NM500 Wear Resistant Steel: Know About Properties, Uses & More

If your work involves equipment that faces constant wear and tear—like mining machines or construction tools—you need a material you can trust. NM500 wear resistant steel is a top choice for tough jobs, thanks to its exceptional strength and durability. This guide will walk you through everything about NM500, so you can pick the right material for your needs.

1. Material Properties of NM500 Wear Resistant Steel

To understand why NM500 works so well, let’s break down its key properties.

1.1 Chemical Composition

NM500’s strength comes from its carefully mixed elements. Here’s its typical chemical makeup:

1.2 Physical Properties

These traits affect how NM500 behaves in different conditions:

• Density: 7.85 g/cm³ (same as most common steels, easy to fit into existing designs)
• Melting Point: 1430 – 1480°C (handles high-heat processes like welding)
• Thermal Conductivity: 42 W/(m·K) at 20°C (dissipates heat well, preventing overheating)
• Specific Heat Capacity: 460 J/(kg·K) (absorbs heat without quick temperature spikes)
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: 13.2 × 10⁻⁶/°C (minimizes warping when temperatures change)
• Electrical Resistivity: 0.18 × 10⁻⁶ Ω·m (low conductivity, safe for electrical equipment nearby)

1.3 Mechanical Properties

NM500’s mechanical strength is what makes it stand out. All values meet industry standards (e.g., GB/T 24186):

• Yield Strength: ≥ 1100 MPa (resists permanent bending or stretching under heavy loads)
• Tensile Strength: ≥ 1350 MPa (can handle high pulling forces without breaking)
• Hardness: 480 – 550 HBW (Brinell Hardness—hard enough to resist scratches and wear)
• Impact Toughness: ≥ 20 J at -40°C (tough even in cold weather, won’t crack easily)
• Elongation: ≥ 8% (flexible enough for installation and minor impacts)
• Wear Resistance: 4 – 6 times higher than regular Q235 steel (tested in industrial wear trials)
• Reduction of Area: ≥ 25% (can stretch without tearing apart)

1.4 Other Properties

• Corrosion Resistance: Moderate—works well in dry or slightly wet areas; use coatings for coastal or acidic environments.
• Oxidation Resistance: Resists rust up to 650°C (great for high-heat tools like cement mixer parts)
• Weldability: Good with proper preheating (180 – 220°C) and low-hydrogen welding rods—important for making large parts.
• Machinability: Needs carbide tools (because of its high hardness), but still manageable for drilling or cutting at slow speeds.
• Formability: Can be bent or shaped (with heat if needed) for custom parts like curved liners.

2. Applications of NM500 Wear Resistant Steel

NM500’s mix of hardness and toughness makes it perfect for parts that take a lot of abuse. Here are its most common uses:

• Mining Industry: Liners for ore crushers, conveyor belt rollers, and ore transport buckets. A coal mine in India switched to NM500 liners—they lasted 10 months instead of the usual 3 months.
• Construction Equipment: Excavator buckets, bulldozer blades, and asphalt paver plates. A construction company in Brazil used NM500 for excavator buckets; wear damage dropped by 70%.
• Agricultural Machinery: Plowshares, harvester cutting blades, and grain silo liners. Farmers in Canada reported NM500 plowshares lasted 3 times longer than regular steel ones.
• Wear-Resistant Liners: Used in cement mixers, sand mixers, and waste treatment tanks. A concrete plant in Japan installed NM500 liners—they only needed replacement once a year, down from 4 times.
• Grinding Balls and Rods: For mineral processing mills. NM500 grinding balls lasted 50% longer than cast iron balls in a copper mine in Chile.
• Wear-Resistant Pipes: For moving sand, gravel, or slurry. In a dredging project in Indonesia, NM500 pipes lasted 6 years, compared to 2 years for standard steel pipes.
• Truck Bodies: For dump trucks carrying rocks or debris. A logistics company in Australia used NM500 truck beds—they didn’t need repairs for 4 years.
• Industrial Grinding Equipment: Parts for stone grinders and flour mills. A flour mill in France used NM500 grinder parts; maintenance time dropped by 60%.

