Why Tungsten Carbide

The economical benefit of using Tungsten Carbide;

Extended Life - Less downtime replacing parts in a busy season, more time in field.

Tungsten carbide is generally 4 to 10 times longer lasting than heat treated steel.

Wear life is increased not just by the surface hardness of the Tungsten Carbide.

A correctly designed component having its wearing edges protected by Tungsten Carbide will be more

efficient at penetrating and cutting the soil resulting in minimal smear and compressive forces which

would otherwise increase drag and fuel consumption.

 

The agronomic benefits of using Tungsten Carbide;

Correctly designed parts protected by Tungsten Carbide can provide you with the following benefits, to

add to the economic benefits highlighted above:

 

Performance is maintained at levels for the part as originally designed.  

 

As edges of components wear, they become rounded and are more likely to smear the soil as it is cut. The

compressive, smearing action of a worn (non-tungsten carbide faced) component acts on the soil at

depth. Usually this is the "problem depth" when soil loosening, or it is the key seedbed depth, critical for

early crop emergence and root growth when cultivating (for example, with sweeps or points). In either

case, smearing at this depth creates a barrier for root growth and water plus air movement - remembering

this water and air movement can be both up and down. These barriers created by smearing are made

worse when the soil is damp. Effective water and air movement through the profile is vital for crop

establishment and growth. Barriers creating localised flooding - even temporary - will reduce plant growth

and yield potential - in many cases by 50% or greater.  

 

The traditional way of improving wear life is to make leading edges thicker - so they last longer before the

part loses its length and lifting effect. A thicker part will wear to a more severely rounded edge underneath

- increasing the levels of smear and compaction. In severe cases, for example point tips, this results in the

penetrating ability of the point to reduce - riding the machine out in severe cases.

 

Note: also a thicker component will take more to pull - consuming unnecessary power and fuel.

 

A tungsten protected wearing edge actually improves its performance when the steel behind washes 

away; the resulting edge is even sharper and less prone to smearing. As the tungsten wears, this wear

rate is less than the parent material, so the sharp edge remains for the life of the component. Along with

this sharp edge goes effective, non smearing field performance for all conditions - for an increased wear

life to boot.

 

 

 

Worn Steel Point                                                                      Worn Tungsten Carbide Point

 

A Worn Steel Point And Its Effect On The Soil.

As the diagrams below indictates the soil get pushed underneath and to the sides of the point where it

gets compacted and smeared, which is extremely damaging to the crop. As well as reducing yield it will

increase the draft and fuel comsuption from dragging a dull point.

 

 

A Worn Point With Tungsten Carbide And Its Effect On The Soil.

In the diagram below, the Tungsten Carbide point is still cutting the soil. Relieving the stress from the soil

below as well as still pushing the soil upward, this provides an excellent vertical loosening effect. 

A Tungsten Carbide point retains its vertical loosening effect far more than a conventional steel point.