In 2026, Haoyang Casting and Forging of Jinan will launch gradient hardness forged steel balls. Using the "double-frequency quenching" process, the surface hardness reaches 65HRC while the core has a toughness of 15J/cm², resulting in a 50% increase in wear resistance and a 40% improvement in mining grinding efficiency. This technology has obtained a national patent and has been supplied in batches to enterprises such as Zijin Mining and exported overseas. The company plans to invest 20 million yuan to expand the production line, with a target annual production capacity of 30,000 tons, aiming to occupy 30% of the domestic high-end market share.

The new generation of gradient hardness forged steel balls developed by Jinan Zhangqiu Huayi Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. have achieved a 40% increase in product lifespan through the "multi-stage forging + zone quenching" process, and their wear resistance exceeds the EU standards by 12%. After testing, the surface hardness is 60-64 HRC, the impact toughness is ≥ 15 J/cm², and the industrial test single consumption is 0.52 kg/t of raw ore, which is 32% lower than that of imported products. Currently, the annual production capacity is 30,000 tons, and it supplies leading mining enterprises at home and abroad. In the third quarter of 2025, the high-end sales volume will increase by 58%, helping the Zhangqiu forging industrial cluster's output value exceed 8 billion yuan.

Forged steel balls and cast balls are two of the core media in the industrial grinding field, and their processes and performance differ significantly. Forged steel balls are made of low-carbon alloys, high-manganese steel, or rare earth chromium-molybdenum alloys, and are formed through heating and forging. They have the characteristics of smooth surfaces, strong impact resistance, and high toughness, with a breakage rate of less than 1%. They have excellent wear resistance and are particularly suitable for wet grinding environments in mines and power plants. Their prices are economical and are widely adopted by international giants such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Cast balls are made from low-chromium, medium-chromium, or high-chromium cast iron and are formed by pouring. Although high-chromium cast balls have high hardness (HRC 60+) and excellent wear resistance, their toughness is poor. Balls with a diameter over 3 meters are prone to cracking in ball mills, and their costs are higher. They are mostly used in dry ball mills in the cement industry. The core difference between the two lies in: The forging process optimizes the metal flow structure, and the anti-cracking performance of forged steel balls is 5-10 times that of cast balls. However, cast balls rely on increasing chromium content to enhance wear resistance, but at the expense of corrosion resistance. When selecting, it is necessary to consider the working conditions (dry/wet grinding, equipment scale), cost, and performance requirements. For example, large mines prefer forged steel balls, while cement plants tend to use high-chromium cast balls.