3. Manufacturing Techniques of NM500 Wear Resistant Steel

Making NM500 requires precise steps to ensure its quality. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Steelmaking Process:
   • Uses either the BOF (Basic Oxygen Furnace) or EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) method.
   • Raw materials (iron ore, scrap steel) are melted, and alloys (Mn, Cr, Mo) are added to reach the right chemical mix.
   • Strict checks keep phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) below 0.03% to avoid brittleness.
2. Alloying Process:
   • Alloys are added in two steps: first during melting, then in a secondary refining furnace (like an LF furnace).
   • Vanadium (V) is added last to make the steel’s structure finer, which boosts strength without losing toughness.
3. Heat Treatment:
   • Quenching: The steel is heated to 920 – 960°C, held for 1.5 – 2.5 hours, then quickly cooled with water. This creates a hard “martensite” structure.
   • Tempering: After quenching, it’s heated to 220 – 320°C for 2 – 4 hours. This reduces internal stress and balances hardness with flexibility.
   • Annealing: Sometimes used before machining—heating to 800 – 850°C, then cooling slowly—to make the steel easier to cut.
4. Rolling Process:
   • Hot rolling at 1050 – 1150°C shapes the steel into plates (thickness 4 – 120 mm) or coils.
   • Cold rolling is used for thinner plates (≤ 4 mm) to make the surface smoother.
5. Forging Process:
   • Used for complex parts like large crusher liners.
   • The steel is heated to 850 – 950°C and pressed into molds. Forging makes the steel denser and stronger.
6. Surface Treatment:
   • Carburizing: Heating in a carbon-rich gas (900 – 950°C) adds a hard carbon layer (0.6 – 1.2 mm thick) for extra wear resistance.
   • Nitriding: Heating in ammonia gas (520 – 560°C) creates a nitrogen layer, improving corrosion resistance.
   • Shot Peening: Blasting small metal balls at the surface to reduce stress and make it more durable.
7. Quality Control and Testing:
   • Every batch is tested for chemical composition (using a spectrometer) and mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength).
   • Impact tests at -40°C ensure toughness, and wear tests check performance in real-world conditions.

4. Case Studies and Real-World Examples

Seeing NM500 in action helps show its value. Here are two detailed case studies:

Case Study 1: Mining Crusher Liners in South Africa

• Problem: A gold mine used Q345 steel liners in its jaw crusher. The liners wore out every 2.5 months, causing 10 hours of downtime each time they were replaced.
• Solution: Switched to 25 mm thick NM500 liners.
• Results:
  • Liner life increased to 11 months.
  • Downtime dropped by 75% (from 48 hours/year to 12 hours/year).
  • Annual cost savings: $60,000 (less money on liners + more time mining).

Case Study 2: Agricultural Harvester Blades in the US

• Problem: A farm equipment maker used cast iron blades for wheat harvesters. The blades dulled after 400 acres, so farmers had to sharpen them often.
• Solution: Replaced cast iron with 6 mm thick NM500 blades.
• Results:
  • Blade life extended to 1,600 acres.
  • Sharpening frequency went from 5 times/season to 1 time/season.
  • 90% of farmers said they’d buy NM500 blades again (survey of 60 users).

5. Comparative Analysis with Other Materials

How does NM500 compare to other wear-resistant materials? The table below shows key differences:

Cost-Effectiveness Takeaway

• NM500 is cheaper than ceramics (3.5x less) and lasts longer than cast iron (2-4x longer).
• Compared to NM400 and NM450, NM500 offers better wear resistance—worth the small extra cost for heavy-wear jobs.
• For parts that need both wear resistance and toughness, NM500 is a better choice than ceramics (which are brittle) or cast iron (which breaks easily).

Yigu Technology’s Perspective on NM500 Wear Resistant Steel

At Yigu Technology, we’ve supplied NM500 steel to over 300 clients in mining, construction, and agriculture. We find NM500 solves our clients’ biggest problem: frequent part replacements. Its mix of hardness and toughness means less downtime and lower costs. We often customize NM500 parts—like tailored crusher liners—using our in-house cutting and welding services. Our clients report 2-4x longer part life with NM500, and we offer fast delivery (7-10 days for standard plates) to keep their operations running. We also provide after-sales support, like welding guides, to help clients get the most out of NM500.

FAQ About NM500 Wear Resistant Steel

1. Can NM500 be welded to regular steel?
   Yes. Use low-hydrogen welding rods (e.g., E8018-B2) and preheat NM500 to 180 – 220°C first. After welding, temper it at 250°C for 1 hour to reduce stress.
2. What thicknesses of NM500 are available?
   Standard thicknesses range from 4 mm to 120 mm. For custom thicknesses (e.g., 150 mm), we can produce them with a 3-4 week lead time.
3. Is NM500 suitable for cold climates?
   Absolutely. Its impact toughness is ≥20 J at -40°C, so it works well in cold areas like northern Russia or Canada without cracking.