Armox® 550- Composition, Properties and Uses

Table of Contents

This blog post will provide a comprehensive guide to Armox 550, including its composition, mechanical and physical properties, uses, corrosion resistance, heat treatment, machining, and welding.

What is Armox 550?

Armox 550 is a high-strength steel plate developed for applications requiring advanced ballistic protection. It is designed to withstand high-velocity impacts and has excellent resistance against penetration, blast, and fragmentation.

Armox 550 Composition

Armox 550 is an alloyed quenched and tempered steel plate made of high-grade steel. The particular alloying elements used in the composition provide exceptional strength and toughness. The chemistry of Armox 550 contains low carbon, low silica, and low phosphorus content, which improves its weldability and toughness while reducing the risk of cracking during fabrication.

C (MAX %)	SI (MAX %)	MN (MAX %)	P (MAX %)	S (MAX %)	CR (MAX %)	NI (MAX %)	MO (MAX %)	B (MAX %)
0.36	0.70	1.5	0.015	0.010	1.50	2.50	0.80	0.005

Armox 550 Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of Armox 550 are exceptional, making it ideal for applications requiring high levels of protection. The yield strength of Armox 550 is a minimum of 550 MPa, and the tensile strength is between 620 and 760 MPa. The elongation at break is at least 14%, and the impact strength is 100 J minimum at -40 °C.

THICKNESS (mm)	HARDNESS (HBW)
Ramor® 550	3.0 – 15.0	540 – 600

Armox 550 Physical Properties

Armox 550 exhibits excellent physical properties, such as good dimensional stability and straightness. The plates are delivered in a normalized condition, so no further heat treatment is required. The thickness range of Armox 550 varies from 3.0 mm to 150.0 mm, and the width is up to 3,300 mm. The length can reach up to 14,000 mm.

Armox 550 Thickness

PRODUCT TYPE	THICKNESS (mm)	TOLERANCE (mm)
Sheet	3.00 – 4.00	– 0.0 / + 0.36
Sheet	4.01 – 5.00	– 0.0 / + 0.40
Sheet	5.01 – 6.00	– 0.0 / + 0.42
Plate	6.0 – 7.9	– 0.0 / + 0.8
Plate	8.0 – 15.0	– 0.0 / + 1.0

Armox 550 Equivalents

Grade	USED FOR	DIMENSIONS	STANDARDS
Armox 550	Armored	T: 3 – 15 mm	EN 10029 EN 10051

Armox 550 Uses

Armox 550 has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, making it suitable for various applications, such as military and civilian armoured vehicles, ships, and buildings, protection for vital infrastructure, and body armour plates. Its high-level security makes it popular in harsh environments like war zones and oil rigs. It is widely used in the defence industry for various purposes, including protecting soldiers and military equipment.

Armox 550 Corrosion Resistance

Armox 550 is an alloyed steel designed to prevent corrosion, making it ideal for use in harsh environments with high corrosion risk. The steel has a low carbon content, making it less likely to corrode than other steels. It is also resistant to rust, making it ideal for use in marine environments with the highest risk of corrosion.

Armox 550 Heat Treatment

Armox 550 is delivered in a normalized condition, so no further heat treatment is required. If additional tempering is needed, it should be carried out between 550 °C and 650 °C. The tempering time should be long enough to ensure that the entire thickness of the plate is heated evenly.

Armox 550 Machining

Armox 550 has excellent machining properties and can be bent, cut, and shaped into different structures. Due to its high strength, however, it requires specialized machinery and skilled operators to handle the plate. Operators should use a slow feed rate and high cutting speed when machining Armox 550. The recommended minimum bending radius of the plate is six times its thickness.

Armox 550 Welding

Armox 550 is easy to weld, and it can be welded using various methods, such as Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). When welding Armox 550, operators should use low hydrogen welding consumables, which should be carried out between 50 °C and 150 °C. After welding, the plate should be heat-treated to restore its original strength and properties.

Conclusion:

Armox 550 is a high-strength steel plate designed for applications requiring advanced ballistic protection. It offers exceptional mechanical and physical properties, such as strength, toughness, dimensional stability, and straightness. Armox 550 has many applications, including military and civilian armored vehicles, ships, buildings, protection for vital infrastructure, and body armour plates. Its exceptional resistance against corrosion, heat treatment, machining, and welding makes it an ideal steel plate for many applications. If you are looking for a highly reliable, high-strength steel plate, Armox 550 is a perfect choice.