How Wear-Resistant Is AISI 1045 Hot Rolled Steel Plate?

When it comes to applications that demand strength and durability, AISI 1045 hot rolled steel plate is a name that often comes up. But just how wear-resistant is it really?

AISI 1045 is a medium carbon steel with about 0.45% carbon content, giving it a good balance between strength, hardness, and toughness. In its hot rolled condition, it offers moderate wear resistance—strong enough for many industrial parts like shafts, gears, bolts, and machine components.

However, what truly unlocks 1045’s wear performance is heat treatment. Through quenching and tempering, 1045 steel plate can reach surface hardness levels of 50–55 HRC, dramatically improving its ability to resist surface wear, abrasion, and mechanical impact.

Without heat treatment, 1045 steel plate still provides better wear resistance than low-carbon steels like A36, but it may not match specialized wear plates like AR400. That’s why for critical wear applications, many users opt for 1045 with surface hardening (such as induction hardening).

In short:  
- As-rolled 1045: Good for general wear and tear.  
- Heat-treated 1045: Excellent for heavy-duty, high-impact environments.

Choosing AISI 1045 hot rolled steel plate gives you flexibility—you can use it as-is for moderate tasks or upgrade its performance with the right heat treatment for maximum service life.