Customer case

Finned rollers weigh one-third less with blades in Hardox® 500

January 01, 2023

5 min read

Case details

Country

Guatemala

Company

Inversiones R.M.

Industry

Agriculture, forestry and fishing & processing

Customer program

Hardox® Wearparts

As part of the sugar production process, soil preparation and harvesting are among the first and most critical steps. During preparation, a final land smoothing or leveling pass is performed, the number of which depends on the soil type. To handle this task efficiently, rollers equipped with rotating drums and shark-fin-shaped knives made in Hardox® 500 were developed to ensure superior durability and performance.

The challenge

Rollers previously used blades made from 3/8" thick A36 steel — a mild, low-carbon structural steel with a yield strength of 250 MPa. While easy to fabricate, A36 proved less suitable in tough field conditions, showing premature wear and insufficient resistance to impact and abrasion.

The solution: Hardox® 500

Switching to 1/4" thick Hardox® 500 significantly improved wear and impact resistance. The new blades maintain their shape and structural integrity without cracking or permanent deformation. These robust fins effectively slice through post-harvest residue, break up compacted topsoil and improve aeration, all in a single pass.

"Blade life extended service life by 4 to 5 times compared to A36 steel."