Steel AR450 Q&T-HW
Heat-treated state
also Hardox 450
Q&T-HW = heavy-gauge plate (>~50 mm), reduced core hardness
Thick plate where quench severity limits through-hardening; surface stays ~450 HBW but core strength and hardness drop — pick for heavy liners where only the wear face matters.
Values for the Q&T-HW condition
Other AR450 tempers and conditions
AR450 is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at AR450.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Q&T-HWThis page Heavy-gauge plate (>~50 mm), reduced core hardness | Thick plate where quench severity limits through-hardening; surface stays ~450 HBW but core strength and hardness drop — pick for heavy liners where only the wear face matters. | 1,150 | 1,350 | 11 | 45 HRC | 6.9 % IACS |
Formable/bendable variant | Tighter chemistry/cleanliness and better through-thickness ductility for press braking; pick when the wear part must be bent or flanged. | 1,200 | 1,420 | 12 | 45 HRC | 6.9 % IACS |
Q&TDefault Quenched and tempered | Standard stocked wear plate condition; pick for general abrasion resistance in liners, chutes, buckets and cutting edges. | 1,250 | 1,450 | 10 | 46 HRC | — |
What is AR450 Q&T-HW?
AR450 Q&T-HW is AR450 heat treated to Q&T-HW — thick plate where quench severity limits through-hardening; surface stays ~450 HBW but core strength and hardness drop — pick for heavy liners where only the wear face matters. AR450 Q&T-HW has a yield strength of 1,150 MPa (167 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 11% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). AR450 Q&T-HW has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). Q&T is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Q&T-HW is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 1,150 MPa (167 ksi), better than 94% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 18/100, worse than 97% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 11%, worse than 89% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), worse than 85% of steel grades
- Hard to polish — 45/100, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 62 MPa·√m (56.4 ksi·√in), worse than 76% of steel grades
AR450 Q&T-HW properties
Typical room-temperature values for AR450 Q&T-HW; 22 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are AR450 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
AR450 Q&T-HW has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical16
AR450 Q&T-HW has a yield strength of 1,150 MPa (167 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 11% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
AR450 Q&T-HW is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 35 W/m·K (20.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 75% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12 µm/m·K (6.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
AR450 Q&T-HW has an electrical resistivity of 2.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of AR450 Q&T-HW takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
AR450 Q&T-HW's machinability is poor (18/100, worse than 97% of steel grades); weldability fair (42/100); formability poor (24/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with AR450 Q&T-HW
Is AR450 easy to machine?
Treat as ~45 HRC hardened steel: rigid setup, negative-rake carbide or CBN, low speed/high feed; prefer plasma/laser/waterjet cutting or drilling with carbide, and de-stress after thermal cutting.
Can AR450 be welded?
Weldable with low-hydrogen consumables (undermatching, ~500–700 MPa filler is usual); preheat 100–200 °C depending on thickness and CE, keep interpass below ~225 °C, no PWHT above the tempering temperature.
Can AR450 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold bending possible with min inside radius ≈4–5×t transverse to rolling direction (AR450F allows tighter); hot forming above ~250 °C destroys the hardness.
What surface finishes work on AR450?
Supplied as mill/shot-blasted surface; protect with zinc-rich primer or industrial paint, or overlay/hardface wear faces — not anodizable and rarely polished.
AR450 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Ccarbon equivalent controls preheat | 0.19 – 0.3 | 0.25 |
| Si | 0.15 – 0.7 | 0.35 |
| Mn | 0.8 – 1.7 | 1.3 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.01 | — |
| Cr | ≤ 1.2 | 0.6 |
| Nihigher in thick plate for hardenability/toughness | ≤ 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Mo | ≤ 0.6 | 0.25 |
| Bboron treated for through-hardening | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Al | 0.02 – 0.06 | 0.03 |
| Tities up N so boron stays effective | ≤ 0.05 | — |
| Nb+V | ≤ 0.1 | — |
| Fe | balance | — |
AR450 Q&T-HW — frequently asked
What is AR450 Q&T-HW used for?
AR450 Q&T-HW is typically used for mining and quarry liners, dump truck bed floors and sides, bucket wear plates and cutting edges, chutes and hopper linings, crusher and screen plant liners and conveyor skirt and wear strips. In short: workhorse wear-resistant plate.
What is the yield strength of AR450 Q&T-HW?
AR450 Q&T-HW has a typical yield strength of 1,150 MPa (167 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) — stronger than 94% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is AR450 Q&T-HW easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (18/100, worse than 97% of steel grades). Treat as ~45 HRC hardened steel: rigid setup, negative-rake carbide or CBN, low speed/high feed; prefer plasma/laser/waterjet cutting or drilling with carbide, and de-stress after thermal cutting.
Can AR450 Q&T-HW be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (42/100). Weldable with low-hydrogen consumables (undermatching, ~500–700 MPa filler is usual); preheat 100–200 °C depending on thickness and CE, keep interpass below ~225 °C, no PWHT above the tempering temperature.
What surface finishes work on AR450 Q&T-HW?
Supplied as mill/shot-blasted surface; protect with zinc-rich primer or industrial paint, or overlay/hardface wear faces — not anodizable and rarely polished.
Can AR450 Q&T-HW be formed, bent or molded?
Cold bending possible with min inside radius ≈4–5×t transverse to rolling direction (AR450F allows tighter); hot forming above ~250 °C destroys the hardness.
What is the maximum service temperature of AR450 Q&T-HW?
AR450 Q&T-HW is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in AR450 Q&T-HW?
Yes — AR450 Q&T-HW is available for CNC machining and sheet metal; every part is priced by an engineer rather than instantly. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- Abrasion-resistant quenched & tempered plate, 450 HBW class datasheets — SSAB / Nucor / ArcelorMittal (2023)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.19 — Fatigue and Fracture — ASM International (1996)
- ASTM E140 / A370 hardness conversion and mechanical testing — ASTM (2021)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.