Sapphire, ruby balls resistant to heat, wear

Sapphire and ruby balls are suitable for many applications because of their durability and stability. Those from Meller Optics are available in 42 precise small sizes, and are impervious to most chemicals, solvents and detergents. They feature Moh 9 hardness, have a 2,000°C melting point, a 0.2 co-efficient of friction, and a refraction index of 1.76 µm at 20°C. Surface finishes are 20-10 scratch-dig or better, and if required, they can be drilled and precision ground into plano-convex lenses. Applications include ball check valves, scanners, and ball and roller bearings, to name a few. Meller Optics Inc.