Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a cutting blade for an agricultural implement. The method includes forming the cutting blade to define a final shape having an exterior surface. The cutting blade is treated with a surface diffusion hardening process to form a surface hardened layer disposed over a core layer. The surface hardened layer is very thin, approximately 0.1 mm, and exhibits an apparent hardness equal to or greater than 1000 HV. After the surface diffusion hardening process, the cutting blade is treated with a through hardening process, such that the core layer exhibits a Rockwell Hardness C Scale value between the range of thirty five (35) and fifty five (55).

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a cutting blade for an agricultural implement. The method includes forming the cutting blade to define a final shape having an exterior surface. The cutting blade is treated with a surface diffusion hardening process to form a surface hardened layer disposed over a core layer. The surface hardened layer is very thin, approximately 0.1 mm, and exhibits an apparent hardness equal to or greater than 1000 HV. After the surface diffusion hardening process, the cutting blade is treated with a through hardening process, such that the core layer exhibits a Rockwell Hardness C Scale value between the range of thirty five (35) and fifty five (55).

Abstract: A disk blade having a circular blade body of a first base material of a first hardness and having top and a bottom surfaces and an outer edge extending around the blade body. At least one clad bead extends circumferentially about the blade body on the bottom surface adjacent the outer edge of a second hardness greater than the first hardness of the base material. Various bead patterns are possible.

Abstract: A roller support for draper belt supporting rollers of a harvester header may include a base, a first post extending from the base in a direction to support a first roller, a second post extending from the base in the direction to support a second roller, an arm extending from the base in the direction between the first post and the second post and a wear structure supported by and immovable relative to the arm. The wear structure may have a wear surface facing downwardly.

Abstract: A roller support for draper belt supporting rollers of a harvester header may include a base, a first post extending from the base in a direction to support a first roller, a second post extending from the base in the direction to support a second roller, an arm extending from the base in the direction between the first post and the second post and a wear structure supported by and immovable relative to the arm. The wear structure may have a wear surface facing downwardly.

Abstract: A disk blade having a circular blade body of a first base material of a first hardness and having top and a bottom surfaces and an outer edge extending around the blade body. At least one clad bead extends circumferentially about the blade body on the bottom surface adjacent the outer edge of a second hardness greater than the first hardness of the base material. Various bead patterns are possible.

Abstract: A method for forming a composite article includes providing a metallic substrate and a preform adjacent the metallic substrate. The preform includes an unfused metallic powder material with an organic binder dispersed through the powder material. The metallic substrate and the preform are then subjected to a monocyclic heating process. The monocyclic heating process causes removal of the organic binder from the preform, fusing of the metallic powder material and metallurgical bonding of the metallic powder to the metallic substrate.

Abstract: A rotary implement includes a metallic body that is rotatable around an axis. The metallic body includes a tapered leading edge having an interface surface and an opposite, free surface. The metallic body has a first composition. A metallic layer has a first side surface that is attached to the interface surface and a free, second side surface opposite from the first side surface. The metallic layer has a second, different composition from the first composition. A rotary machine can include an actuator and the rotary implement operably coupled to the actuator. A method for making a rotary implement includes providing the metallic body that has the tapered leading edge having the interface surface and the opposite, free surface. The metallic layer is then attached to the interface surface of the metallic body.

Abstract: A hard-faced article includes a wear-resistance element that has a precipitated hard phase and a non-precipitated hard phase that is different from the precipitated hard phase in composition. The precipitated hard phase and the non-precipitated hard phase are dispersed through a boron-containing metallic matrix. The precipitated hard phase includes a boride material. The wear-resistance element can include, by weight, less than 50% of the non-precipitated hard phase. The wear-resistance element can also include boron, carbon, chromium and silicon such that, by weight exclusive of the non-precipitated hard phase, a product of the amounts of boron, carbon, chromium and silicon is greater than 28 and less than 350 and the amount of chromium by weight is less than 15%. A method includes forming the wear-resistance element with the precipitated hard phase and the non-precipitated hard phase dispersed through the boron-containing metallic matrix.

Abstract: A rotary implement includes a metallic body that is rotatable around an axis. The metallic body includes a tapered leading edge having an interface surface and an opposite, free surface. The metallic body has a first composition. A metallic layer has a first side surface that is attached to the interface surface and a free, second side surface opposite from the first side surface. The metallic layer has a second, different composition from the first composition. A rotary machine can include an actuator and the rotary implement operably coupled to the actuator. A method for making a rotary implement includes providing the metallic body that has the tapered leading edge having the interface surface and the opposite, free surface. The metallic layer is then attached to the interface surface of the metallic body.

Abstract: A hard-faced composite article includes an iron-based substrate having a composition with less than 0.6% by weight of carbon, and a wear-resistance element joined to the iron-based substrate. The wear-resistance element has a metallic matrix and boron-containing regions dispersed through the metallic matrix.

Abstract: A method for forming a composite article includes providing a metallic substrate and a preform adjacent the metallic substrate. The preform includes an unfused metallic powder material with an organic binder dispersed through the powder material. The metallic substrate and the preform are then subjected to a monocyclic heating process. The monocyclic heating process causes removal of the organic binder from the preform, fusing of the metallic powder material and metallurgical bonding of the metallic powder to the metallic substrate.

Abstract: A cotton harvester spindle including a body rotatable about an axis in a direction of rotation. A tapered end having a tip and a plurality of barbs projecting in the direction of rotation. A flat gullet area extending between the adjacent barbs. The barbs having an axially outermost face angled toward the tip and an axially innermost sloping wall angled radially inwardly toward the flat gullet area. Wherein, the tapered end is covered with a coating selected from the group consisting of aluminum magnesium boride (AlMgB14), aluminum magnesium boride comprising a dopant X (AlMgB14:X), and diamond-like carbon.