Crushing & wear
Wear-liner materials compared: steel, ceramic, PU and rubber
Reviewed August 2026
Short answer
Match the material to the dominant wear mechanism. High impact → manganese steel. Sliding abrasion, dry → AR steel or chromium carbide overlay. Fine, hard, high-velocity abrasion → ceramic or rubber-backed ceramic. Wet fine abrasion, sticky material or noise → polyurethane or rubber. Temperature narrows the list further — polymers are temperature-limited.
There is no single best wear material — there is a best material for a given mechanism, temperature and material. Identify the mechanism first.
The material families
- Manganese steel (Hadfield) — high impact: jaw plates, mantles, concaves. Work-hardens in service. Poor in low-impact sliding wear.
- AR steel (400–600 HB) / chromium carbide overlay (CCO) — dry sliding abrasion on chutes, liners and truck bodies. Brittle under heavy impact; CCO cannot be formed after cladding.
- Ceramic (alumina) and rubber-backed ceramic — fine, hard, high-velocity abrasion: cyclone liners, chute impact zones. Chips under sharp direct impact; heavier.
- Polyurethane and UHMWPE — wet fine abrasion, sticky material, noise reduction: screen panels, chute liners. Temperature-limited.
- Rubber — wet sliding abrasion and impact absorption: mill liners, screen media, skirting. Cut- and heat-sensitive.
How to choose
- Name the dominant mechanism — impact, sliding abrasion, or high-velocity fine abrasion
- Check the operating temperature — it rules out the polymers above roughly 80–90 °C
- Check whether the material is wet or sticky — favours rubber and PU
- Zone the lining if the chute has both an impact area and sliding runs
What to send us
The application (chute, bin, crusher part, screen), the material and its top size and temperature, the flow direction and any impact point, and photos of the wear pattern on the part being replaced. Exact grade and thickness are confirmed on quotation.
