Technical Article
Die Plate Hard Face Materials: WC-Co, TiC-Fe and TiC-NiCr Compared
The hard face is the wear-resistant band on the cutting side of a die plate. Its material decides how long the die face stays flat under the knives, how it stands up to cavitation and corrosion in the process water, and how reliably it stays bonded to the die plate body. Three material families are used most often.
Published 2026-09-25 by JINFENG engineering, Shenyang Jinfeng Special Equipment Co., Ltd.
What the Hard Face Has to Do
- Resist wear from the knives running against it
- Resist cavitation and corrosion from the process water
- Keep its hardness at operating temperature (red hardness)
- Stay bonded to the stainless steel die plate body without cracking under thermal stress
The Three Main Materials
| Material | Hardness | Bending strength | Wear resistance | Corrosion resistance | Weldability to stainless body | Cracking tendency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WC-Co cemented carbide | 66–68 HRC | 2,000–2,500 MPa | Excellent | Poorer | Difficult | High |
| TiC-Fe steel-bonded carbide | 61–63 HRC | 1,400–1,500 MPa | Good | Slightly poorer | Good; machinable | Low |
| TiC-NiCr cermet | 60–62 HRC | 1,500–1,800 MPa | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Low |
WC-Co cemented carbide
The hardest and strongest option with good wear resistance. Its corrosion resistance is poorer, and it is difficult to weld or braze to a stainless steel die plate body, with a higher tendency to crack.
TiC-Fe steel-bonded carbide
Moderate hardness, strength, and wear resistance. Heat and corrosion resistance are slightly poorer, but it can be machined and has good weldability. Ferro-Titanit® grades belong to this family.
TiC-NiCr cermet
Moderate hardness and strength with excellent wear, heat, and corrosion resistance, and good weldability to a stainless steel body. JINFENG developed its own TiC-NiCr cermet, with TiC as the hard phase and nickel and chromium with small amounts of titanium and aluminium as the binder. Its red hardness reaches about 800 °C.
How to Choose
- Water chemistry and corrosion. Where corrosion or cavitation is a concern, TiC-NiCr is the stronger choice.
- Bond reliability. TiC-Fe and TiC-NiCr are easier to join reliably to a stainless steel body than WC-Co.
- Grade and melt index. High melt-index products can call for a different hard face material; JINFENG upgraded the hard face on a Qingdao Refining & Chemical die plate for high melt-index production, and it has run stably since.
- Existing specification. If your drawing specifies a hard face material, include it with the inquiry.
How JINFENG Makes the Hard Face
JINFENG produces its cermet in-house (drying, proportioning, mixing, pressing, sintering, rough grinding, inspection, cutting) in vacuum sintering furnaces, then joins the hard face to the die plate body in 1.5 m and 1.7 m vacuum brazing furnaces (3 × 10⁻⁴ Pa, ±2 °C uniformity). Hard faces are dye-penetrant checked before brazing and flaw-detected after.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hard face of a die plate?
The wear-resistant band on the cutting side of the die plate, around the die holes, that the pelletizing knives run against. It has to resist knife wear, cavitation from the process water, and heat.
Which hard face material lasts longest?
WC-Co cemented carbide has the highest hardness and wear resistance, but its corrosion resistance is poorer and it is difficult to join to a stainless steel die plate body. TiC-NiCr cermet combines excellent wear resistance with excellent corrosion and heat resistance and good weldability, which is why JINFENG developed it.
Can the hard face material be changed when a die plate is repaired?
Yes. When the hard face is replaced, a different material can be used. JINFENG has upgraded hard face material to suit high melt-index products.
Discuss a Hard Face Material for Your Die Plate
Send your die plate drawing, polymer, and operating data, and JINFENG will recommend a hard face material.
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