Metal
Manufactured from Magnetism Machinability HardnessAluminum
Aluminum Assoc. Spec. No. 2017, SAE No. 26 Non-magnetic Easily machined, drilled and tapped54-72 HRB
Brass
Copper 60-70%, Zinc 30-40% Nearly non-magnetic Easily machined, drilled and tapped75-87 HRB
Chrome Steel
Steel of the through hardening type AISI E-52100, The most commonly used ball material Strongly attracted by magnet Can be drilled by EDM and modified by grinding60-67 HRC
Hardened Stainless Steel
Steel58-65 HRC
Soft Mild Steel
Steel28 HRC
Tungsten Carbide
Tungsten Carbide 93.5 - 94.5%, Cobalt 5.5-6.5% Slightly magnetic This material is not easily machinable,87.5 - 90.4 HRA
Unhardened Stainless Steel
Steel AISI type 316 or 302 Only slightly magnetic May be machined, drilled and tapped30 HRC
Chrome Alloy Steel Balls, the most common bearing alloy, are manufactured from steel of the hardening type AISI E-52100. The balls are heat treated to a hardness of 62 HRC minimum. They are strongly attracted by a magnet.
Hardened Stainless Steel Balls are widely used in bearings and valves, and are manufactured from steel AISI type 440C. Hardness is 58 HRC minimum. They are strongly attracted by a magnet.
Unhardened Stainless Steel Balls are manufactured from steel AISI Type 316 or 302. This material is only slightly magnetic. It may be machined, drilled, and tapped. It has the best corrosion resistance of the standard metals. Hardness is about 30 HRC.
Brass Balls are widely used in tooling and are manufactured from Copper 60-70%, Zinc 30-40%. They are easy to machine, drill, and tap. This material is nearly nonmagnetic. Hardness is 80 HRB.
Soft Mild Steel Balls are manufactured from steel, AISI type 1018. They are strongly attracted by a magnet. Soft mild steel is easy to machine, drill, and tap. The balls are highly polished for decorative applications etc. Hardness 28 HRC.
Aluminum Balls are manufactured from Aluminum Association Specification No. 2017 (SAE No.26). The material is nonmagnetic. It is easy to machine, drill, and tap.
Tungsten Carbide Balls are manufactured from high grade material in the range of Tungsten Carbide 93.5-94.5%, Cobalt 5.5-6.5%. The balls may be ground with diamond wheels and shaped with electro discharge machines. This is one of the hardest, toughest, and most rigid materials available. It is slightly magnetic.
See our web page, "Ball Material Selection," for more information.
Nylon
Oils, greases, electrolytic corrosion and most organic solvents High Tensile strength, abrasion resistant, high compression strength, low coefficient of expansion, very good electrical properties360 °F.
1.09 - 1.14 Is hygroscopic and absorbs considerable amounts of water, .4 -1.5%Polyethylene
Bases, weak acids, and organic solvents ( except chlorinated ones ) Attacked slowly by oxidizing acids175 ° F
.90 - .91 low water absorption, low density, will float in water, .02%Polypropylene
Bases, weak acids, and organic solvents about 80 °C Attacked slowly by oxidizing acids320° F
.90 - .91 low water absorption, low density, will float in water, .01%Teflon
Practically all organic solvents, strong caustics, cryogenic missile fuels, liquid oxygen, and concentrated acids Good physicals from cryogenic temperatures to over 500 °F, good compressive strength550 °F
1.13 - 2.22 zero water absorption 0% < .01 %Nylon Balls are resistant to most common organic solvents, oils, greases and electrolytic corrosion. Nylon has a good heat resistance, high tensile strength, fatigue endurance, compression and shear strength, abrasion resistance, low coefficient to friction and very good electrical properties.
Teflon Balls are unaffected by practically all organic solvents, strong caustics, cryogenic missile fuels, liquid oxygen and concentrated acids. They have zero water absorption, while maintaining the highest heat resistance of all thermoplastics. Teflon has good physicals with cryogenic temperatures to +500 °F and good compressive strength.
Click to see our Teflon ball stock in our shopping cart.
Polyethylene Balls are resistant to organic solvents, except chlorinated ones, and to bases and weak acids. They have very low water absorption, and they will float in water.
Polypropylene Balls are resistant to organic solvents below about 80 °C, to bases and weak acids. They are only slowly attacked by oxidizing acids. They will float in water and have a low water absorption.
See our web pages, "Ball Material Selection," and " Sizes and Materials Used by to Manufacture Balls" for more information.
The material for rolling bearing ball bearing balls varies widely and is always primarily focused on the ring materials. This ensures that the interplay of cage, inner ring, and outer ring in the system is harmonised. This is especially important when the application involves heating or cooling the bearings. It is important that ball bearing running properties are always good. The most common ball materials are listed below with relation to the ring material.
For these ball bearings, hardened steel balls are often used. The most often used material is a chrome steel with about 1% carbon and 1.5% chrome. The properties of steel balls of martensitic chrome steel make them especially well suited to ball bearing production, since they make stable components that are resistant and convincingly durable in continuous operation. Balls made of roller bearing steel are robust and durable. Susceptibility to corrosion tends to be low, so that cylindrical rollers and needle rollers are made of this material. But lubrication is indispensable.
For ball bearings made of plastic, unhardened stainless balls are usually used. They are exceptionally corrosion-resistant and are also very resistant to saltwater and alkalis. Hardened balls need not be used for plastic ball bearings. The maximum permissible load is already limited by the limits of the material in the plastic rings. Stainless steel balls cost less than glass balls.
Ball bearing balls made of stainless steel for xiros polymer ball bearingsGlass balls are used when a metal-free ball bearing is needed or the requirements for chemical resistance are high. Soda-lime glass is used for bottles, drinking glasses and flat glass, and as a material for ball bearing balls. It has good chemical properties suitable for ball bearings that are usually exposed to brief chemical stress, but not to great thermal stress. Its light green colour has also given it the name lemon glass.
This type of glass is much more expensive than soda-lime glass. Borosilicate glass is even more chemical-resistant than soda-lime glass, which means that it is used in applications involving strong acids.
Other benefits:
This type is clear and transparent.
Ceramic balls made of aluminium oxide, also known as oxide ceramics, have a polycrystalline structure. The properties of the lightweight balls include good corrosion, abrasion and heat resistance. Despite influences such as water, salt solutions and some acids, they are extremely resistant to corrosion. It is important to avoid contact with hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, warm sulphuric acid and strong alkaline solutions. They are also known to be self-lubricating and electrically insulating. Balls made of Al2O3 aluminium oxide are white to ivory-coloured and are manufactured according to ASTM F 2094 Class II/III.
Balls made of the silicon nitride ceramic material are lightweight, but exhibit great toughness and outstanding resistance to corrosion. Only certain acids and base solutions cause corrosion. The material has an insulating effect. The balls are also self-lubricating and have great resistance to temperature fluctuations, which noticeably affects the bottom line. They are much more expensive than balls made of aluminium oxide. Balls made of Si3N4 are a black mother-of-pearl colour.
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