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Materials
Brinell Hardness (HBW)
A standardized measurement of material hardness, used to predict wear resistance in excavator attachments.
Brinell hardness (HBW - Hardness Brinell Wolfram) is an industry-standard scale for measuring the hardness of metals. A tungsten carbide ball is pressed into the material surface under controlled force, and the indentation diameter determines the hardness value.
Relevance to attachments:
- Higher HBW = greater wear resistance
- But higher hardness often means reduced toughness (impact resistance)
- The grade is chosen for the balance of the two
Typical values in attachment manufacturing:
- Structural steel (S355): ~150 HBW
- Hardox® 400: 400 HBW (typical excavator bucket floor)
- Hardox® 500: 500 HBW (quarry applications)
- Sieruta cutting edges: HB500 as standard; some buckets take a reversible HB400 edge as an option
The right hardness depends on the application: pure wear (high HBW) vs. impact + wear (moderate HBW with higher toughness).