Wear plates are abrasion resistant plates or liners that are used to reduce wear and tear in surfaces that are exposed to intense rolling abrasion and impact.
These plates are made fit-for-purpose for a number of machines and products across the earthmoving, mining and other industrial industries. They are replaceable items that are easy to install and significantly cheaper than replacing the part or machine they are designed to protect.
Produced out of a duplex material that generally consist of a tough, wear resistant alloy coating and a shock absorbing steel or chromium steel backing plate, these combined properties enable the product to perform under extreme conditions.
Wear plates play a critical role in the protection and longevity of earthmoving, mining and other industrial equipment.
The outcome of using fit-for-purpose wear plates is threefold:
- Reduced cost of replacement parts
- Reduced cost of maintenance
- Reduced downtime.
And not only are costs reduced, but output is increased.
Examples of machines/applications that require wear plates include:
- Liner plates on mobile machines, including dump truck liners
- Fixed plant liners, chutes, screens, and deflector plates
- High speed conveyor chutes, fan blades, and feeder bins
- Various diameter abrasive media pipes
- Bucket protection and skid plates.
The history of wear plates
Wear plates date back as far as the 18th century and the industrial revolution.
From the 1760s onward, society shifted from hand-produced wear plates to machine-production with an increased focus on efficiency.
Rather than replacing expensive machines, businesses instead identified areas of weakness within the machines and installed wear plates as a form of armor. These replaceable parts are known today as wear plates.
Back in the 18th century industrial machines were predominantly used for textiles, with the first planning, milling and shaping machines created in the early-19th century.
Wear plates for these machines were basic and usually one-size-fits-all. Today, machinery is used across countless industries including construction, quarrying, and mining. So significantly more variety is required.
The optimum solution for any industrial requirement
Not all wear plates are made equal. Heavy, bulky wear plates on fixed plant machinery may seem more durable, but in reality produce strain on the entire system, leading to more frequent maintenance schedules and increasing the likelihood of a breakdown and production downtime.
In fact, both mobile plant and fixed plant such as screen decks and apron feeders can benefit from lighter, thinner wear parts, due to the efficiencies of ergonomics and aerodynamics.
Regardless of the type of machine, the industry or operating conditions, the wear plate you choose will have a huge impact on the longevity of equipment.
You can find out more about the different types of wear plates here.
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