For farmers or contractors working abrasive soils, the cost of wearing metals on ploughs, cultivators or powered implements can make a serious dent in their bottom line.
A new material called Ferobide has recently hit the market from specialist supplier Tenmat which promises to give better wear properties than tungsten carbide and is claimed to be easier to work with than traditional face hardening materials.
Key difference is a composition that sees the material using a hardened steel matrix that bonds particles together. This features allows it to be used easily onfarm where welding skills may be basic, and also gives the product some resistance to chipping, which can be a problem with traditional tungsten carbide facing materials.
The Ferobide tiles are easily cut to size and shape using a standard cutting wheel, or alternatively the cut line can be scored by a cutting wheel, held in a vice along the score line and sheared with a clean hammer blow.
The manufacturer claims that any welded joints are much stronger than brazed items, and will hugely prolong the life of wearing parts.
www.tenmat.co.uk