Stainless steel balls are made from alloys like 304, 316 and 440C with chromium content up to 18% for corrosion resistance.

Chrome steel balls have a bearing steel or stainless steel core plated with a micron-level chrome coating. This gives excellent surface hardness and polish.

Production Method

Stainless balls undergo heat treatment, grinding and lapping to achieve hardness and spherical precision.

Chrome balls first get precision ground before undergoing chrome electroplating to coat the surface while retaining dimension.

Typical Properties

Stainless steel balls offer corrosion resistance, moderate hardness levels up to 60 HRC and modest thermal resistance.

Chrome steel balls provide extreme surface hardness beyond 65 HRC, lower internal hardness, superior corrosion protection and high reflectivity.

Common Applications

Stainless steel balls suit applications needing corrosion resistance like pumps, valves and marine equipment.

Chrome steel balls are ideal for bearings, pneumatic cylinders, instrumentation and aerospace components needing hardness and smoothness.

In summary, stainless steel balls provide sturdy corrosion resistant performance across general industrial uses. But for applications requiring extreme precision and hardness under demanding conditions, chrome steel balls are the top choice. Consider application needs, environment and cost while selecting between the two.