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High-Precision
Glass Balls Ideal for Valves,
Bearings, Metering Devices
Hartford Technologies offers Precision Glass Balls, (also referred to as "beads")
with superior corrosion and chemical absorption resistance, making them ideal
for applications in medical, optical, and food processing equipment.
Precision glass balls are an excellent alternative to stainless steel balls,
as they are about 1/3 the weight and are lower in cost.
In medical applications such as intravenous administration products,
resistance to chemical or biological elements is critical, and since metering
balls are not subjected to high loads, the use of lower cost precision glass
balls such as those made from soda-lime is ideal.
While stainless steels such as type 316 are highly corrosion resistant,
they are affected by some chemicals. Bearings containing glass
balls are commonly used in pool and spa pumps and accessories due to
their high chlorine resistance.
Precision glass balls are supplied in various colors for identification purposes.
Black glass balls are commonly found in instrumentation applications such
as flow meters and aircraft turn coordinator gages.
Precision glass balls from Hartford are dimensionally stable and withstand temperatures up to 600°F. Hartford Technologies’ precision glass balls are
available in sizes from 1/32” (0.8mm) through 1-1/4” (31.75mm), in a
matte, ground or polished finish, plain or colored, in soda-lime or borosilicate
glass. Balls can be manufactured to meet a 100,000/10,000 clean room
standard. To ensure the highest quality, a unique high-speed visual inspection
system 100% confirms the diameter, roundness, and purity of each ball.
Link to Precision Glass Balls page
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Hartford Technologies Earns Supplier
Teamwork Award for Glass Balls Production
Hartford Technologies, an ISO 9001:2000 and ISO/TS 16949:2002 certified
provider of precision glass balls, precision metal balls, and engineered
bearing assemblies, has received the Supplier Cross Functional Teamwork
Award from a leading medical systems manufacturer.
The award recognizes Hartford Technologies' efforts in meeting the need
for a substantial production increase for precision glass balls with a frost or
ground finish. These balls are used in IV lines to regulate flow of medicine and
fluids. Previously, a clear glass ball that was more difficult to see was used.
"We had negative feedback about the clear glass balls, because some
assemblers had difficulty seeing the balls and needed to be certain the
balls were in the IC line assemblies, said the Director of Supply Chain
Management. “Also, the balls would sometimes fall on the assembly table
and were difficult to find.” Hartford Technologies understood our requirements,
and worked with us to develop the product we needed, while reducing lead
times from 28 days to seven. This was done without additional cost," she said.
To meet the requirement, Hartford Technologies had to double its production
and capacity, said Alan Przybylski, the company's Director of Purchasing.
"We assembled a team of engineers and quality assurance experts, and by
experimenting with load sizes and grinding wheels, were able to go from two
machines to four while reducing production from one load in three weeks to
one load every week." As a result, Hartford Technologies shipments have
increased 10-fold compared to three years ago.
Link to Precision Glass Balls page
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Precision Glass Balls an Excellent
Alternative to Stainless Steel Balls
Due to significant increases in the cost of nickel, a key element in
300-series stainless steels, Hartford Technologies’ Precision Glass Balls
are providing the practical and affordable alternative for applications
where corrosion resistance is critical. Precision Glass Balls are particularly
effective in applications where corrosion resistance is a primary requirement
and where extreme thermal changes are not a factor.
Like 300-series stainless steel, glass is highly resistant to corrosion and
chemical absorption, and it is non-magnetic. Glass balls are ideal for valve
applications in medical devices, instrumentation gauges, pumps,
water treatment bearings, roll-on applicators, and many other uses
in a variety of fields.
Most 300-series stainless steels contain between 8 and 14 percent nickel,
a material whose recent availability and cost have been volatile. In contrast,
the cost of glass has remained stable, largely because its primary element
is “silica,” or sand, which remains in abundant supply. Hartford Technologies
manufactures glass balls from soda-lime and borosilicate materials. Soda-lime
balls are recommended for applications requiring hardness and excellent
resistance to corrosion. In applications where high temperatures and sudden
temperature changes are also expected, borosilicate glass is recommended for
its additional resistance to chemical corrosion and temperature fluctuation.
Hartford Technologies’ Precision Glass Balls can be supplied to the same
diameter and “sphericity” tolerances as 300-series stainless steels in smooth,
matte, and polished finishes, in plain or other color, and in sizes ranging
from 1/32” (0.8mm) through 1-1/4” (31.75mm). Balls can also be
manufactured to meet a 100,000/10,000 clean room standard.
To further ensure quality, the company’s unique high-speed visual
inspection system evaluates the diameter, roundness,
and purity of each ball.
Link to Precision Glass Balls page
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