| Postle Newsletter | |
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Volume 1 Issue 1
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| Welcome | |
| We at Postle Industries want to
extend a very warm welcome to all of you on this momentous occasion.
This is the very first publication of the "Postle
Newsletter". The
newsletter will be published periodically via email. Archives can be found at www.postle.com/Newsletter/index.htm We will be covering a range of topics on hardfacing products,
applications, metallurgy, techniques, and economics.
I would like all of you to feel free to comment on the newsletter
via email bmiller@postle.com or
call 800-321-2978. Suggestions
for topics are always welcome. Your
name has appeared on our list as a result of talking with you about the
newsletter or you have signed up for it via our web site www.postle.com
. Your colleagues or
friends may want to receive this information, so feel free to pass this
email onto them or have them sign up for their own copy by submitting an
empty email to postle_list@cladtechnologies.com
or a personal email to me bmiller@postle.com
. Either way they will be
put on the list. |
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| Hardfacing – an Overview | |
| Since this is the first issue
of this publication it might be a good idea to start with an overview of
the subject. Hardfacing, at
least in the terms we describe it at Postle, is the application of wear
or corrosion protection metals to a component via arc welding. I know that some powder spray techniques are considered as
hardfacing and I wouldn't argue with the inclusion of that concept.
However, those applications are usually considered as coatings
and are usually characterized with a mechanical bond as contrasted with
arc welding techniques which are true metallurgical bonds.
The occurrence and
impact of hardfacing on our daily lives is staggering.
Practically every material we come in contact with, glass, wood,
plastic, steel, rubber, or textiles, relies on hardfacing to extend
component life in the production of consumable products.
Without hardfacing, the cost of production to numerous industries
would be unmanageable. The
major industries that include hardfacing as a reliable and cost
effective measure can be listed as follows: AGRICULTURE, BRICK &
CLAY, CEMENT, CHEMICAL, CONSTRUCTION, DREDGING, DRILLING, FOOD, LOGGING
AND LUMBER, PETROLEUM, POWER, PULP & PAPER, RAILROAD, RECYCLING,
SHIP REPAIR, PRIMARY METAL AND MINERAL, and WASTE WATER.
I'm sure that I have
left out a few, but those are the main categories.
Of course there are many subdivisions of those categories.
You can see that the list is enormous and as new technologies
emerge, the list will grow accordingly.
Hardfacing fills a very important niche in the worlds economy and
will continue to influence production methods and material handling.
The metals and alloys
used for hardfacing are numerous and include:
CARBON STEELS, MANGANESE STEELS, STAINLESS STEELS, CAST IRONS,
NICKEL, COBALT, and COPPER BASE ALLOYS.
Many rely on CARBIDES, BORIDES, NITRIDES, CARBONITRIDES, and
other exotic constituents as a basis to resist wear and corrosion. The interaction of the hardfacing alloys with base materials
is complex and requires a good understanding of metallurgical concepts.
The real challenge of course is the application of the hardfacing
alloys to suit the hostile environment they find themselves in.
If your getting the idea that hardfacing is complex and highly
technical, you're exactly right. It
is. But basic principles,
applications and techniques are within easy grasp for those who want to
learn. It is the purpose of
this newsletter to help with that learning process.
Knowledge is Power. I have just touched on a
few areas of hardfacing in this issue.
In the forthcoming issues we will deal with various concepts that
we have discussed thus far, to help with the understanding of
hardfacing. If you care to
read more on how hardfacing interacts with your everyday life, you can
get a copy of an article I wrote entitled, "How
is HARDFACING a part of my everyday life?" by simply emailing, sparky@postle.com
requesting a copy. In time I will be putting the article on Postle web site as a
download, but for now we
will have to deal with "snail mail".
Be sure to give us your name and address. |
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What's
New |
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| Postle
Industries has long been a hardfacing leader in the tire shredding
industry. In keeping with
this tradition, Postle will have a presence at the 2001 ITRA
(International Tire and Rubber Association) www.itra.com
Expo in Nashville, TN, April 19 – 21, 2001.
The booth will showcase Super Edge, a high alloy tool
steel with excellent edge retention and wear resistance.
The demands on a hardfacing alloy for the shredding of tires are
great. Not only does the
alloy have to be highly abrasion resistant, it must be able to retain a
sharp edge to be effective. The
impact imparted by the steel fibers within the tire during the shredding
operation is enormous and few alloys meet the test.
Super Edge however meets the challenge very handsomely, and is
competitively priced to effectively deal with the increasing costs
within this industry. If
you are planning to be at the show, be sure to stop in to see us.
Booth # 127 |
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