Hardfacing is the process of laying down a wear-resistant alloy on top of a base metal that’s about to wear out, or that’s already started. The goal is to make the working surface harder and more abrasion-resistant than the original part.
Bucket teeth, cutting edges, mill hammers, plow shares, and excavator wear plates are all common hardfacing candidates. Done right, hardfacing extends the life of the part by multiples and saves the cost of replacement.