Advanced Crusher Wear Materials — MMC & TiC Insert Technology

Choose MMC when abrasion dominates and impact is moderate to low—secondary/tertiary HSI, VSI applications, clean recycling. MMC delivers 2-4× wear life but requires controlled impact conditions. Choose TiC+Mn when you need manganese’s shock tolerance but want better edge retention—primary crushing, jaw plates, roughing positions with intermittent impact spikes. TiC+Mn provides 40-60% improvement while maintaining break resistance.

Only if misapplied. Ceramics are brittle compared to metals—high-energy impact can fracture ceramic tiles or dislodge TiC inserts. We model insert depth, ceramic coverage, and matrix selection based on your duty profile. For high shock or tramp-metal applications, we favor Mn or Mn+TiC over full MMC. For low-shock, high-abrasion flows, properly designed MMC provides excellent service with minimal break risk.

Solution treatment at 1,050-1,100°C dissolves carbides into the austenitic matrix. The critical step is rapid water quench—the casting must reach below 200°C within 30 seconds of furnace exit to prevent carbide precipitation at grain boundaries. Slow cooling creates continuous carbide networks that dramatically reduce toughness and cause brittle fracture. We validate every batch with hardness mapping and metallographic examination.

We track field KPIs: tonnes per set, change-out frequency, power draw trends, and product gradation stability. Premium materials are approved for rollout only after pilot installations demonstrate cost-per-ton improvement—not just longer life, but economic benefit accounting for material cost premium. Typical targets: 40% cost-per-ton reduction for MMC to justify 60% price premium, requiring at least 2.7× life improvement.

The number indicates nominal manganese content. Mn13 (11-14% Mn) provides good toughness at lower cost for moderate applications. Mn18 (16-19% Mn) is the workhorse grade balancing work-hardening potential and toughness—suitable for most hard rock applications. Mn22 (20-23% Mn) offers maximum work-hardening for highly abrasive ores like porphyry copper and taconite. Higher Mn content increases work-hardened surface hardness but also increases material cost.

Chromium (typically 1.5-3.5%) improves yield strength and abrasion resistance in manganese steel. Cr promotes carbide formation during solidification, which must be dissolved through proper heat treatment. Mn18Cr2 and Mn22Cr3 grades provide better baseline hardness and wear resistance than plain Mn grades. The tradeoff: higher Cr increases sensitivity to improper heat treatment—carbide networks are more likely if quench is delayed.

TiC inserts must be cast-in during manufacturing—they cannot be added to existing parts. The metallurgical bond between TiC and manganese forms during solidification at casting temperature. Attempting to weld or braze inserts onto finished parts creates weak bonds that fail in service. If you want TiC reinforcement, specify it when ordering new parts.

Aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) is the standard choice—good hardness (1,800 HV), reasonable cost, adequate toughness for most applications. ZTA (zirconia-toughened alumina) adds 10-15% zirconia for improved fracture toughness—better for applications with occasional impact spikes. Silicon carbide (SiC) provides maximum hardness (2,500 HV) but lowest toughness—reserved for extreme abrasion with minimal impact, like VSI tips in clean sand production.

Provide: (1) Equipment manufacturer and model, (2) Part number or drawing, (3) Material being crushed (rock type, moisture, contamination), (4) Current wear part material and service life, (5) Primary wear failure mode (edge loss, face wear, breakage). We’ll recommend specific material grade, insert configuration, and expected performance. If you’re unsure about any of these, our engineers can help develop the specification based on your operational description.

We warrant materials and manufacturing quality—parts are free from casting defects, meet specified chemistry and hardness, and have proper heat treatment. Wear life is not warrantied as it depends on application conditions we cannot control. However, we stand behind our performance projections: if a part significantly underperforms our stated expectations under agreed operating conditions, we investigate and provide resolution—replacement, upgrade, or credit depending on findings.

Standard TiC-reinforced parts: 4-6 weeks (inserts must be positioned before casting). Custom MMC parts: 5-8 weeks (ceramic tile procurement, casting, heat treatment). We maintain stock of common MMC blow bar configurations for faster delivery. For planned maintenance, we recommend ordering 8-10 weeks ahead. Rush production (2-3 weeks) available for emergencies at premium pricing.

Yes. Every shipment includes: (1) Material test certificate with chemical analysis and hardness results, (2) Heat treatment record showing solution temperature, hold time, and quench details, (3) Dimensional inspection report for critical dimensions. For MMC parts, we also provide ceramic supplier certification. Full traceability to melt number is maintained for all parts.