| Material Composition and Purity | 20% | Silicon carbide content commonly varies by grade. General industrial grades may be around 90%–99% SiC, while high-purity technical ceramic grades can exceed 99%. | Material certificate, chemical analysis report, batch number, and test method. | The supplier clearly identifies the SiC grade, free silicon, carbon, oxygen, iron, and other relevant impurities instead of using only the term “high purity.” | Critical Check |
| Bulk Density and Porosity | 12% | The theoretical density of silicon carbide is approximately 3.21 g/cm³. Actual density depends on the manufacturing process and may be lower because of open or closed porosity. | Density report, apparent porosity data, water-absorption data, and applicable test standard. | Results are reported by production batch and are linked to the exact ball size and material grade. | Verify by Batch |
| Dimensional Accuracy | 12% | Available diameters may range from small laboratory sizes to larger industrial balls. Precision tolerances must be agreed in the purchase specification; a tolerance such as ±0.05 mm may be achievable for selected precision sizes but is not universal. | Dimensional drawings, inspection records, calibrated measuring equipment, and sample measurement data. | The supplier states diameter tolerance, sampling plan, measurement method, and acceptance limits before production. | Specification Required |
| Sphericity and Surface Finish | 10% | Good sphericity supports consistent flow, wear behavior, and contact performance. Required roundness and surface roughness depend on whether the balls are used for bearings, grinding, valves, packing, or thermal applications. | Roundness or sphericity measurement, surface-finish data, microscope images, and representative samples. | The supplier provides application-specific limits rather than claiming that every product has the same precision level. | Application Dependent |
| Hardness and Wear Resistance | 12% | Silicon carbide has a Mohs hardness of approximately 9–9.5 and is recognized for high abrasion resistance. Actual wear performance depends on porosity, bonding phase, load, speed, and operating medium. | Hardness test report, abrasion or wear test results, test conditions, and sample identification. | Comparative wear data is supplied under defined test conditions instead of relying only on general material descriptions. | Performance Check |
| Temperature and Chemical Compatibility | 10% | Silicon carbide retains useful strength at elevated temperatures and generally resists many acids and alkalis. Oxidizing environments, molten metals, fluorine-containing chemicals, and aggressive process media require specific compatibility review. | Recommended operating limits, atmosphere data, corrosion test results, and chemical compatibility statement. | The supplier distinguishes between inert, vacuum, oxidizing, reducing, and chemically aggressive service conditions. | Service Specific |
| Manufacturing Process and Consistency | 10% | Reaction-bonded, pressureless-sintered, recrystallized, and hot-pressed SiC can have different density, strength, purity, and dimensional behavior. | Process description, production flow, quality-control plan, furnace records, and batch traceability procedure. | The supplier explains the process that matches the requested performance and can maintain consistent results across repeat orders. | Traceability Needed |
| Quality Management and Inspection | 8% | A documented quality system should cover incoming materials, in-process controls, final inspection, nonconforming products, and corrective actions. | Quality certificate, inspection checklist, calibration records, sample inspection report, and corrective-action records where applicable. | Documents are current, product-specific, and supported by measurable inspection results rather than generic certificates only. | Audit Recommended |
| Packaging and Export Protection | 3% | Ceramic balls can chip or fracture during transport if they are loose-packed or exposed to impact. Moisture protection may also be needed for certain packaging materials and applications. | Packaging photos, packing specification, pallet details, drop-protection method, and shipping documentation. | Packaging is adapted to ball size, quantity, fragility, transport distance, and destination requirements. | Check Before Shipment |
| Sampling, Trial Order, and Technical Support | 3% | A trial order should confirm dimensions, density, surface quality, chemical composition, and performance under the buyer’s actual conditions. | Pre-production sample, agreed acceptance criteria, test plan, technical datasheet, and after-sales response procedure. | The supplier accepts measurable trial criteria and provides timely technical responses without changing specifications after order confirmation. | Strongly Recommended |