Field Notes on Ar400 Steel Sheet: What Buyers Are Really Asking
If you work around quarries, recycling lines, or aggregate trucks, you’ve probably heard the quiet refrain: “run it on AR—save the downtime.” In fact, the market has been drifting this way for years. AR400 (≈400 Brinell) remains the sweet spot for cost versus life. And yes, NM400 from China is the well-known equivalent. I’ve toured shops where fabricators swear by it for liners, buckets, and feed chutes—because it just keeps taking the hit.
What’s trending (and why it matters)
Two things stand out lately: lighter builds using thinner AR to shave fuel costs, and a push for better low-temp toughness because winter breakages are…expensive. Actually, many customers say they’re standardizing on 8–25 mm for liners and moving to laser/plasma nesting to curb scrap. Lead-time discipline is also back in fashion—7-day turns are getting attention.
Technical snapshot and specs
AR400/NM400 is quenched-and-tempered alloy steel designed around hardness ≈360–440 HBW for abrasion wear. Typical chemistry leans on C-Mn with Cr/Mo/B microalloying; weldability is manageable with preheat on thicker plate. Real-world life extension? Roughly 2–4× over mild steel in sliding wear, sometimes more with proper transfer plates.
| Grade | AR400 ≈ NM400 | Hardness | ≈360–440 HBW (ISO 6506-1) |
| Thickness | 8–100 mm (common buy: 8–40 mm) | Width × Length | 1000–2200 mm × 1000–12000 mm |
| Tolerance | ≈±1% (flatness & dimensions per order) | Standards | GB/T 24186, ASTM A6/A20 (general), ASTM E10 |
| Processing | Bending, Welding, Cutting, Punching | Surface | Clean or as required |
Where Ar400 Steel Sheet shines
- Quarry/Mining: chute liners, hoppers, bucket lips, dump bodies
- Recycling: shredder floors, hammer pins’ wear pads, inlet ramps
- Construction & Agriculture: dozer blades, mixer blades, grain handling
- Cement & Aggregate: screw conveyors, screen plates, cyclone inlets
Process, QA, and service life
Material is hot-rolled, quenched, and tempered to target hardness. Typical QA includes Brinell checks (ASTM E10/ISO 6506-1), tensile/impact sampling (ASTM A370), dimensional verification (ASTM A6/A20), and optional UT per ASTM A578, Level per contract. Many buyers see 2–3× life on sliding wear; impact-heavy zones might benefit from AR450/500 inserts.
Welding tip (real-world): preheat around 100–175°C for >20 mm, low-hydrogen consumables, and slow cool. Bending radii? Plan generous inner radii (≈6–10× t) and orient bend lines with rolling direction—saves headaches.
Vendor snapshot (what buyers compare)
| Criteria | Baidy Steel (NM360/400/450/500) | Mill A (generic) | Stockist B |
| Hardness window | ≈360–440 HBW | ≈360–430 HBW | Varies by batch |
| Lead time | Around 7 days | 2–3 weeks | Ex-stock limited |
| Processing | Cutting/Bending/Welding/Punching | Cutting only | Cut-to-size |
| Certifications | Mill certs; GB/ASTM listing | Mill certs | Warehouse COA |
Origin: ROOM 1616, SHOUJING E-WORLD, XINDU DISTRICT, XINGTAI, CHINA.
Customization and real feedback
Custom sizes (1000–2200 mm width; up to 12 m), profile cutting, and trial kits for wear mapping are popular. Surface is usually “clean” mill finish, but as-required prep is doable. It seems that pre-drilled liner kits save the most install time.
Case #1: A limestone quarry swapped mild liners for Ar400 Steel Sheet and reported roughly 3× interval between changeouts, with fewer rock-induced gouges. Case #2: A shredder floor in mixed scrap moved to NM400 overlays—unexpectedly quieter operation and fewer bolt pull-throughs, according to the maintenance lead.
Testing standards and references
Ask for Brinell maps, UT on thick plate, and mechanicals per lot. If you work in the cold, request impact data at your lowest service temp. And, to be honest, confirm bending direction before the parts go on the truck—it’s a small check that avoids big rework.
- ISO 6506-1: Metallic materials — Brinell hardness test.
- ASTM E10: Standard Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials.
- ASTM A370: Mechanical Testing of Steel Products.
- ASTM A6/A6M & A20/A20M: General Requirements for Rolled Steel Plates.
- GB/T 24186: Abrasion-resistant steel plates (e.g., NM360/400/450/500).
Steel Galvanized Automotive Manufacturer We are a foreign trade enterprise specializing in steel export, and Plate Corten Sheet Metal Manufacturer have been deeply engaged in the industry for 18 years, accumulating rich experience and abundant resources. Steel Galvanized Automotive Plate Corten We have a professional team composed of industry elites, who are not only proficient in all kinds of knowledge of steel and familiar with the rules of international trade, but also have keen market insight and excellent communication skills. Whether steel specifications, quality standards, or trade policies and market demand in different countries and regions,Sheet Metal Manufacturer our team can accurately grasp them and provide customers with all-round, one-stop professional services.Xingtai Baidy Steel Works