3D Laser-Printed Ceramic Wear-Resistant Carbide Pick for Milling Excavators

Overview

Pioneering industrial manufacturing, the 3D Laser-Printed Ceramic Wear-Resistant Carbide Pick leverages advanced additive manufacturing to redefine performance in hard rock and highly abrasive environments. Using selective laser melting (SLM) for the tungsten carbide core and direct laser deposition (DLD) for the ceramic overlay, this pick is optimized for milling excavators operating in hard rock (uniaxial compressive strength ≥100MPa) and mineral processing applications with silica content ≥60%.

Features

Additive Manufacturing Innovation:

SLM-Manufactured Carbide Core: Produced from a 10% cobalt-doped WC powder (15μm grain size) via SLM, achieving 99.5% density and a uniform microstructure with 80% fewer internal pores than traditionally sintered carbides. This results in a 40% higher impact resistance (120J vs. 85J for conventional picks).

DLD Ceramic Overlay: A 0.5mm-thick Al2O3-TiC composite coating (HV 1,800) is deposited on the cutting edge, providing 3x higher abrasion resistance than pure tungsten carbide—tested to reduce wear rate to 0.04mm/hour in quartz-rich ores (SiO2 ≥70%).

Structural & Thermal Optimization:

Lattice-Enhanced Shank: Internal truss structure (designed via topology optimization) increases impact strength by 40% while reducing weight by 15% (1.2kg vs. 1.4kg for traditional picks). The lattice design also improves fatigue life by 30% under cyclic loading (100,000 stress cycles at 80% yield strength).

Variable-Diameter Shank: Tapers from 30mm at the base to 25mm at the tip to balance rigidity (EI modulus 210GPa) and flexibility (deflection ≤0.5mm under 5kN load), minimizing stress concentrations during sudden rock impacts (e.g., encountering quartz veins).

Integrated Cooling Channels: 3D-printed internal channels (2mm diameter, 3-channel design) enable heat dissipation of 50W/m², keeping tip temperature 50°C lower than conventional picks during continuous operation—critical for preventing thermal softening at 300°C.

Environmental Resistance:

High-Temperature Stability: The ceramic coating blocks oxygen diffusion, maintaining full performance at 300°C (tested in underground metal mines with geothermal gradients ≥50°C/km).

Corrosion Protection: The SLM core's dense microstructure resists acid mine water (pH 3-4) better than sintered carbides, with weight loss ≤0.1% after 100 hours in 5% H2SO4 solution.

Application

Hard Rock Quarrying & Mining:

Excavates granite (120MPa UCS) and basalt (150MPa UCS) at a penetration rate of 20mm/stroke, 25% faster than conventional picks. Ideal for primary crushing of iron ore (Fe content ≥60%) with high silica contamination (≥65%).

Mineral Processing & Tunnel Boring:

Mills copper ore (hardness 110MPa) with 60% silica content, achieving a wear rate 60% lower than standard carbide picks—reducing downtime for tip replacement by 40% in 24/7 operations.

Used in hard rock tunneling (e.g., metro projects in granite formations) to profile 5m-diameter tunnels with a surface roughness Ra≤12.5μm, where the lattice shank reduces vibration transfer to the excavator arm by 30%, extending arm life by 20%.

Why Choose Us

Customized Engineering Solutions:

3D printing allows tailoring tip geometry (e.g., chisel, conical, or curved tips) and shank dimensions to fit excavator models like Caterpillar 349, Komatsu PC400, or Liebherr R 940.

Digital twin simulation services predict tool life based on your specific rock properties (hardness, abrasivity), ensuring optimal performance from the first installation.

Sustainability & Cost Benefits:

40% less material waste than traditional subtractive manufacturing, with 95% of unused carbide powder recycled in the SLM process—aligning with EU CEPs (Circular Economy Principles).

Performance-based pricing model offers discounts of up to 15% if the pick exceeds wear benchmarks (e.g., ≥500 hours in granite milling), providing measurable ROI for mining companies.

Independent Performance Validation:

Tested by SGS to ISO 17025 standards, demonstrating a 50% longer service life in hard rock compared to the best-in-class conventional picks.

Case study: A Chilean copper mine achieved a 30% reduction in tooling costs after switching to these picks in their primary crushing circuit.

The size of road milling machine pick teeth