In bulk material handling, abrasion and wear are among the leading causes of equipment failure. From aggregates and cement to mining slurries and fertilizers, harsh materials can eat through standard carbon steel—causing costly downtime and frequent replacement of parts.
At ISC Manufacturing, we design and fabricate bulk handling equipment—screw conveyors, drag conveyors, bucket elevators, hoppers, and chutes—that are built to last. By using abrasion-resistant steels, liners, and protective systems, we extend service life and keep your operation moving.
AR (Abrasion-Resistant) Steels
Grades such as AR400 and AR500 are widely used in bulk handling equipment. These quenched-and-tempered steels are hardened to resist gouging and sliding abrasion, making them reliable and cost-effective for many applications.
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Advantages: High hardness, good impact toughness, cost-effective wear protection.
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Applications: Conveyor troughs, screw flights, drag bottoms, and chute impact liners in mining, cement, and aggregates.
Weld-On Hardfacing
Hardfacing is not a base material—it’s a method of armoring components against wear. By welding abrasion-resistant alloys (such as chrome carbide) onto high-wear surfaces, ISC reinforces the exact zones that see the most abrasion.
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Advantages: Extends service life several times over, renewable with re-welding, cost-efficient for targeted protection.
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Applications: Screw flight edges, chain links, drag paddles, inlets, discharges, and impact lips.
Replaceable Liners and Plates
Instead of replacing an entire trough or housing, ISC often designs systems with replaceable wear liners. These sacrificial plates—made from AR400/500, Hardox, stainless steel, or chromium-carbide overlay plate—bolt or weld into place to take the abrasion, protecting the structure beneath.
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Advantages: Simplifies maintenance, reduces downtime, extends the life of housings and chutes.
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Applications: Drag conveyor floors, screw housings, hopper walls, and transfer chutes exposed to sliding or impact wear.
UHMW & Polymer Liners
For sticky yet abrasive materials, UHMW polyethylene liners offer both wear protection and smoother material flow. They reduce steel-on-material friction, cutting down on abrasion while preventing buildup.
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Advantages: Low friction, corrosion resistance, material release properties.
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Applications: Biomass conveyors, fertilizer chutes, wet sludges, or sticky industrial byproducts.
Ceramic Tile Linings
When maximum abrasion resistance is needed, ISC can line housings or chutes with ceramic tiles. With hardness far exceeding steel, ceramics excel in fine, high-velocity abrasion where sliding particles would quickly wear through metal.
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Advantages: Longest wear life in fine particle abrasion.
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Applications: Fly ash conveyors, sand chutes, mineral processing, and pneumatic transfer elbows.
Wear Shoes for Moving Components
On drag conveyors and certain screws, ISC installs bolt-on wear shoes to protect flights, chains, or paddles. These sacrificial shoes—available in AR steel or ceramic—take the brunt of abrasion and can be replaced as needed.
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Advantages: Shields key components, easy to replace, flexible material options.
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Applications: Fertilizer blending, aggregates, abrasive powders.
Stainless Steel for Corrosion + Wear
Not all wear is abrasive. Sometimes corrosion accelerates the breakdown of equipment. For these environments, ISC builds in 304 or 316 stainless steel, which resists both corrosion and moderate abrasion.
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Advantages: Cleanability, corrosion resistance, long-term durability.
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Applications: Chemical plants, fertilizer facilities, food-grade or washdown environments.
ISC’s Wear/Abrasion Resistant Strategy
At ISC, we don’t apply a single solution—we engineer wear protection into every bulk handling system by choosing the right combination of strategies:
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AR plate for structural wear resistance.
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Weld-on hardfacing for the heaviest wear zones.
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Replaceable liners for easy service.
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Ceramic tiles or shoes for extreme abrasion.
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UHMW liners for sticky, moderately abrasive products.
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Stainless steels when corrosion and abrasion overlap.
By understanding your material, process, and wear patterns, ISC delivers equipment that lasts longer, reduces downtime, and lowers the total cost of ownership.
Ready to upgrade your system with abrasion-resistant design? Contact ISC today to talk about your material, operating environment, and performance needs.
