Bal-tec™ HomeHardened Balls Machined by Space Age EDM Technology
Hardened Balls Machined by Space Age EDM Technology
Technical Data Sheet 12
Using Electrical Discharge Machining, EDM, Bal-tec can drill or otherwise modify precision balls made of hardened steel or tungsten carbide. E.D.M.ing causes very little or no change in the original quality of the precision ball. This computer controlled equipment uses millions of tiny bursts of electrical energy to erode away selected areas of a precision ball to form almost any configuration required. Typical shapes include round holes, counterbores, conical lands, square holes, slots, and keyways.
The very simple tooling required make E.D.M.ing well suited for prototype and small quantity production. Attaching a stem or handle to a precision ball is easily accomplished by E.D.M.ing a hole part way through the ball and gluing the handle or stem in place. Handles attached by this method resist shock and will take a strong pull. This technique eliminates the distortion and size change associated with brazing or soft soldering.
