AR500 Steel Plate, Sheet | Abrasion Resistant Alloy Steel

AR500 steel is preferred for sectors requiring outstanding strength and resistance to wear and impact. At SteelPro Group, we offer AR500 steel plates and sheets that are engineered to handle the toughest conditions. Our products help lower maintenance costs by reducing wear and replacement needs over time.

In this guide, we’ll discuss all the essential information you should know about AR500 steel. From its chemical composition and mechanical properties to machining techniques, we’ll provide clear, concise information.

What Is AISI AR500 Steel?

AISI AR500 steel is a high-carbon alloy with 477–534 HBW Brinell hardness, engineered for extreme abrasion resistance. Its tough core absorbs shock, while the surface remains incredibly hard to resist gouging and deformation. Compared to AR400 or AR450, AR500 provides 15–25% greater wear resistance but sacrifices some ductility. It excels in demanding applications like mining conveyor systems, armored vehicle plating, and industrial shredders, minimizing material degradation.

At SteelPro Group, our AR500 plates are treated under controlled conditions to ensure consistent hardness. They deliver reliable performance even in sub-zero temperatures.

AR500 Alloy Steel Key Characteristics

• Unmatched Abrasion Resistance: It is ideal for surfaces exposed to sand, gravel, or metal scrapes.
• Uniform Hardness Depth: Unlike surface-hardened steels, AR500’s hardness penetrates deeper (up to 1.5″ in thicker plates), ensuring consistent wear resistance even after machining or drilling.
• Controlled Brittleness: Despite its high carbon content, precise heat treatment allows it to withstand repeated impacts without cracking.
• Temperature Resilience: This steel performs reliably between -40°C (-40°F) and 150°C (300°F).

Surface Hardness & Core Toughness

AR500’s dual-phase structure is essential to its performance. The hardened surface layer resists penetration and abrasion, while the core maintains a lower-carbon, ductile microstructure. This “hard outside, tough inside” design helps prevent fractures. The surface hardness deflects wear, while the core absorbs impact energy.

AR500 Steel Product Forms and Size

AR500 is available in versatile formats to suit industrial needs, with SteelPro Group offering custom-cut solutions for non-standard dimensions.

AR500 Steel أطباق

• Thickness: 3–38 mm (0.12–1.5″)
• Width: 1200–3000 mm (47–118″)
• Length: 2400–12000 mm (94″–39′4″)

AR500 Steel أوراق

• Thickness: 2–6 mm (0.08–0.24″)
• Width: 1000–2000 mm (39″–78″)
• Length: 2000–6000 mm (78″–19′8″)

AR500 Steel قضبان/ قضبان

• Round: Diameter 20–150 mm (0.8″–5.9″)
• Flat: 10–50 mm thick (0.4″–2″) x 50–300 mm wide (2″–12″)

AR500 Steel Applications

AR500’s versatility makes it a staple across industries requiring longevity in punishing conditions. Here’s where it’s most commonly deployed:

Mining & Quarrying:

• Conveyor system liners, crusher jaws, and trommel screen plates.
• Bucket teeth for excavators and dragline rigs.
• Chute liners for ore/gravel handling.

Military & Defense:

• Armored vehicle hulls and ballistic panels.
• Shooting range backstops and moving target systems.

Construction & Infrastructure:

• Cement mixer blades, bulldozer cutting edges, and rock drill casings.
• Bridge components exposed to debris impact in flood-prone zones.

Agriculture & Forestry:

• Combine harvester augers, plowshares, and woodchipper blades.
• Grain silo liners to resist abrasion from bulk material flow.

مواصلات:

• Dump truck bed liners, railcar impact zones, and snowplow blades.
• Heavy-haul trailer flooring for mining sites.

Industrial Machinery:

• Shredder rotors for recycling plants, crusher hammers, and pellet mill dies.
• Conveyor rollers in slag or scrap processing facilities.

