Introduction

YG series tungsten carbide grades are the most widely used non-magnetic carbide grades in Chinese carbide manufacturing. They are WC-Co alloys with different cobalt binder ratios, directly determining hardness, wear resistance and impact toughness.

For many international buyers, YG6, YG8 and YG15 are the first choices for wear plates, cutting strips, drawing dies, wood cutting blades and simple forming tools. The core trade-off rule is straightforward: higher cobalt content brings better toughness, while lower cobalt delivers higher hardness and better abrasion resistance.

Choosing the wrong grade leads to premature chipping, fast abrasive wear or unexpected cracking. This article breaks down the three classic grades and matches them with proper industrial applications.

What Do YG Grade Codes Mean?

YG is the traditional grade prefix for tungsten carbide in China standard:

• Y = Ying (Hard)
• G = Gu (Cobalt)
• The number after YG stands for the nominal cobalt percentage by weight.

So YG6 means 6% cobalt, YG8 means 8% cobalt, YG15 means 15% cobalt. The rest composition is tungsten carbide WC powder. Grain size can also be adjusted (fine, medium, coarse grain) to further tune performance.

YG6 / YG8 / YG15 Performance Comparison Table

Note: Actual test values vary by WC grain size, HIP treatment and sintering process. HIPed versions will have higher density and fewer internal pores.

YG6 Carbide: High Wear Resistance, Low Cobalt

With only 6% cobalt binder, YG6 is the hardest of these three grades. It resists fine particle abrasion very well, ideal for steady, low-shock working conditions.

Best Applications

• Wire drawing dies for steel wire, copper wire
• Fine wear liners, carbide wear plates for mild abrasion
• Wood cutting knives for clean, continuous cutting
• Slitting blades with light impact
• Measuring gauge blocks, wear guides

Limitations

Do not use YG6 where heavy impact, vibration or interrupted cutting occurs. Sudden shock loads will easily create edge chipping or crack propagation.

YG8 Carbide: Balanced Grade for General Wear & Cutting

YG8 is the most popular all-round YG grade. It slightly sacrifices hardness compared to YG6 for better toughness. It works reliably for most standard carbide wear parts and cutting tools.

Best Applications

• General carbide strips for woodworking machinery
• Medium abrasion wear plates for mining and conveyor systems
• Shredder blades with moderate impact
• Simple stamping and light cold forming inserts
• Carbide tips for rock drilling auxiliary parts

Limitations

For extremely heavy repeated impact, YG8 still tends to chip. For pure fine abrasive service without shock, YG6 will last longer.

YG15 Carbide: High Toughness for Heavy Impact Loads

15% cobalt content gives YG15 outstanding transverse rupture strength and impact resistance. It can absorb cyclic shock that YG6 and YG8 cannot survive. The tradeoff is lower surface hardness and faster abrasive wear.

Best Applications

• Cold forging dies, punch cores for fastener production
• Heavy impact crusher tips, hammer inserts
• Rock drilling buttons under severe percussion
• Blades for heavy-duty shredding with frequent impact
• Carbide parts subject to high cyclic mechanical stress

Limitations

YG15 wears quickly when rubbing against hard sand, mineral particles or sharp abrasive materials. It is not recommended for continuous low-impact wear protection.

How to Choose Between YG6, YG8 and YG15

Ask yourself these three questions before confirming carbide grade:

1. Is the working condition continuous abrasion or repeated impact?
2. What failure mode do you see now: fast wear, edge chipping or die cracking?
3. Is there high temperature, wet corrosion or strong vibration in service?

• Pick YG6: Stable running, fine abrasion, minimal impact, priority on service life against wear.
• Pick YG8: Mixed light abrasion and occasional impact, universal wear parts, most wood cutting and standard wear plates.
• Pick YG15: Heavy percussion, cyclic impact, cold forging, rock crushing, chipping is your main failure problem now.

Extra tip: If both wear and impact are severe, you can discuss fine grain or HIP sintered options with your carbide manufacturer, instead of simply switching cobalt content.

Common Failure Modes & Troubleshooting

FAQ