Baosteel NM450 vs Hardox 450: Specs, Price and Real Mill Certificate Data

Jay Zheng

Nov 5, 2026

Baosteel NM450 vs Hardox 450: Specs, Price and Real Mill Certificate Data

NM450 is the workhorse of the 450 HBW wear class — and the direct Chinese answer to SSAB's best-selling Hardox 450. Both are through-hardened, quenched-and-tempered plates built around the same promise: roughly 50 Brinell points over the 400 class, and measurably longer wear life. On paper the two are hard to tell apart. So this page does something datasheets do not: it puts real results from a genuine Baosteel inspection certificate — No. BGSAI2402270700100, a 10 mm plate delivered to Baohui Steel on 27 February 2024 — next to the published guarantees, so you can judge the steel rather than the marketing.

NM450 vs Hardox 450: guaranteed specifications

Guaranteed values, both sides of the comparison
Item	Baosteel NM450	SSAB Hardox 450
Standard / basis	GB/T 24186 + Baosteel technical delivery conditions	SSAB product datasheet
Hardness guarantee	420–480 HBW	425–475 HBW (plate ≤ 80 mm); 410–475 HBW (80.1–103 mm); 390–475 HBW (103.1–160 mm)
Yield strength	Real certificate: 1,250 MPa (ReH)	Typical 1,250 MPa — not guaranteed
Tensile strength	Real certificate: 1,464 MPa	Not stated as a guarantee on the datasheet
Impact toughness	Contract option; real certificate: KV2 avg 52 J at −20 °C	Typical values published, not guaranteed on standard grade
Thickness range	≈ 1.5–25 mm heat-treated plate (incl. the 1.5 mm class unique to Baosteel); heavier gauges on request	Plate 3.2–160 mm; sheet 2.0–8.0 mm; CR sheet 0.8–2.1 mm
Delivery condition	Quenched + tempered	Quenched + tempered (through-hardened)

What a real Baosteel NM450 certificate shows

The values below are not brochure figures — they are transcribed from inspection certificate No. BGSAI2402270700100, issued by Baoshan's core base (总部 / CORE BASE) on 27 February 2024 for a 10.00 × 1800 × 12000 mm plate consigned to Baohui Steel:

Real delivered values, NM450 10 mm (cert. BGSAI2402270700100)
Property	Certificate result	Reading
Brinell hardness	449 / 451 / 457 HBW, average 452	Dead centre of the 420–480 class
Yield strength ReH	1,250 MPa	Matches the Hardox 450 typical value — as a measured result
Tensile strength Rm	1,464 MPa	High strength reserve for structural wear parts
Elongation A	17 %	Excellent ductility for a 450 HBW plate
Charpy V KV2, −20 °C	57 / 50 / 49 J, average 52 J	Toughness most buyers do not expect at this hardness
Bend test	90°, d = 6a (60 mm mandrel on 10 mm), OK	Forms cold without cracking
Ladle analysis	C 0.21 %, S 0.002 %, micro-alloyed Nb-Ti-B	Low-carbon clean steel — weld-friendly for its hardness

Three things are worth noticing. First, the measured 452 HBW sits in the middle of the class — this is controlled quenching, not a lucky heat. Second, 52 J at −20 °C is real toughness: a plate that hard which still absorbs 50 joules in a winter impact test will not shatter in a grab bucket or a cold chute. Third, the chemistry — 0.21 % carbon with 0.002 % sulfur — is what makes the grade workshop-friendly: it bends 90° on a 60 mm mandrel and welds without drama. If you want to learn to read these fields yourself, see our line-by-line MTC guide.

Where Hardox 450 still has the edge — and where NM450 wins

Hardox 450 remains the default when a specification names it: global brand recognition, established stock in Europe and the Americas, and a datasheet every engineer has seen. If your tender says "Hardox 450 or approved equivalent", the approval paperwork is on you. NM450 wins on everything measurable in the invoice: a materially lower FOB price per ton (indicatively 760–830 USD/MT for standard sizes, versus the SSAB brand premium), thin heat-treated gauges from 1.5 mm — the 1.5 mm class is a Baosteel unique worldwide — and mill-level documentation, including EPDs verified per ISO 14025 for buyers whose tenders ask for embodied-carbon data. Same hardness class, same QT delivery, different economics.

Choosing between NM400, NM450 and NM500

If your NM400 lining is lasting under a year in abrasion-dominated service, step up to NM450 — the 50 HBW difference typically doubles life for a modest price increment. If the part sees severe sliding abrasion with acceptable impact (crusher liners under rock fall excepted), consider NM500 directly. And if impact and abrasion arrive together, choose the E-grade (NM450E / NM500E) rather than chasing headline hardness. See the full NM400/NM450/NM500 series page for stock sizes and FOB pricing, the NM400 vs Hardox 400 comparison if you are weighing the 400 class, or the AR500 vs Hardox 500 vs NM500 three-way read for the 500 HBW class.

Need NM450 with original Baosteel mill certificates? Send us your thickness and quantity — we reply with stock availability and a firm FOB quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Baosteel NM450 the same as Hardox 450?

In hardness class, yes. Hardox 450 guarantees 425–475 HBW on plate up to 80 mm; Baosteel NM450 is specified to 420–480 HBW under GB/T 24186 and Baosteel delivery conditions, and the real certificate shown on this page measured 452 HBW average. Both are through-hardened quenched-and-tempered plates with similar forming and welding practice. The practical difference is price per ton, thin-gauge availability and documentation, not wear performance.

NM450 vs NM400 — when is the upgrade worth it?

Roughly every 50 HBW of extra hardness can double wear life in abrasion-dominated service. If an NM400 lining is wearing through in 6–8 months, NM450 at the same thickness typically buys 12 months or more. Upgrade when downtime for replacement costs more than the steel: chute liners, hoppers, crusher feed boxes, mixer drums and grab buckets handling abrasive ore, sand or demolition debris. If impact is the dominant load rather than sliding abrasion, consider the high-toughness NM450E instead of chasing hardness.

Is NM450 cheaper than Hardox 450?

Yes. NM450 from a first-tier Chinese mill such as Baosteel sells at a materially lower price per ton than Hardox 450 for the same hardness class, because you are paying for steel rather than the SSAB brand premium. Indicative FOB Shanghai pricing for NM450 runs around 760–830 USD/MT depending on thickness, width and volume — check the product page for the current figure. The exact spread moves with iron ore, alloy costs and freight, so request a firm quote for your specification.

What does the E in NM450E mean?

It is the high-toughness version. Standard NM450 is bought for hardness; NM450E adds guaranteed impact energy at low temperature for structures that see impact or dynamic loading — dump bodies under falling rock, shredder housings, bucket cheeks. Specify NM450E when the plate must absorb shock, not only resist scratching.

Can NM450 be bent and welded in the workshop?

Yes. The quenched-and-tempered grade with low carbon (0.21 % C on the certificate on this page) and very low sulfur bends 90° around a 60 mm mandrel on 10 mm plate with no cracks, and welds with standard low-hydrogen consumables. Keep heat input moderate; for thicker gauges or restrained joints, a 75–100 °C preheat is a conservative choice. Avoid oxy-fuel cutting without post-heat on tight edges.