HARDOX – only by SSAB.
Hardox is a registered trademark for quenched, and quenched and tempered steels produced by SSAB.
Originally Hardox was only available in plate form in thicknesses of 3.2mm and upwards, and was only produced in Oxelösund, Sweden.
Hardox is now also available from other SSAB manufacturing sites in Sweden and the SSAB facility in Mobile, Alabama.
Hardox is also available as round bar, tube and in thinner gauges.
As Hardox is a registered trademark, the use of the name should only be used when referring to steels produced by SSAB. Make sure that when you are being offered Hardox, that it is the genuine article.
How can I be sure that I am being offered Hardox?
• Confirm who the manufacturer is.
• Ask to see a mill certificate.
If I see a mill certificate, what do I look for?
• Name of manufacturer: SSAB
• Product description
In addition there are ways of identifying the actual material.
All wide plates have a unique number
The plate number.
Each plate produced by SSAB, has a unique number.
- This consists of a heat number followed by a plate serial number e.g. 12345 – 123456.
- Each plate is marked with this number either with white paint or black ink jet.
- This number corresponds with the number on the relevant mill certificate.
- Plates over 5mm thick are also hard stamped with the grade and plate number, and is placed at right angles to the rolling direction in the corner of the plate, to be found between 2 white dots, if marked with white paint.
- The plate number allows for full traceability to the production route, day of production and the customer.
How to identify Hardox tubes.
Tubes have a white ink jet marking with the brand and dimension. The number is a combination of the heat and the production sequence.
How to identify Hardox bars.
The bars are marked with SSAB ”steelgrade” “dimension” and “id which starts with SSW.
For example “SSAB HARDOX400 70 mm SSW123456”
How to identify Hardox in thinner gauges, maximum 1500mm wide.
This material can be identified by:
- Manufacturer: SSAB
- Heat or cast number: e.g. 57-8843
- Coil number: e.g. 669227
- Product name: e.g. Domex 700MCE, (or as HARDOX450)
There are a number of features which tend to distinguish Hardox plates from other brands of wearplate.
Are all Hardox plates supplied with red primer?
All Hardox plates supplied through SSAB stocks for general sale are supplied with a low zinc red primer suitable for outside storage up to 6 months. For customers ordering direct from production it is possible to specify material without primer. All material will have the relevant markings.
Is Hardox only produced in stock sizes?
It is also possible to purchase bespoke dimensions direct from production, subject to a 3t minimum order per dimension.
What is Hardox Wearparts?
This is a network of customers who specialise in making parts from Hardox, and as such deliver certain guarantees linked to the material used and their capabilities. There are over 150 such companies worldwide of which 10 are in the UK.
How many grades of Hardox are there?
There are 7 grades of Hardox from 400 up to Extreme. The number designation is the hardness in Brinell. There are 2 grades that do not have a number:
- Hardox HiTuf is produced in thicknesses over 40mm, where toughness is a priority in applications such as demolition shears and thick bucket edges. It has a hardness of around 350 HBN.
- Hardox Extreme has a hardness of around 60 HRC (Rockwell) which is off the Brinell scale.
Availability.
Hardox is available from over 30 SSAB controlled stocks around the world, as well as supply direct from production. Contact information for the relevant countries is available on www.ssab.com
SSAB will continue to develop new and existing grades. The Hardox 450 that you buy today will not be same as the one from 10 years ago. The steel today is cleaner with improved toughness, with increased resistance to cracking and easier to use in the workshop.
For more information visit www.hardox.com