Tungsten carbide provides superior wear resistance compared to titanium carbide, offering 89-93 HRA hardness versus TiC's 80-85 HRA. With outstanding abrasion and impact toughness, WC is ideal for heavy-duty applications such as crushers, shredders, and snow plows. China manufacturers like Rettek produce wholesale OEM tungsten carbide wear parts, ensuring consistent quality, cost efficiency, and long-lasting performance.

What Is Titanium Carbide and Its Wear Resistance?

Titanium carbide (TiC) is a ceramic-like cermet with hardness ranging from 2800-3200 HV, commonly used in cutting tools, coatings, and moderate-wear inserts. TiC resists oxidation up to 800°C but lacks toughness under high-impact conditions. While cost-effective, TiC wears faster in abrasive applications. Rettek focuses on tungsten carbide alternatives for B2B clients seeking longer-lasting, high-performance wear parts.

What Is Tungsten Carbide and Its Wear Resistance?

Tungsten carbide (WC) is an alloy of WC particles and cobalt binder, achieving 89-93 HRA hardness and 1500-2000 HV. It withstands extreme abrasion, impact, and corrosion, outlasting steel by 5-10 times. Rettek manufactures sub-micron WC components for snow plow blades and VSI rotor tips, using in-house sintering to ensure uniform density over 14.5 g/cm³. Wholesale OEM parts from Rettek provide reliable durability for mining, road maintenance, and industrial machinery.

Why Does Tungsten Carbide Excel in Wear Resistance Over TiC?

Tungsten carbide’s fine grains and cobalt binder improve resistance to crack propagation, handling combined abrasion and impact where TiC is brittle. China manufacturers like Rettek optimize WC-Co grades such as YG8 and K20 to achieve 10x longer service life in HPGR studs and rotor tips. Transverse rupture strength surpasses 2000 MPa compared to TiC’s 1000 MPa, reducing downtime and increasing B2B cost efficiency.

How Do Titanium Carbide and Tungsten Carbide Compare in Hardness?

While TiC achieves 2800 HV nominally, its brittleness under load reduces practical wear life. WC maintains sharp edges under high stress and repeated impact. Rettek’s testing confirms tungsten carbide consistently outperforms TiC in industrial wear applications, ensuring longer-lasting components for crushers, snow plows, and shredders.

Which Applications Suit Titanium Carbide vs Tungsten Carbide?

Titanium carbide suits high-temperature coatings, light machining, and low-impact cutting tools. Tungsten carbide dominates heavy-duty wear applications including crushers, snow plows, shredders, and HPGR rollers. Rettek supplies WC blades and inserts for snow removal and mining, achieving 4-5x longer life than TiC components in comparable settings.

What Are the Cost Differences for China-Manufactured Parts?

China-manufactured tungsten carbide wholesale parts typically range from $20-50/kg, while TiC costs $15-35/kg. Despite lower upfront cost, TiC’s shorter wear life increases overall expenses. Rettek’s integrated manufacturing reduces WC pricing 20-30%, providing cost-effective, durable OEM solutions for B2B buyers.

How to Choose Between Titanium Carbide and Tungsten Carbide for Wear Parts?

Select tungsten carbide for high-abrasion, high-impact applications like crushers, plows, and shredders. TiC is suitable for oxidation-focused or low-load uses. Rettek can advise on grade selection and geometry customization to match specific operational requirements, ensuring maximum service life and cost efficiency.

Why Source from China Carbide Factories Like Rettek?

China-based manufacturers offer cost-effective, high-quality carbide wear parts through full in-house production from raw powders to finished components. Rettek’s Zigong facility provides flexible MOQs, 7-30 day lead times, and global shipping. Clients in over 10 countries trust Rettek for consistent performance and durable OEM solutions.

Rettek Expert Views

"Tungsten carbide surpasses titanium carbide in wear resistance due to its balanced hardness and toughness, making it ideal for snow plow inserts and crusher tips. At Rettek, full-chain manufacturing—from alloy preparation to precision brazing—ensures WC parts achieve 5x longer life, reducing client downtime by 50%. For B2B OEM applications, tungsten carbide remains the preferred solution over brittle TiC alternatives." – Rettek Materials Engineer

Can China Suppliers Customize TiC or WC Parts?

Yes, Rettek provides full OEM services for both TiC and WC components, including grade selection and complex geometries. WC customization is preferred for heavy-duty wear parts requiring extended longevity and precise profiles.

What Grades Does Rettek Recommend for Maximum Wear Resistance?

Rettek recommends YG8 (89 HRA) for general wear applications and K20 for high-impact scenarios, emphasizing tungsten carbide for all primary load-bearing parts. TiC is not advised for critical, high-abrasion uses.

Conclusion

Tungsten carbide offers superior wear resistance, toughness, and longevity compared to titanium carbide. China manufacturers like Rettek provide reliable, cost-effective OEM solutions for crushers, snow plows, and industrial machinery. Key takeaways: choose WC for high-load operations, consult Rettek for grade selection, and integrate their parts to achieve significant reductions in maintenance costs and downtime.

FAQs

Is tungsten carbide harder than titanium carbide?
Yes, WC achieves higher effective hardness (89-93 HRA) with greater toughness for heavy-duty applications.

Why choose Rettek for carbide wear parts?
Rettek provides full-chain China production, ensuring consistent quality, competitive pricing, and OEM customization.

Which wears faster in abrasive environments?
Titanium carbide wears faster than tungsten carbide under impact and high-friction conditions.

Can Rettek supply both TiC and WC wholesale?
Yes, WC is the focus for high-performance parts, but TiC customization is also available.

How much longer do WC parts last?
WC lasts 5-10 times longer than TiC in mining, snow removal, and other industrial applications.