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04/30/25

Bearing Steel for Steel Balls

Steel Balls in white glove, Stainless Steel Balls, Bearing Balls

C/S - Chrome Steel, 52100, Chrome

All of the above are common ways of describing the most widely used material for the manufactur of precision steel 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. This material is commonly used for gauge ( gage ) balls. Check out our available stock in our shopping cart.


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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. This material is commonly used for gauge ( gage ) balls.  This material is considered a Ferrous Metal.

DENSITY

The density of this material, chrome steel, is .283 pounds per cubic inch ( 7.85 g/ cubic cm ) .

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.

Chrome steel balls will rust if they are in contact with water. Consider using stainless steel balls or brass balls in a wet environment.

All of the above are common ways of describing the most widely used material for the manufacturer of precision steel 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.


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

Chrome Steel Ball Crush Strength Data

*Calculated on .283 pounds per cubic inch density.
Size - Inches Balls per pound Weight per ball Crush strength in pounds Size - Inches
1/32 221138. --- --- 1/32
1/16 27642.3 --- 270 1/16
3/32 8190.32 --- 610 3/32
1/8 3455.29 .131 gr. 1100 1/8
5/32 1769.11 .256 gr. 1710 5/32
3/16 1023.79 .443 gr. 2470 3/16
7/32 644.719 .703 gr. 3360 7/32
1/4 431.911 1.050 gr. 4400 1/4
9/32 303.345 1.495 5560 9/32
5/16 221.138 2.051.gr. 6870 5/16
11/32 166.144 2.730 gr. 8300 11/32
3/8 127.973 3.544 gr. 9900 3/8
13/32 100.654 4.506 gr. 11600 13/32
7/16 80.5899 5.628 gr. 13400 7/16
15/32 65.5225 6.923 gr. 15400 15/32
1/2 53.9889 8.402 gr. 17600 1/2
17/32 45.05 10.077 gr. 18000 17/32
9/16 37.9181 11.96 gr. 20200 9/16
19/32 32.26 14.069 gr. 22500 19/32
5/8 27.6423 16.41 gr 25000 5/8
21/32 23.86 19.996 gr. 27560 21/32
11/16 20.7681 21.841 gr. 30200 11/16
23/32 18.18 24.957 gr. 33000 23/32
3/4 15.9967 1.00 oz. 36000 3/4
25/32 14.15 1.13 oz. 39000 25/32
13/16 12.5818 1.26 oz. 42200 13/16
27/32 11.24 1.42 oz. 45500 27/32
7/8 10.0737 1.58 oz. 49000 7/8
29/32 9.06 1.76 oz. 52500 29/32
15/16 8.19032 1.95 oz. 56200 15/16
31/32 7.42 2.16 oz. 60000 31/32
1 6.74861 2.36 oz. 64000 1
1-1/16 5.63 2.84 oz. 72200 1-1/16
1-1/8 4.73977 3.375 81000 1-1/8
1-3/16 4.03 3.970 oz. 90200 1-3/16
1-1/4 3.45529 4.631 oz. 100000 1-1/4
1-5/16 2.99 5.360 oz. 104700 1-5/16
1-3/8 2.59601 6.163 oz. 108900 1-3/8
1-7/16 2.27 7.043 oz. 115700 1-7/16
1-1/2 1.99959 8.002 oz. 122400 1-1/2
1-5/8 1.57273 10.173 oz. --- 1-5/8
1-3/4 1.25921 12.706 oz. --- 1-3/4
1-7/8 1.02379 15.628 oz. --- 1-7/8
2 .843577 1.00 lb. & 2.967 oz. --- 2
2-1/8 .703296 1.00 lb. & 6.750 --- 2-1/8
2-1/4 .592471 1.00 lb. &11.006 oz --- 2-1/4
2-3/8 .503760 1.00 lb. & 15.761 oz. --- 2-3/8
2-1/2 .431911 2.00 lbs.  & 5.045 oz. --- 2-1/2
2-5/8 .373101 2.00 lbs.&10.884 oz. -- 2-5/8
2-3/4 .324501 3.00 lbs. & 1.306 oz. -- 2-3/4
2-7/8 .283988 3.00 lbs. & 8.340 oz. -- 2-7/8
3 .249948 4.00 lbs & 0.013 oz. -- 3
3-1/8 .221138 4.00 lbs & 8.353 oz. -- 3-1/8
3-1/4 .196591 4.00 lbs & 1.387 oz. -- 3-1/4
3-3/8 .175547 5.00 lbs & 11.144 oz -- 3-3/8
3-1/2 .157402 6.00 lbs. & 5.650 oz. -- 3-1/2
3-5/8 .141674 7.00 lbs. & 0.935 oz. -- 3-5/8
3-3/4 .127973 7.00 lbs. & 13.026 oz. -- 3-5/8
3-7/8 .115984 8.00 lbs. & 9.950 oz. -- 3-7/8
4 .105447 9.00 lbs. & 7.735 oz. -- 4
4-1/8 .096148 10.00 lbs. & 6.409 oz. -- 4-1/8
4-1/4 .087911 11.00 lbs & 6.000 oz. -- 4-1/4
4-3/8 .080589 12.00 lbs & 6.536 oz. -- 4-3/8
4-1/2 .074058 13.00 lbs. & 8.044 oz. -- 4-1/2

See the page, Ball Material Selection, Page 2080, for more information.

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