Precision Balls - Product Overview

Thomson Precision Balls

Thomson has achieved more than 60 years as a leader in supplying standard precision balls, precision ball bearings and unique stainless steel balls for specific applications. Why Thomson precision balls? Three reasons: our variety of precision ball types, our precision ball bearing technologies and our quality stainless steel ball materials.

Types of Thomson precision ball design include:

• Distinctively shaped precision balls, including flat, diagonally cut, cone- and pin-shaped typically used as hardened polishing and shaping tools.
• A drilled precision ball bearings solution with a full range of sizes, hole depths (including thru-hole), diameters and materials.
• Coated precision stainless steel balls add layers to enhance certain physical properties, including hardness, corrosion resistance, noise suppression and electrical features.
• Hollow precision balls are most needed in applications where weight sensitivity is critical.

Types of Thomson precision ball bearings and stainless steel ball technologies that enhance our quality include:

• A2LA accredited calibration lab offers effective, efficient and accurate calibrations to assure form regularities in our precision balls.
• Custom value added in our subassemblies including complete stainless steel balls solution offerings. We have extensive in-house tool room capabilities and offer rapid stainless steel ball prototyping.
• Stainless steel ball transfers are typically used to assist the transport of various items and can be found in material handling systems.
• All precision balls and stainless steel balls are guaranteed to meet or exceed the standards of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ANSI/ABMA Std. 10-1989).
• QA-9000 certified and ISO 9002 registered.

Types of Thomson precision ball materials include (most common):

• Vacuum-degassed chrome stainless steel balls (AISI E52100) feature fine surface finish, through hardness and high load capacity – excellent in consumable electrode vacuum melt material.
• Stainless steel ball (AISI Type 440C) offers the greatest hardness and surface finish and is available in double-vacuum-melted materials.
• Stainless steel balls (AISI Type 302/316) feature non-annealed hardness, uniform throughout (as measured on parallel flats) and is typically Rockwell “C” 25 to 39†. Annealed hardness Rockwell “B” 75 to 90† available.