Carbide Wear Parts: Strong Cornerstones for Industry

Carbide wear parts, an indispensable material choice for extreme working conditions, occupy a pivotal position in industrial production due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In this article, we will delve into carbide wear parts.

Brief introduction

Brief introduction of carbide

An alloy material made from hard compounds of refractory metals and a binders metal by a powder metallurgical process. By varying the grain size and the composition and content of the binder, carbide can be fine-tuned to obtain optimized properties such as:

• Résistance à l'usure
• Corrosion resistance
• Abrasion resistance
• Impact resistance

Due to its superior performance, it is widely used in industry. Its superior wear resistance and high hardness make it suitable for the manufacture of a wide range of wear-resistant parts, mechanical parts and wire drawing dies. In recent years, carbide has become the best choice to replace steel in many industrial applications.

Brief introduction of carbide wear parts

From the tip of a ballpoint pen to a wire drawing die or a steel rolling mill, most wear parts can be produced from carbide. Most carbide wear parts are made directly from tungsten-cobalt. In the 1970s, it was realized that the smaller the grain size of tungsten carbide, the better the hardness and wear resistance of the carbide. Since then, fine and ultra-fine grained carbide has become increasingly important in the application of wear parts.

Pros and cons of choosing carbide wear parts

Pro: High hardness and wear resistance
The hardness of carbide is second only to diamond, which means it can withstand extremely high levels of wear and pressure without deformation. Carbide is perfect for making a diverse range of wear-resistant parts, such as cutting tools, molds, drills, and more. Also, if you value wear resistance, carbide is the ideal choice for you. (Wear resistance is the difficulty of removing material through abrasion.)
Con: Low toughness and brittleness
If you want a high-toughness material, carbide may not be your material of choice. Although it is hard, carbide is also brittle. It is prone to fracture when subjected to improper use such as major impacts, sudden applied and released loads, etc.

Pro: Reduced parts replacement, long service life
Due to the excellent wear resistance of carbide, it usually does not need to be replaced as often. Compared to HSS or other materials, carbide has a much longer life than. In some applications, carbide wear parts can last several to dozens of times longer than HSS, which means fewer tool changes, which saves money and downtime. In addition, carbide allows for higher cutting speeds and feed rates, which not only increases machining efficiency, but also reduces machining time for each part. As a result, the average tool life is extended.
Con: Higher price
There is no doubt that the price of carbide is higher than other options, and this is due to several reasons:

• Raw material costs: carbide is mainly composed of precious and rare metals such as tungsten carbide (WC) and cobalt (Co).
• Complex production process: the production of carbide requires precise control and high-end equipment.
• Difficult processing: carbide is much more difficult to process than ordinary metals.
• …

Despite the high price of carbide, the investment is often worthwhile when considering the long-term economic benefits it brings.

Application of carbide wear parts

Summary

Carbide wear parts have demonstrated extraordinary advantages in many industrial fields due to their benefits, and have become a key material for improving productivity and extending equipment life. They significantly reduce the frequency of parts replacement or repair and lower operating costs in different industries.
However, the drawbacks of cemented carbide wear parts limit their application scope to a certain extent, especially in cost-sensitive or scenarios requiring extremely high toughness. Nonetheless, their value in terms of increased productivity, reduced maintenance costs and improved product accuracy greatly outweighs the initial investment.
In conclusion, carbide wear parts are an important and indispensable part of modern industry, and their excellent performance brings significant economic benefits and social value to industrial production.

Why Xingzhou

With more than twenty years of experience in manufacturing cemented carbide, we specialize in the development, production, and sales of all kinds of cemented carbide tools. Our professional staff can help solve your difficulties in material and grade selection, and we deliver on time. If you have any needs in carbide, please contact us!

FAQs

1. How to choose the right carbide grade?
We recommend this web site for you: Carbide Grade Selection
2. Why is carbide so expensive?
Compared with other metals, carbide is very expensive because it contains cobalt, which is severely short and has very high demand in various fields such as batteries for smartphones, or other electrical appliances.
3. Is carbide better than steel?
In recent years, carbide has virtually replaced steel tools. Carbide is much harder than steel and more heat resistant. Although carbide tools cost more than steel tools, they are more economical because they last longer.