At steelmaker SSAB, innovation in wear-resistant materials has taken a decisive step forward. Hardox® HiAce is engineered to outperform conventional abrasion-resistant (AR) steels, stainless steels and even ceramics in environments where wear, corrosion and elevated temperatures combine. It offers the same excellent hardness, yield strength and toughness as the renowned Hardox® 450 wear plate.
Unlike traditional materials that often excel only in one dimension, Hardox® HiAce delivers a combination of:
- Superior hardness and strength
- Resistance to corrosive wear
- High performance at high temperatures
- Workshop-friendly fabrication—no special infrastructure needed
Designed for real-world corrosive wear
High- or low-pH environments, combined with abrasion and impact, can create corrosive wear mechanisms that rapidly degrade conventional steels and damage your equipment.
Acids, sulfates, ammonia and salts can oxidize steel surfaces, accelerate wear rates and dramatically reduce service life. In these conditions, higher hardness alone is not enough.
Hardox® HiAce was developed to resist this complex degradation scenario. It provides the hardness needed for abrasion resistance while maintaining structural integrity in chemically aggressive environments.
Typical industries include:
- Waste collection
- Pulp and paper
- Wood handling
- Recycling
- Mining
- Agriculture
- Transportation
Why stainless steel falls short in corrosive wear environments
Stainless steels perform well in purely corrosive environments. But when abrasion and impact are introduced, their lower hardness limits service life.
According to internal testing at SSAB, Hardox® HiAce outperforms both stainless steel S304 and AR 400 steel in abrasive pH 4 conditions (see table below). “The main reason Hardox® HiAce outperforms stainless steel is its significantly higher hardness and dent resistance,” says Jonas Allebert, Senior Wear Specialist at SSAB.
| Material | Hardness HBW | Toughness (typical) | Relative service life in corrosive wear* | Relative cost* |
| Hardox® HiAce | 450 | 50 J at -40 °C | 1 | 1 |
| Stainless steel S304 | ≤201 | 60 J at -40 °C | 0.8 | 2 |
| AR 400 steel | 400 | 45 J at -40 °C | 0.5 | 1.7 |
*Tested in pH 4 abrasive conditions. Service life and cost figures are relative and based on real-world conditions at the time of writing. They should not be interpreted as guaranteed outcomes for specific applications.
In the corrosive wear tests, Hardox® HiAce achieved:
- Up to 20% longer service life than stainless steel
- No signs of pitting corrosion
- A more cost-efficient solution compared to stainless steel
Proven performance: 6-year garbage truck field study
SSAB monitored a garbage truck operated by the Swedish company Allmiljö, where Hardox® HiAce flooring replaced stainless steel S304.
Over six years and 106,000 km (65,865 miles):
- Only 40% wear was measured at the most exposed point
- No pitting corrosion was observed
- Floor integrity remained intact
“At this wear rate, the extended service life fully meets the operator’s requirements,” Allebert says.
Pitting corrosion is a common cause of leakage and costly maintenance in garbage trucks using traditional AR steels. Hardox® HiAce eliminated this risk while extending operational life.
