Ball Bearing Steel

C/S - Chrome Steel, 52100, Chrome Alloy Tool Steel

All of the above are common ways of describing the most widely used material for the manufacture of precision balls, It is a through hardening, fine grain, Martensitic steel. Because of its high hardness and fine grain structure, this material can be finished to an extremely fine quality.

Hardness: Using our standard heat treating procedure, this material will harden to a minimum of 60 on the Rockwell "C" scale (60 HRC). The hardness may be measured between parallel ground flats. If the reading is taken on a spherical surface, it is corrected for the curve. The HRC scale uses 150 Kilogram Load ( approximately 330 lb. ) applied to a conical diamond brale indenter.
Density: of this material is .283 pounds per cubic inch.
Magnetic: This material is strongly attracted by a magnetic field.
Machinability: in the hardened condition, this material can be ground, honed, and lapped using conventional abrasives. It can be shaped and drilled using electrical discharge machining or ultrasonic cavitation. In the annealed condition, this material can be machined using normal techniques.
Weldability: Because this material has 1% carbon, it does not weld well. It can be resistance welded with difficulty. It can be soft soldered with a high tin solder using an acid flux. It can be silver soldered or brazed; but the heat will cause distortion of the ball and a loss of hardness. For light load applications, the ball can be attached with an adhesive such as epoxy. When adhesive bounding is used, an area on the ball should be roughed up by etching or abrasive blasting. The area should be thoroughly cleaned.
Availability: As of June, 2009, we have over 17,000 lots of chrome steel balls in stock and ready to ship. Click the shopping cart for on-line inventory.

Chrome Steel Chemical Analysis
Carbon	0.95 - 1.10%
Manganese	0.2 - 0.45%
Silicon	0.25 - 0.35%
Phosphorus	0.025% Max.
Sulfur	0.025% Max.
Chromium	1.30 - 1.60%
Ferrite	Balance