SteelPro Group supplies AR500 in pre-cut blanks or custom profiles, minimizing onsite fabrication time.

AR500 Steel Mechanical Properties

AR500 Steel Chemical Composition

What Is AR500 Steel Made of?

AR500 begins as a blend of high-purity iron ore and recycled steel. It is composed of iron, carbon, and strategic additions of chromium and molybdenum. These elements work synergistically to create a material that resists deformation under stress while maintaining structural integrity.

How Is AR500 Steel Made?

1. الدرفلة الساخنة: Slabs are heated to 1200°C (2192°F) and rolled into plates or sheets, reducing thickness by 80–90%. This process aligns the grain structure.
2. Controlled Cooling: After rolling, the plates are rapidly cooled at 20–30°C/s using water jets. This initiates martensite formation, ensuring uniform hardness.
3. Quench: The steel is heated to 880–950°C (1616–1742°F) and then water-quenched to lock in hardness.
4. Temper: The steel is reheated to 200–300°C (392–572°F) for 2–4 hours. This step relieves stress and improves toughness.
5. معالجة السطح: Shot blasting removes scale, and ultrasonic testing checks the internal integrity.

Can You Weld AR500 Steel?

Yes, AR500 can be welded. But it demands strict procedural controls to avoid cracking or softening. Here’s how to achieve reliable welds:

1. التسخين المسبق: Heat the base metal to 150–200°C (300–400°F) to minimize thermal stress.
2. Filler Selection: Use low-hydrogen electrodes (e.g., AWS E7018 or E11018) matching AR500’s hardness.
3. Interpass Temperature: Maintain 150–230°C (300–450°F) during multi-pass welding.
4. المعالجة الحرارية بعد اللحام: Temper at 200–260°C (390–500°F) for 1–2 hours to restore toughness near the weld zone.

AR500 Steel Machining

Machining AR500 is feasible but requires specialized techniques due to its extreme hardness. Standard machining tools may wear out quickly, so it’s essential to use carbide-tipped tools or advanced alloys for effective processing.

How to Drill AR500 Steel?

1. Drill Bit Type: Solid carbide or cobalt HSS drills with 135° split points. Diamond-coated bits for holes >12 mm (0.5″).
2. Parameters:

• Speed: 10–15 m/min (30–50 SFM).
• Feed: 0.02–0.05 mm/rev (0.001–0.002 in/rev).

3. تقنية:

• Start with a pilot hole (⅓ final diameter) to reduce load.
• Peck drilling (retract every 2–3 mm/0.08–0.12″) to clear chips and cool the bit.

4. تبريد: Through-tool coolant at 70–100 bar (1000–1500 psi) to prevent edge chipping.

T1 Steel vs AR500

T1 steel prioritizes high strength-to-weight ratios for structural applications, while AR500 focuses on maximum surface hardness for wear resistance.

T1 (ASTM A514) is a quenched-and-tempered alloy steel with a tensile strength of 690–895 MPa (100–130 ksi). It is designed for applications like crane booms and bridge components, where lightweight strength is important. In contrast, AR500 has a lower tensile strength (≈1600 MPa surface hardness) but is designed to resist abrasion.

AR500 vs AR600 Steel

AR600 offers higher hardness (600 HB vs 500 HB) but significantly lower impact toughness, narrowing its suitability to pure abrasion scenarios.

AR600 achieves 570–640 HB through increased carbon and chromium, ideal for sliding wear. AR500 thus dominates in mixed-impact environments like bulldozer blades hitting buried rocks. AR600’s brittleness also complicates welding.

Powerful AR500 Steel Solutions

At SteelPro Group, we are committed to delivering AR500 steel plates, sheets, and custom solutions that meet the demanding needs of our clients. Let us help you optimize your operations and extend the life of your equipment with AR500 steel.

Reach out to us today for personalized support and high-quality materials that can withstand the toughest challenges.