Part of the problem with industrial accounts today, is you have greater production targets with fewer people; in less time and shrinking budgets.

This dictates you can no longer do business as usual. That simply doesn’t add up to success in today’s business environment.

If you have a consumable component such as wear plate to make your products, common sense tells you that you must get longer life from your investment.

It doesn’t matter if it currently lasts one week, two months, or four years. When your budget keeps shrinking, you need to increase component life for your investment.

The way you overcome your obstacle is by partnering with someone who understands your issues, knows your industry and will investigate the cau...

It Is Almost Deer Hunting Season

Soon the November deer hunting season will arrive for another year. Many of our customers take vacation for the entire season; and a few even longer. The media claims there are enough armed hunters between the OH and PA woods during this season to make up the 4th largest army on earth! PLEASE HUNT SAFELY.

Hunters are Choosy with Their Equipment

Hunters often spend months researching new hunting equipment before selecting the one single item perfect for their individual needs. Upgrading to a new rifle, shotgun, scope, clothing, etc. is carefully planned to get the most from their investment. This research makes perfect sense as they will use this item for many years to come. They read magazine reviews, search online and discuss the benefits of each model with other hunting frien...

Addressing any industrial wear application, operates within a team setting. Everyone has been involved in any number of team settings from work, family life to non-profit groups.

Industry today revolves around more meetings than ever. The effectiveness of every meeting depends on the leader and the guidance, interaction and support of everyone participating.

I have been reading the book ‘Smarter, Faster, Better; The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business’, by Charles Duhigg. It is an exploration into the science of productivity. The goal for everyone is to become Smarter, Faster and Better at everything we do.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is involved in working with others in a team environment.

One of th...

As an industrial maintenance professional, when equipment fails; you are the person everyone relies on to get things running again. And you can expect to hear, “This will not take long to fix, right?”

When equipment breaks down and you are able to get things working again quickly, you are a hero.

When it doesn’t work, you are the one who catches hell. If there is anyone standing around, it will be the supervisor asking, “When will you get the line running again?” And the stress continues to build…

The more desperate the situation, the more hopeful management becomes.

Frequently this leads directly to the deadly Patch and Pray method of maintenance. You patch it up with duct tape and baling wire, and pray ...

Most people look at their Maintenance Budget as if every dollar has the same value. That is not the case.

The money you spend to repair or rebuild your industrial equipment does not have the same value.

While the paper and ink are virtually the same, the value of one of these is 100 times greater than the other. This tiny difference in the details, makes all the difference in the value you receive.

Everyone can remember a time where you bought something and quickly realized you didn’t get the results you thought you would receive. And you desperately wish you had the opportunity for a ‘do-over’.

JADCO Manufacturing Inc. is pleased to announce Rich Fercy of Wear Answers LLC, in Appleton WI; now represents JADCO’s wear resistant steel products in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
Rich Fercy has been a leading technical resource in the Midwest U.S. for wear resistant steel and the maintenance welding industry since 1993. He has authored several articles in industry leading magazines; Pit & Quarry, Recycling Today, and Portable Plants & Equipment. Be certain to look for Rich’s upcoming articles on JADCO’s Blog.

From 2004 to 2018, Rich worked for Tricon under their various ownerships: Tricon Wear Solutions, Kennametal Tricon and Tricon Metals and Services.

Starting in industrial wear applications at Cronatron Welding Syste...

How temporary is a temporary wear plate repair?

When you can least afford to have equipment break down, you need to promptly address worn out wear plate.

You have to react as quickly as a fireman to a 5-alarm fire. You have to put it out.

Standard procedure is to grab whatever metal is on hand, stick it in and try to get everything operating as quickly as possible. The next thing you’ll hear is, “This will be back up and running soon; right?”

What I have discovered in many industrial applications, what was intended as a temporary repair is seen as a permanent repair when the next shift arrives.

If it is not a problem when they start work, it must be fixed. It has magically turned into a permanent repair.

What do you use for a...

The Great AR400 Hardness Lie
AR400 type wear resistant steel leads most people to believe the steel they buy is 400 (Brinell) BHN hardness, just by hearing the name. The same goes for AR200, AR300, AR450, AR500 or AR600. Doesn’t the name tell us the hardness?

Because there are ZERO industry standards or guidelines, any plate could be any hardness at all. Some foreign made abrasion resistant steel wear plate was sold as AR400; yet the hardness tested only at 302 BHN! Do you think the customer received the performance they expected? Absolutely not.

ASTM Testing Requirements
ASTM (the American Society for Testing and Materials) requires hardness testing on just one plate for each heat and every 40 tons of steel.

It is important to realize ...

One of the most misunderstood and confusing steels used in wear resistant applications is Manganese. Manganese steel is used extensively in the mining, aggregate (rock crushing), foundries, metal recycling, and railroad industries.

Recycling, mining and aggregate applications utilize Manganese in the same type of machinery for similar functions in crushing applications. Whether you are shredding junk car bodies, or smashing large rocks into smaller sized rock for specific applications; much of the equipment you use is the same.

The railroad industry uses Manganese for rail switching and crossings. These areas on the tracks take a tremendous pounding. The Manganese rail deforms slightly as the train wheels pound the rail surface. This pound...

Nothing Is A Greater Waste of Time Than Doing That Which Will Make No Difference – Dan Sullivan.

Installing the best performing wear plate or the worst performing wear plate, requires the same amount of time to install. Often when you install the lowest price wear plate, you are forced to remove it in the not-too-distant-future; only to replace it once again.

What have you gained? Nothing.

You don’t have the extra resources – either budget or labor; to buy and install more of the same underperforming wear plate. Your effort to make a good installation, in the end was simply a waste of time and money, period.

But It Is Not Your Fault…

Because there are ZERO Industry Standards for wear resistant steel, dishonest steel vendors may try to sell you any steel on hand and claim it is wear resistant. And you would never know ...