mtl-advanced-wearparts-network
WEC FABRICATION

Specialist Steel CNC Machining

Specialist steels such as Hardox® and Strenx® are selected when standard mild steel or carbon steel cannot provide the required strength, wear resistance or performance. These materials are commonly used in demanding applications where components are exposed to abrasion, impact, heavy loads, structural stress or harsh operating conditions.

WEC Machining provides specialist steel CNC machining for customers requiring accurately machined parts from high-performance steel grades. Our machining team can support projects involving Hardox machining, Strenx machining, wear plate machining and high-strength steel component machining, producing parts to customer drawings and technical specifications.

Hardox® is widely recognised as an abrasion-resistant wear plate designed for severe wear applications, while Strenx® is a high-strength structural steel used where strength, weight reduction and load-bearing performance are important. SSAB describes Hardox® wear plate as abrasion-resistant steel that is “hard through and through”, while Strenx® is positioned as high-strength structural steel for lighter, stronger vehicles and equipment.

WEC MACHINING

CNC Machining for Hardox®, Strenx® and Specialist Steels

Machining specialist steel requires more than standard steel cutting knowledge. Materials such as Hardox® and Strenx® are engineered for strength, durability and performance, which means machining must be carefully planned around material grade, hardness, component geometry, tolerance requirements and final application.

At WEC Machining, we support customers who need specialist steel components machined to drawing, whether the requirement is for a one-off part, a small batch or repeat production. Our CNC machining services can be used for components requiring accurate holes, slots, bores, profiles, pockets, threaded features and machined faces.

Send your Free RFQ

Typical specialist steel components include:

  • Hardox wear plates
  • Hardox liners
  • Strenx structural parts
  • High-strength steel brackets
  • Heavy-duty steel plates
  • Wear-resistant machine components
  • Load-bearing machined parts
  • Crusher and conveyor components
  • Agricultural machinery parts
  • Construction equipment components
  • Mining and quarrying wear parts
  • Heavy plant components
  • Specialist steel prototypes
  • Batch-machined high-strength steel parts
WEC MACHINING

Material Grades We Can Machine

WEC Machining can machine a range of specialist steel grades, subject to specification, availability, geometry and tolerance requirements.

Hardox® 400

A versatile abrasion-resistant steel with a nominal hardness of 400 HBW, commonly used for moderate wear applications requiring toughness, bendability and weldability. SSAB lists Hardox 400 with a hardness range of 370–430 HBW.

Hardox® 450

A widely used abrasion-resistant steel offering increased hardness over AR 400 grades. It is often selected where improved wear resistance, dent resistance and toughness are required. SSAB lists Hardox 450 with a hardness range of 390–475 HBW.

Hardox® 500 Tuf

A high-performance wear plate combining high hardness, strength and toughness. It is commonly associated with demanding applications such as truck bodies, containers, buckets, attachments, liners and wear parts. SSAB lists Hardox 500 Tuf with a hardness range of 475–505 HBW.

Hardox® 500

A wear-resistant grade with a nominal hardness of 500 HBW, suitable for severe wear applications including liner plates, grizzly bars, wear bars and other wear-intensive components.

Hardox® 550

A higher-hardness wear plate used where improved wear life is required, including applications such as crusher liners, chutes, processing equipment and recycling hammers.

Other Hardox Grades

Depending on your requirement, we can review other Hardox grades such as Hardox HiAce, Hardox HiTuf, Hardox 600, Hardox Extreme, Hardox round bar, pipes and tubes.

Strenx® 700

A high-strength structural steel grade family commonly used for load-bearing components, transport equipment, lifting structures, trailers and engineered steel assemblies.

Strenx® 900

A high-strength structural steel grade family with minimum yield strengths between 830 and 900 MPa, used where strength and reduced component weight are important.

Strenx® 960

A high-strength structural steel grade family with minimum yield strengths between 850 and 960 MPa, commonly selected for transportation and lifting applications.

Strenx® 1100

A structural steel grade family with a minimum yield strength of 1100 MPa, used for advanced lifting devices and high-strength structural applications.

Strenx® 1300

A very high-strength structural steel grade family with a minimum yield strength of 1300 MPa, suitable for advanced high-performance steel structures.

