Hardfacing Selection Guide | Weldclass Australia

Weldclass offers a range of tried-and-tested hardfacing consumables, including hardfacing MIG wire and hardfacing welding rods / electrodes

 

Hardfacing costs and downtime

Time is money and often the biggest cost-component of the hardfacing process is; a) the time and labour involved in applying hardfacing, and b) the down-time or loss of production while equipment is out of service .  This cost is often much higher than the cost of the hardfacing wire or electrodes.

This is why Weldclass has worked with leading manufacturers and metallurgical experts globally to develop hardfacing wires and electrodes that suit Australian conditions and offer superior wear life, to increase equipment service life, reduce down-time costs, and increase up-time.

To achieve this, here's a guide to help you select the best product for your application.

 

Selection Guide:

1) Abrasive wear with low-to-moderate impact

Description: Wear that is mostly caused by abrasion, with low-to-medium impact. This is the most common scenario for agricultural and general earth moving applications, where the tool is scraping or sliding against abrasive matter/earth. 

Examples: Ground-engaging equipment used in sandy and clay soils. (Australian sandy soils are among the most abrasive in the world). May be low-to-medium levels of impact from rocks etc.

Recommended Products: 

Weldclass Platinum CX-1800 Gasless 'MIG' Wire: Made in Europe using a special carbide not found in other wires, this offers exceptional abrasion resistance, and is our most popular hardfacing product.

Weldclass Platinum 943 Stick Electrodes: Offers both very high abrasion resistance and high impact strength. If it has to be welded with "stick", this is our #1 recommended solution! 

 

2) Abrasive wear with higher impact (shocks & blows)

Description: Abrasive wear, accompanied by higher impact such as shocks and blows. 

Examples: Ground-engaging equipment & similiar, which is subject to abrasive wear AND frequent, heavy impact against rock, hard surfaces or objects. 

Recommended Products

Weldclass Platinum CX-2150 Gasless 'MIG' Wire: Made in Europe, offering a unique combination of both extreme abrasion resistance AND high impact resistance. Up to 6-7 times better wear life vs basic hardfacing wires. If you require the longest possible wear life, together with high impact strength - this is it!

Weldclass Platinum SD-980 Solid MIG Wire: Made in Europe, this wire is very versatile. Used with gas, SD-980 is all-positional and very easy to use. Medium abrasion resistance, high impact strength and can also be used for metal-to-metal wear where required. 
While CX-2105 and CX-1800 wires will offer significantly better wear life against abrasion, SD-980 is a great all-rounder & a great option where there is high impact, where all-positional welding capability is needed or where the operator prefers a standard 'solid' MIG wire.  

Weldclass Platinum 943 Stick Electrodes: Offers both very high abrasion resistance and high impact strength.  If it has to be welded with "stick", this is our #1 recommended solution! 

Weldclass Promax 700 Stick Electrodes: Medium abrasion resistance with moderate-to-high impact strength. A tough weld deposit also makes this electrode suitable for parts subject to fatigue or flexing in service. 

 

All Weldclass Hardfacing Products

See below for the full range of Weldclass hardfacing consumables;

  • 700 series hardfacing welding rods for general hard-facing of ground-engaging implements and similar applications. Good abrasion resistance with moderate-to-high impact strength, typical hardness 53-56 HRC. A tough weld deposit also makes this electrode suitable for parts subject to fatigue or flexing in service. Suitable for a wide range of applications including the surfacing of post hole augers, agricultural points, shares and tynes, grader and cultivator blades, etc. Supplied in 1kg re-usable convenience pack to keep electrodes in good condition. For higher abrasion resistance and longer wear life, we recommend Platinum 943 series electrodes.
  • High-performance hard-facing welding rod, ideal for ground-engaging equipment. Platinum 943 deposits extremely hard, abrasion resistant CrNb carbides, offering long wear life with both exceptional abrasion resistance and impact strength. Ideal for hard surfacing applications where resistance to high or extreme abrasion (in particular sliding abrasion) and moderate to heavy impact are required.
    Due to the nodular shape of the complex carbides, Platinum 943 deposits are capable of withstanding heavier impact levels than standard chromium-carbide electrodes. Typical applications include; buckets, lips, screws, hammers, teeth, crushing equipment, etc. Typical hardness 60-65 HRC (1st layer). Supplied in a 1kg re-usable convenience pack to keep electrodes in good condition.
  • Long-Life hardfacing 'MIG' wire for ground-engaging equipment. Very high resistance to abrasion with up to 3-4 times better wear life vs basic hardfacing wires*... thanks to special carbide additives not found in other wires.
    Recommended for metal-to-earth applications where wear is mostly caused by abrasion, with low-to-medium impact; points, tynes, buckets, teeth, screws, augers, grousers, etc.
    Gasless wire for easy application. Available in 1.2mm in 15kg or 4.5kg spools. Requires minimum 140 amps, suitable for use with 200A-250A MIG welders.
  • SD-980 hard-facing MIG welding wire is a versatile and easy-to-use "all-rounder". Being a solid wire, PLATINUM SD-980 is easy to apply and is all-positional. Ideal for applications where abrasion resistance is required, and especially when accompanied by shocks and blows. The weld can handle abrasion, moderate-to-high impact and metal-to-metal wear. Commonly used on excavator buckets and teeth, screws and augers, tracks, crushing jaws/wheels, etc. Available in 1.2mm in 15kg or 4.5kg spools. Requires minimum 120 amps. Use with Ar+CO2 mixed gas.
  • Extreme performance hardfacing 'MIG' wire, providing a unique combination of both extreme abrasion resistance AND high impact resistance. Up to 6-7 times better wear life vs basic hardfacing wires*... thanks to special carbide additives not found in other wires.
    Suitable for a very wide range of applications such as; components subject to abrasion together with high impact stress, where down-time cost is high and longer service life is critical for reducing costs, and where the exact nature of wear is not known in advance and all-round abrasion + impact protection is needed.
    Typical applications include: metal-to-earth, ground-engaging equipment, crushing, dredging, mining equipment, grizzly bars, and much more.
    Gasless wire for easy application. Available in 1.6mm. Requires minimum 160 amps, suitable for use with MIG welders around 200A-250A & above.

 

What is hardfacing ?

In the context of welding, hardfacing is applying a special weld metal to equipment or components, to create a hard surface that will provide better wear resistance than the base metal, thus extending the service life of the equipment.