In industries where tippers operate under constant stress, it goes without saying that the choice of steel isn’t just a detail: it’s a strategic decision. The right material affects more than durability. It influences payload, uptime, total cost of ownership, and even resale value. “That’s why more and more tipper manufacturers are turning to QUARD. And when the operating conditions involve extreme impacts, QUARD PRO steps in as a high-performance solution tailored for the most critical zones.
Built for harsh realities
It is a familiar picture for anyone in the business: tipper trucks face some of the harshest conditions in logistics. Loads are unpredictable, including oversized boulders, reinforced concrete, scrap metal, hot asphalt, compacted waste, and they don’t land gently. They strike, grind, and shift. Naturally, the floor of the body takes the brunt of it all.
In these environments, conventional structural steels fall short:
- they wear quickly under friction and sliding loads
- they deform permanently under heavy point loads
- they may crack under impact, especially at low temperatures
QUARD stands out among wear resistant steels, offering superior performance in several key areas. Its martensitic microstructure delivers excellent abrasion resistance and high dimensional stability, even under aggressive loading cycles. Because of its strength and wear resistance, QUARD enables the use of thinner plates while maintaining durability. The result: lighter tipper bodies and more room for payload.
For example, the sidewalls of a tipper benefit from QUARD’s exceptional bending properties. Its tight thickness tolerances and superior flatness facilitate precise forming, enabling more efficient and innovative designs. This not only simplifies manufacturing but also enhances the structural integrity of the vehicle.
Moreover, QUARD’s excellent weldability, attributed to its low carbon equivalent, ensures strong and reliable joints, even in demanding applications. This reduces the risk of structural failures and extends the service life of the equipment.
QUARD PRO: when impact is the challenge
Although QUARD already performs well under sliding wear conditions, there are applications where shock absorption and fracture resistance become the priority — for instance:
- Scrap transporters loaded with jagged, heavy debris
- Mining tippers handling oversized rocks and coarse aggregate
- Off-road trailers subject to high-energy dumping
- Vehicles operating in sub-zero temperatures
QUARD PRO has been developed to meet these challenges. Manufactured in thicknesses from 8 to 25 mm, it is designed to resist cracking, denting, and deformation even in the harshest environments.
Its typical mechanical properties are as impressive as they are purposeful:
- Charpy V-notch toughness of 50 J at –40 °C ensures resistance to brittle failure in cold climates
- Yield strength of 1350 MPa resists plastic deformation under concentrated loads
- Tensile strength of 1550 MPa (transverse) guarantees structural integrity under stress
- 8% elongation allows the steel to absorb energy without sudden rupture
These characteristics make QUARD PRO a rare combination of wear resistance, structural strength, and impact toughness. Unlike other steels that suffer under severe impacts, it doesn’t just endure, it performs predictably, safely, and with lasting efficiency.
Designing smarter tippers
Using QUARD and QUARD PRO in a strategic way allows engineers to optimise the entire tipper design.
For example:
- QUARD 450 or 500 can be used on sidewalls and rear doors, where abrasion dominates
- QUARD PRO is ideal for floors and severe impact zones, where the risk of brutal shocks or repeated hammering is highest
This selective approach yields multiple advantages:
- Lighter bodies with reduced tare weight and increased payload
- Elimination of secondary liners, overlays or reinforcement plates
- Fewer welds and stiffeners, reducing fabrication complexity and stress concentrations
- Simplified geometry, facilitating faster manufacturing and cleaner discharge of materials
Because QUARD PRO functions as both a wear plate and a structural floor, it replaces multi-layered assemblies with a single, high-performance solution.
Productivity, maintenance, and long-term value
Beyond the engineering benefits, the use of QUARD steels directly improves operational economics:
- Fewer repairs and floor replacements reduce workshop downtime
- Improved availability keeps trucks on the road or in the field
- Higher payloads mean more tonnes delivered per trip
- Increased residual value, thanks to long-lasting, crack-free bodies
In real-world terms, QUARD PRO enables tipper bodies to withstand years of service where conventional materials might require heavy repair after few months in some cases. For operators, this translates into lower total cost of ownership and better ROI — key performance indicators in competitive logistics or quarrying businesses.
It’s no coincidence, it’s QUARD!
In summary, QUARD provides a comprehensive solution for tipper manufacturers seeking to optimize performance, durability, and efficiency. Its superior properties make it the material of choice for those aiming to build tippers that are lighter, stronger, and more reliable. And with QUARD PRO, they gain access to a premium-grade material that transforms impact resistance into a competitive advantage.
There’s a reason why many tipper body manufacturers across Europe and internationally have integrated QUARD into their material of choice!
Build stronger. Haul harder. Operate longer.
Choose QUARD.