Other Strenx Grades

SSAB lists the Strenx range as covering yield strengths from 600 to 1300 MPa and thicknesses from 0.7 to 160 mm, depending on grade and product form.

Contact Us
BRASS CNC MACHINING

CNC Machining Capacity

WEC Machining offer a wide range of subcontract multi-axis CNC machining and precision engineering services:

doosan-280-cnc-turning-lathe (1)
Mazak-350MY-CNC-turning-lathe (1)
hankook-large-cnc-turning-lathe (1)
Mazak-cnc-milling-centre
haas-vertical-cnc-machining-centre
correa-axia-large-cnc-milling-centre
mazak-integrex-mill-turn-centre
citizen-sliding-head-turning-lathe

Need Hardox or Strenx CNC Machining?

Send WEC Machining your drawings, material grade, thickness, quantities and tolerance requirements. Our team will review your project and provide a competitive specialist steel machining quote.

Request a Specialist Steel Machining Quote
WEC MACHINING

Quality-Assured Specialist Steel Components

Specialist steel components are often used in demanding environments where wear resistance, load capacity and durability matter. WEC Machining takes a quality-led approach to every project, ensuring parts are manufactured to customer drawings and checked against the required specification. For Hardox, Strenx and other high-performance steels, quality begins with understanding the material grade and end-use application. Our team reviews the drawing, tolerances, material thickness, geometry and any additional requirements before machining begins.

Quality Assurance
WEC MACHINING

Other Materials

WEC FABRICATION

Companies we support

Companies WEC Machining Support
WEC MACHINING

Why Choose WEC Machining for Specialist Steel CNC Machining?

Specialist steels are chosen because they perform where standard steels may not. However, that performance also makes them more demanding to machine. Hardox wear plate can be challenging because of its hardness and abrasion resistance, while Strenx high-strength steel requires careful handling to maintain accuracy across structural and load-bearing components.

WEC Machining supports customers who need:

  • Hardox CNC machining
  • Strenx CNC machining
  • Specialist steel milling
  • Specialist steel turning
  • Wear-resistant steel components
  • High-strength steel components
  • Abrasion-resistant wear plate machining
  • Heavy-duty machined steel parts
  • Construction and plant equipment components
  • Mining, quarrying and recycling wear parts
  • Agricultural machinery parts
  • Components machined to customer drawings
  • One-off, small batch and repeat production

Our team can review your drawings and advise on practical machining considerations such as material grade, tolerances, workholding, tool access, machining sequence, finishing requirements and inspection.

FAQs

Yes. Hardox can be CNC machined, but it requires the correct tooling, machining strategy and process control because it is designed as a hard, abrasion-resistant wear steel.

Hardox is commonly used for wear-resistant components in industries such as construction, quarrying, mining, recycling, agriculture, bulk handling and heavy plant. Typical applications include liners, buckets, wear plates, truck bodies, chutes and machine protection components.

Yes. Strenx can be CNC machined into accurate structural and load-bearing components. Because it is a high-strength steel, machining should be planned around the exact grade, thickness, geometry and tolerance requirements.

Hardox is primarily an abrasion-resistant wear steel, chosen for durability in wear-heavy environments. Strenx is a high-strength structural steel, chosen for load-bearing performance, strength and potential weight reduction in engineered structures.

The best Hardox grade depends on the application. Hardox 400 and 450 are commonly used where a balance of wear resistance, toughness and processability is required. Hardox 500, 500 Tuf and higher grades may be selected for more severe wear conditions.

The right Strenx grade depends on the required yield strength, component design, loading conditions, thickness and fabrication requirements. Common options include Strenx 700, 900, 960, 1100 and 1300.

Yes. WEC Machining can review Hardox wear plate machining requirements, including holes, profiles, slots, milled features and other machined details, subject to grade, thickness and tolerance requirements.

Yes, subject to the material grade, component size, geometry and machining method. Specialist steels can be machined accurately, but tolerance requirements should be reviewed carefully at enquiry stage.

Yes. The exact grade is important because hardness, strength, thickness and machining behaviour vary between materials. Providing the grade helps WEC Machining review tooling, cycle time, tolerances and feasibility.

Yes, subject to review. If supplying your own material, provide the grade, material certificate if available, dimensions, drawing and quantity requirements