Wear-resistant coatings and hardfacing technologies are widely applied to soil-engaging agricultural tools to extend service life; however, their influence on wear evolution and contact loading remains insufficiently quantified. This study presents a simulation-based evaluation of hardfacing seam configurations applied to cultivator coulter points, focusing on abrasive wear development and surface loading behaviour. Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations were performed using ANSYS Rocky to model soil-tool interaction under representative field conditions. Several reinforcement seam arrangements located at the cutting edge were analysed and compared with an unreinforced reference geometry.

To address limitations related to multi-material wear modelling, a dedicated numerical approach was employed, enabling reliable simulation of reinforced geometries during progressive wear. The results indicate that optimized hardfacing seam placement significantly modifies soil flow and contact conditions on the coulter surface. When reinforcement seams were partially worn and actively protecting the cutting edge, volumetric wear of the coulter point was reduced by up to 40% compared to the unreinforced tool. At the end of the simulated wear process, the total wear reduction remained approximately 28%.

Additionally, specific seam configurations generated a soil-lifting effect, reducing the pressure acting on the coulter point working surface by up to 12%, thereby slowing wear progression rather than directly reducing overall draft force. Simulation results showed good qualitative agreement with field measurements, with deviations within approximately 5%, confirming the reliability of the modelling approach. The study demonstrates that DEM-based simulation is an effective tool for optimising hardfacing seam configurations and improving the performance of wear-resistant coatings in agricultural applications.