Tungsten carbide sphere grade:
| Material/PCT% | YG6(x) | YG8 | YG13 | YG20 | YN6 | YN9 | YN12 |
| Tungsten Carbide |
94% | 92% | 87% | 80% | 94% | 91% | 88% |
| CO | 6% | 8% | 13% | 20% | |||
| Ni | 6% | 9% | 12% |
Tungsten carbide sphere sizes:
| MM | INCH | MM | INCH | MM | INCH |
| 0.5 | 5 | 11.113 | 7/16 | ||
| 0.6 | 5.159 | 13/64 | 12 | ||
| 0.794 | 1/32 | 5.5 | 12.303 | 31/64 | |
| 0.8 | 5.953 | 15/64 | 12.7 | 1/2 | |
| 1 | 6 | 13.494 | 17/32 | ||
| 1.588 | 1/16 | 6.35 | 1/4 | 14.288 | 9/16 |
| 2 | 6.5 | 15 | |||
| 2.381 | 3/32 | 6.747 | 17/64 | 16 | |
| 2.5 | 7 | 16.669 | 21/32 | ||
| 2.778 | 7/64 | 7.144 | 9/32 | 18.256 | 23/32 |
| 3 | 7.5 | 19.844 | 25/32 | ||
| 3.175 | 1/8 | 7.938 | 5/16 | 20.638 | 13/16 |
| 3.5 | 8 | 22.225 | 7/8 | ||
| 3.969 | 5/32 | 8.5 | 28.575 | 11/8 | |
| 4 | 9 | 30.162 | 13/16 | ||
| 4.5 | 9.525 | 3/8 | |||
| 4.763 | 3/16 | 10 |
We are able to manufacture tungsten carbide sphere as your requested sizes.
Carbide sphere tolerance:
| PRECISION Grade |
VARIATION | SPHERICAL | SURFACE | TOLERANCE | LOT VARIATION |
| G3 | 0.0762μm | 0.0762μm | 0.0127μm | ±0.762μm | 0.127μm |
| (0.000003″) | (0.000003″) | (0.0000005″) | (±0.0003″) | (0.000003 “) | |
| G5 | 0.127μm | 0.127μm | 0.02μm | ±1.27μm | 0.254μm |
| (0.000005″) | (0.000005”) | (0.0000008″) | (±0.0005″) | (0.00001″) | |
| G10 | 0.254μm | 0.254μm | 0.0254μm | ±2.54μm | 0.508μm |
| (0. 00001″) | (0.00001″) | (0.000001″) | (±0.0001″) | (0.00002″) | |
| G15 | 0.381μm | 0.381μm | 0.0254μm | ±2.54μm | 0.0762μm |
| (0.000015″) | (0.000015″) | (0.000001″) | (±0.0001″) | (0.00003″) | |
| G16 | 0.4064μm | 0.4064μm | 0.0254μm | ±2.54μm | 0.8128μm |
| (0.000016″) | (0.000016″) | (0.000001″) | (±0.0001″) | (0.000032 “) | |
| G24 | 0.6096μm | 0.6096μm | 0.0508μm | ±2.54μm | 1.2192μm |
| (0.000024″) | (0.000024″) | (0.000002″) | (±0.00001″) | (0.000048″) | |
| G25 | 0.635μm | 0.635μm | 0.0762μm | ±2.54μm | 1.27μm |
| (0.000025″) | (0. 000025″) | (0.000003″) | (±0.0001″) | (0.00005″) | |
| G48 | 1.2192μm | 1.2192μm | 0.0762μm | ±0.508μm | 2.4384μm |
| (0.000048″) | (0.000048″) | (0.000003″) | (±0.0002″) | (0.000096″) | |
| G50 | 1.27μm | 1.27μm | 0.0762μm | ±7.62μm | 2.54μm |
| (0.00005”) | (0.00005″) | (0.000003”) | (±0.0003″) | (0.0001 “) |
Carbide sphere application:
1. Critical bearings: Used in precision machinery operating at high speeds, under heavy loads, or in corrosive environments, such as advanced CNC machine tools and aerospace equipment.
2. Oil valves: Used in pumps used in oil drilling, they withstand immense pressure and abrasion from sand and gravel.
3. Chemical pumps and valves: Pumps and valves used to transport abrasive slurries or chemical liquids, and are much more durable than steel balls.
4. Pen tip beads: The small ball in the tip of a high-end ballpoint pen ensures smooth writing even after hundreds of thousands of words.
5. Precision measurement: Used as probes in precision measuring instruments, they are resistant to wear and maintain accuracy over time.
Details of tungsten carbide sphere:
FAQ for tungsten carbide spheres:
Q1: What is a tungsten carbide sphere?
A tungsten carbide sphere (also called tungsten carbide ball or cemented carbide sphere) is a precision sintered spherical component made of tungsten carbide (WC) hard grains bonded with cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni) metal binder. It features ultra-high hardness, exceptional wear resistance, high density and excellent dimensional stability, widely used in high-load precision industrial scenarios including valve sealing, bearings, ball mill grinding media and metrology gauges. Typical density ranges from 14.0–15.0 g/cm³ with hardness HRA 84–94.
Q2: What is the difference between WC-Co and WC-Ni carbide spheres?
WC-Co (YG series): Standard mainstream grade with higher hardness and abrasion resistance, lower production cost. The cobalt binder is vulnerable to strong acid corrosion. Ideal for bearings, general hydraulic valves, and dry grinding media.
WC-Ni (YN series): Cobalt-free formulation with outstanding acid and alkali corrosion resistance, with slightly lower hardness and impact toughness. Designed for chemical fluid valves, marine equipment and corrosive liquid working conditions.
Q3: How to choose the right cobalt binder percentage?
(1) Low cobalt (5–6% Co, YG6 / YG6X): Fine grain, maximum wear resistance, lower impact tolerance. Best for precision gauges, micro bearings and fine powder grinding.
(2) Medium cobalt (8–10% Co, YG8): Balanced toughness and abrasion resistance, the most universal grade. Suitable for hydraulic valve balls and planetary mill grinding media.
(3) High cobalt (13–20% Co, YG13 / YG20): Superior impact resistance, relatively lower hardness. Used for mining high-shock valves and heavy percussion sealing parts.
Q4: Are tungsten carbide spheres acid resistant?
Standard YG cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide spheres are not resistant to strong acids. Hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and aqua regia will dissolve the cobalt binder and cause surface pitting and peeling. For corrosive fluid environments, select YN nickel-bonded corrosion resistant tungsten carbide spheres. WC-Co grades are chemically stable in neutral water, weak acids and weak alkalis under normal temperature.
Q5: Can I customize non-standard tungsten carbide spheres?
Yes, As an experienced tungsten carbide sphere manufacturer in China, we offer full customization services, including:
(1) Dimensions & Tolerances: Non-standard diameters with custom tight tolerances exceeding ISO G3 standards.
(2) Material Formulation: Tailored WC-Co or WC-Ni binder ratios and grain size grades.
(3) Surface Finishes: Optional mirror polish, matte grinding, or as-sintered blanks.
(4) Post-Treatments: Cryogenic treatment to enhance dimensional stability and wear resistance, as well as anti-rust coatings.
Q6: What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
Stock standard YG6/YG8 polished spheres: 0.5 kg for small trial orders acceptable.
Custom non-standard size / YN anti-corrosion grade: MOQ 1–5kg (negotiable).
Q7: How long is the production lead time?
In-stock standard polished tungsten carbide spheres: 2–3 working days.
Custom HIP sintered + precision polishing spheres: 10–15 working days.
Please send us inquiries for quotations and free samples for testing:
