When industrial applications demand extreme wear resistance and density, standard steel balls often fall short. Tungsten Carbide (WC) balls represent the pinnacle of hard metal engineering.
Hardness and Wear Resistance
Tungsten carbide is significantly harder than the toughest bearing steels (like EN-31). While EN-31 tops out around 60-66 HRC, tungsten carbide boasts a hardness of 89-92 HRA. This translates to an exponentially longer lifespan in high-friction environments.
Density and Mass
Another crucial difference is density. Tungsten carbide has nearly twice the density of steel (approx 14.95 g/cm³ compared to steel's 7.85 g/cm³). This makes it ideal for applications requiring high mass in a compact volume, such as counterweights and specialized check valves.
When to Upgrade?
If you are frequently replacing steel balls due to abrasive wear, or if you need maximum impact resistance in a highly corrosive environment, upgrading to Tungsten Carbide is a highly cost-effective choice in the long run.
