < 600mm
Coated / uncoated
Further processed (cut, drilled) or not
Main HS codes (8/10-digit standard for global trade)
1. Alloy steel wear plates (most common: XAR, EH, HARDOX, NM400/450/500)
7225.40 - Hot-rolled alloy steel plates, width ≥ 600mm
7225.4091 / 7225.4099 (most used for quenched & tempered wear plates)
7226.91 - Alloy steel plates, width < 600mm
2. Non-alloy / carbon steel wear plates
7208.52 - Hot-rolled non-alloy, width ≥ 600mm
7209.90 - Cold-rolled non-alloy, width ≥ 600mm
3. Special cases
Overlay / chrome carbide clad plates: often 7210.50 (coated)
Finished/processed parts (liners, cut shapes): may go to 7326.90 (articles of steel)
Practical recommendation (for export/import)
For standard quenched & tempered alloy wear plate (XAR 400/450/500, JFE EH360/EH500, etc.):
Global main code: 7225409900 (10-digit)
Description: Hot-rolled alloy steel flat plate, width ≥600mm, not further worked
Always confirm with your customs broker and local tariff schedule-some countries use slightly different 8/10-digit splits.
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