Hardox Steel – Strength That Transforms Industries
Hardox steel is synonymous with extreme wear resistance and long service life under the harshest working conditions. Developed by the Swedish steel producer SSAB, Hardox is used wherever durability, impact resistance, and deformation resistance are essential. Thanks to its unique structure and mechanical properties, Hardox has become a global standard in industries such as mining, construction, recycling, transport, and agricultural machinery manufacturing.
What Makes Hardox Steel Unique?
Hardox belongs to the family of wear-resistant steels. Its greatest advantage lies in the perfect balance between hardness and toughness, meaning that despite its exceptional resistance to wear, it remains flexible and suitable for further processing. In practice, Hardox plates can be bent, welded, and laser-cut—just like conventional structural steels—when correct technological parameters are used.
Another key advantage of Hardox is its outstanding structural uniformity, which ensures predictable performance across the entire thickness of the material. As a result, components made of Hardox are lighter, stronger, and more cost-effective throughout their service life.
Types and Hardness Grades of Hardox Steel
SSAB offers a wide range of Hardox grades—from more ductile to extremely hard. The numerical designation (e.g., Hardox 400, Hardox 500) refers to the Brinell hardness value (HBW).
- Hardox 400 – The most versatile grade, combining excellent wear resistance with good formability. Commonly used in loader buckets, dump truck bodies, and blades.
- Hardox 450 – Improved hardness and wear resistance, extending the service life of components exposed to friction.
- Hardox 500 – Very hard and wear-resistant, ideal for crushing, screening, and material-handling equipment.
- Hardox 550 and 600 – Designed for extreme wear conditions such as open-pit mining and heavy crushing equipment.
- Hardox HiTuf – High-impact grade with exceptional toughness, used in parts exposed to strong impacts (e.g., hydraulic hammers, crusher blades).
- Hardox Extreme – The hardest steel in the lineup (over 600 HBW), made for applications where even standard Hardox grades fail to perform.
Applications of Hardox Steel
Hardox is used in almost every industry exposed to heavy abrasion or mechanical stress. Typical applications include:
- Mining and quarrying: excavator parts, chutes, hoppers, crushers;
- Transport and construction: dump truck bodies, trailer floors, wear plates;
- Recycling and waste processing: shredding blades, chamber walls, conveyors;
- Agriculture: plowshares, scrapers, mixers, tillage tools;
- Industrial machinery: guards, guides, feeders, drums, and custom heavy-duty components.
Modern Processing and Laser Cutting of Hardox
Hardox plates can be cut both mechanically and thermally. Fiber laser cutting has become increasingly popular, offering unmatched precision, clean edges, and minimal material distortion. When combined with online DXF calculators, clients can now design and order simple Hardox components without CAD knowledge—saving both time and design costs.
Summary
Hardox steel is not just a material—it’s a philosophy of strength and durability. With its broad range of grades, excellent processability, and predictable performance, Hardox remains the first choice for applications where reliability and wear resistance are crucial.