We have reviewed in some detail the technical characteristics of different grinding bodies that are currently used for shredding materials. There are also rare types of grinding balls on the market. Today we will consider technical characteristics of steel casting balls, define their advantages and disadvantages for both producer and the customer.
It would seem that any steel plant could produce goods like cast steel balls. However, in practice this type of grinding balls is very rare in the market. In general, the diameter of these grinding ball ranges from 30mm to 60mm. Cast steel balls refer to steel balls up to 15mm in diameter, which are used in bearings.
The main reason why steel grinding balls are not produced by casting is the high cost of the production process. Cast steel balls are not competitive on the market because of that the casting method has a number of technological features that negatively affect the quality of the final product.
Despite the fact that the steel cast ball is thicker than the cast iron, this advantage is reduced to «zero» due to a number of the following factors:
- the incorrect spherical shape of grinding bodies significantly reduces the quality of grinding and increases the specific consumption;
- presence of internal voids in finished products – increased split and specific flow rate, deterioration of pumping and piping equipment;
- high production costs: high energy consumption, large «waste» part, maintenance of large production bases (territory, equipment, etc.).
Thus, the production of cast steel balls is possible, but this type of product does not stand any comparison with similar production by cross-screw rolling. This conclusion proves that cast steel grinding balls have lack of demand on the market of material grinding equipment.