Stable and certified master balls for correct sub-gauge measurement
Most of worldwide steel balls manufacturers use inadequate steel ball masters to confirm the sub-gauge diameter of the products batches, before the delivery of products to the final customer. It happens that very precise balls (with geometrical roundness and ovality matching the G10 or even G3 and G5 tolerances) are then measured using “unstable” master balls.
The most common mistake that these companies commit is NOT to take in account the natural ball diameter variation linked with the transformation in the master ball (along the time) of retained austenite into martensite. This results into a growth of the master ball real diameter (even of 1 or 2 micron) along a period of 9 or 12 months from the previous diameter certification.
The final effect is that steel balls are packaged and labelled with wrong gauge measurement and the final customer (i.e. the bearings manufacturer) is reporting problems and difficulties in its assembly line in achieving the target bearings radial clearance values.
ICT can assist the steel balls manufacturers providing stable master balls (i.e. master balls that will keep constant diameter along the years) whose reference diameter is certified with precision of 0.01 micron.
To get more information about the master balls and the other products and services of ICT Group, please get in touch with the company writing to info@elite-bearings.com or to info@consulting-trading.com.
Liaocheng Elite International Trading Co. Ltd. is the import/export branch in China of the Italian company ICT srl (www.consulting-trading.com- www.ict-advisorydivision.com), technical, organizational and commercial consulting company specialized in serving the worldwide bearings and bearing components industry with technology, tooling and know-how.
2026-04-29
