nm400 and nm500

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    NM400 and NM500 NM® Steel: What Is the Difference?
    
    NM400 and NM500 NM® steel are two types of abrasion resistant steel produced by Swedish steelmaker SSAB. Both types of steel are wear-resistant, but they have different mechanical properties and applications. Understanding the differences between the two may help you choose the steel best suited to your needs.
    
    NM400 is a martensitic hardening steel with a relatively low carbon content. Its wear resistance comes from its carefully refined metallic microstructure that gives it a high strength-to-weight ratio. It has a nominal hardness of 400 HBW (Brinell hardness), making it well-suited for applications that require exceptional hardness, such as thick-walled components subject to torsional and compressive forces. NM400 is often used in parts subjected to wear by knives, wear liners, loaders, bulldozers, seals, and wear plates.
    
    NM500 is a wear-resistant steel with a hardness of 500 HBW, which is 3-4 times harder than standard structural steel. Its wear resistance is exceptional under extremely abrasive conditions, making it ideal for conveying heavy loads. It is also resistant to impact and wear from sliding contact with hard surfaces such as gravel and rocks. NM500 is often used in the manufacture of vehicle hulls and mud guards, truck frames, scrapers, large excavator buckets, dump trucks, and other earth-moving machinery.
    
    Although both steels have the same hardness rating, the microstructures of NM400 and NM500 differ significantly. The microstructure of NM400 has more martensite that increases its wear resistance, while NM500 contains a mix of martensite and a very tough bainite. The combination of tough bainite and martensite offers exceptional wear protection under severe wear conditions.
    
    When comparing the two types of NM® steel, NM400 is often seen as offering the best balance between performance and cost, while NM500 is ideal for applications where ultimate performance is essential. Understanding your particular needs can help you make the right decision.
    
    In short, NM400 and NM500 NM® steel offer exceptional abrasion resistance that is suitable for a variety of applications. The differences between the two are important, but they both deliver the wear protection needed in the harshest environments. Either steel will help your construction and engineering applications stand up to wear and abrasion.