Extended Life Chopping Knives

Extended Life Chopping Knives FORAGE HARVESTERS Kondex Corp identified a need and filled it with laser cladding and tungsten carbide additive on a through-hardened chopping knife Traditional stalk chopping knives weren’t meeting customer expectations suggests Diane Riley Kondex Corp The company applied technologies it’s been fine-tuning since 2010 to the problem and introduced Stalk Claw “Our patented process controls the material wear pattern and induces serrations to the knife edge ” says Riley “This extends product performance reduces chipping and blade damage and significantly outlasts traditional high-wear knives ” Using a laser to metallurgically bond tungsten carbide to the chopping knives’ base material is key to the extended edge life of Stalk Claw The laser creates a shallow melt pool of the base material When the carbide powder is simultaneously introduced to the melt pool it’s infused as part of the base metal Traditional hardface welding uses larger carbide particles but produces a larger volume of filler material versus carbides for lower total wear protection A laser produces an edge with smaller carbides in a higher density and more even distribution Another negative aspect of hardface welding is the production of large heat-affected zones These result in inconsistent hardness values leaving the underlying edge susceptible to cracking and breakage when the hard facing is gone Kondex reports that their laser cladding and heat treatment produce no heat-affected zones Voids or empty cavities due to imprecise application are another concern with hardface welding Once the voids are revealed filler material and carbides are often lost because nothing secures them to the base metal Laser cladding improves impact and wear-resistant properties offering greater carbide distribution in the knife edge with the longer retained leading edge The result is two to four times longer life “Sharper and more durable knives with a longer lasting edge require less horsepower to cut the crop ” says Riley “This equates to greater efficiency and less fuel used ” Riley advises that Kondex uses the same process on its Straw Claw chopper blades The company sells both products and other products developed for agriculture through distributors and their online store “Prices for the Stalk Claw knives range from $70 to $82 for a two-piece kit dependent on make and model ” she says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kondex Corp 1500 Technology Dr Lomira Wis 53048 ph 920-269-4100; info@kondexparts com; www kondexparts com

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