Thomson Precision Balls
Chrome steel balls
Chrome steel balls are used in many industrial applications, where their properties of high load capacity and fine surface finish are required. Thomson Precision Balls offers chrome steel balls in sizes ranging from 1/16” to 3” as well as metric sizes. We provide chrome steel balls in various grades, the highest being grade 10 and lowest burnishing media.
Chrome steel balls are used in a wide array of applications from aerospace to automotive. The applications of chrome steel balls most people are familiar with are ball bearings, both radial and linear. Other applications of chrome steel balls include any type of equipment that moves linearly, from hospital beds and the flaps on the wings of airplanes. Don’t forget your ball point pen; each one has a chrome steel ball in it. Some of the products you wouldn’t necessarily associate with chrome steel balls would be a cigarette lighter. Most lighters contain chrome steel balls.
Stainless steel balls
Stainless steel balls have similar mechanical properties as chrome steel balls with the advantage of being resistant to corrosive environments. There are several types of stainless steel balls, ranging from the 440C type which offers the greatest hardness and surface finish to the 302 which has extreme toughness and corrosion resistance.
The automotive industry is a large consumer of stainless steel balls, using them in CV joints and seat belt locking devices for instance. Anti lock brakes have stainless steel balls as valves as well as plug balls to fill holes in the castings. Power steering has a column of stainless steel balls to help you turn your car with ease. A new design of steering by wire will also use stainless steel balls in a bearing type application. Stainless steel balls can also be found in the transmission.
The pump spray industry is another large consumer of stainless steel balls used in the hand sprayer. Most household pump sprayers have a ball in them. Stainless steel balls are also used in a check valve for agriculture back pack sprayers.
A well known battery manufacturer uses stainless steel balls as a safety release so the battery won’t explode on overheating.
Other Balls
We offer a full range of balls such as plastic and nylon balls, glass balls, bronze balls, brass balls as well as...
Distinctively Shaped Balls
We offer a variety of flat, diagonally cut, cone and pin shaped balls that are typically used as hardened polishing and shaping tools. For example, the diagonally cut and pin shaped balls can be used to polish surfaces with sharp angles. Flat balls are typically used to polish uniformly shaped surfaces such as coins. Sizes range from 1/6 to 1 inch in stainless steel, 52100 chrome, and ceramic materials. Other sizes and materials can be made available to suit your needs. Speak with a Thomson applications specialist to find the product that's just right for you.
Drilled Balls
A full range of sizes, hole depths (including thru-hole), diameters and materials. Typical applications include body jewellery, earring posts, rings, seat slides, valves, and automotive engine push rods.
Coated Balls
Coatings are used to enhance the physical properties of precision balls. These may include added hardness (titanium nitride), corrosion resistance (molybdenum disulfide), noise suppression (rubber), and electrical characteristics (gold plate). Thomson offers a myriad of coatings to meet your needs.
Hollow Balls
Hollow balls are typically used for weight sensitive applications such as aircraft ball transfer units, liquid float systems, and custom ball valves. We provide 440A stainless steel hollow balls in a variety of sizes.
Silicon Nitride Ceramic Balls
Silicon Nitride balls are non-corrosive, anti-magnetic and excel in low noise, high rigidity, and high load carrying applications. These balls can be run dry in a vacuum environment and up to 500° F without lubrication.
Monel & K-Monel (Nickel Alloy) Balls
Monel balls are low-hardness balls made from a special Nickel/Copper alloy that is resistant to atmospheric corrosion, salt water and a variety of acid and alkaline solutions. Monel balls are recommended in high temperatures and other extreme environments.
K-Monel balls are harder than Monel type balls. They offer increased strength with similar resistance to seawater corrosion, high temperatures and other extreme environments.
Monel balls are low-hardness balls made from a special Nickel/Copper alloy that is resistant to atmospheric corrosion, salt water and a variety of acid and alkaline solutions. Monel balls are recommended in high temperatures and other extreme environments.
K-Monel balls are harder than Monel type balls. They offer increased strength with similar resistance to seawater corrosion, high temperatures and other extreme
Brass Balls
A high quality alloy created for environments attacked by water, gasoline, and certain solvents.
- Size range: 1/16" - 1"
- Grade range: 200-1000 (standard grade 200)
- Delivery time: 2-6 weeks
Titanium Balls
- Size range: 1mm - 3/8"
- Grade range: 25 - 200 (standard grade 200)
- Delivery time: Stock up to 8 weeks
- The combination of high strength, stiffness, good toughness and low density make titanium an excellent choice for many aerospace applications
- Inert material and light weight (approximately 60% of the density of steel)
- Exceptional anti-corrosive properties and biocompatibility coupled with good strengths make it very useful in chemical and petrochemical applications, marine environments and jewelry
- Effective operation in high temperature applications
- High tensile/compression strength
- Nonmagnetic and offer good heat transfer properties
- The combination of high strength, stiffness, good toughness and low density make titanium an excellent choice for many aerospace applications
- Inert material and light weight (approximately 60% of the density of steel)
- Exceptional anti-corrosive properties and biocompatibility coupled with good strengths make it very useful in chemical and petrochemical applications, marine environments and jewelry
- Effective operation in high temperature applications
- High tensile/compression strength
- Nonmagnetic and offer good heat transfer properties
Zirconia Ceramic Balls
A high-strength material that operates well in environments such a molten metals, organic solvents, caustics and most acids. Because of its good resistance to abrasion and corrosion, it is often used as check valves for flow control.
Zirconia undergoes "transformation toughening" when stressed by impact. This tends to stop cracks from spreading and increases the ball's strength in the stressed area.
Ruby/Sapphire Ceramic Balls
99.99% alumina oxide ruby/sapphire balls are suitable of use in optical and light refractive applications such as lasers. Available in precision grades up to Grade 10, the balls are comparable in hardness to alumina ceramic.
Ruby/sapphire balls are available in varying colours and perform well where corrosion, lubrication and high temperature cannot be tolerated.
