Heading: In the first step, heading machines cut wire into short lengths and form it into spherical shapes between dies.
Deflashing: The flash line, a ridge left by the forming dies, is removed as balls roll between heavy, cast iron plates.
Soft Grinding: Similar to deflashing, except that a grinding stone is used to improve precision.
Heat-treating: Carbon steel balls are next carburized and hardened. Heat treatment imparts the desired hardness and case depth.
Descaling: This step removes the residues and by-products from the heat-treating process.
Hard Grinding: Slow, meticulous grinding assures proper sizing and sphericity, with tolerances as close as ±.0001".
Lapping: Several proprietary lapping processes can bring balls to the requirements of ISO 3290 Grade 3 - 48.
Finishing: Proprietary chemical and mechanical processes give the balls their final micro-smoothed finish, for increased wear resistance and product longevity.
Inspection: All products pass through at least two 100% inspection stages, using proprietary, automated inspection processes.
