The Design of Composite Overlays for Aggressive Wear Conditions in Mining Applications

The Design of Composite Overlays for Aggressive Wear Conditions in Mining Applications Gary Fisher PhD PEng FIMMM InnoTech Alberta Wear-related maintenance and associated lost production are a multi-billion dollar issue for the oil sands mining industry. Standard alloys do not have the wear resistance properties necessary to combat the aggressive wear conditions prevalent throughout the mining process. For production-critical components, it is common to apply tungsten carbide-based metal matrix composite (WC-MMC) overlays to improve equipment durability and reliability. The design of the constituents of the overlay will determine the overall level of protection afforded by the material. This presentation will discuss how the interactions between abrasive and impact wear conditions and the mechanical and structural properties of the WC-MMC are key in determining the resultant levels of performance. Such information, including carbide type, matrix alloy chemistry and the use of butter layers, can lead to the better selection of materials and subsequent extended equipment service life