Technical (Industrial) Ceramics

Hardmet Associates specialise in Technical Ceramics and, since the beginning of the sixties, have gathered enormous expertise with applications, design and machining.

Properties of Technical Ceramics

• high temperature resistance
• high compressive strength and toughness
• good corrosion and oxidation resistance
• extremely abrasion resistant
• good thermal conductor and insulator
• good electrical conductor or insulator
• light weight
• outstanding chemical compatibility with acids, salt and other solutions and molten metals

Technical Ceramics applications

Technical Ceramics can be used for the following applications -

• wherever cavitations occurs
• components subjected to excessive wear or long lasting high precision
• components used at high temperature or speed
• components used in aggressive media

Technical (Industrial) Ceramics - material types

Technical Ceramics can be classified into different material categories -

• Carbides, borides and nitrides - silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, boron carbide,aluminium nitride, titanium boride
• Oxides - zirconium oxide and aluminium oxide, fused silica
• Industrial Diamond (PCD/PKD)
• Composites - CVD/PVD coatings, diamond matrices, diamond tipped tools

Technical Ceramics - products

The following types of product can be manufactured from Technical Ceramics -

• slide bearings, seal rings, mechanical seals, ball bearings
• sleeves, plungers, nozzles, pistons, ball valves, knives, slitters
• precision balls, grinding balls, spacers, guide pins, plugs and blocks
• thread guides, styli, rods, striip blanks, orhodontic components, semi-conductors

Wear parts for the metal-forming, mineral and materials processing industries	Wear parts for the petrochemical and industrial processing industries	As sintered & ground balls for the gauge and bearing industries
Rotary cutting tools & blades for metal, wood and composite cutting	Automotive & high-speed parts; vacuum & liquid pump components; compressor valves, pistons & rings	Blasting & jetting nozzles

Technical (Industrial) Ceramics - design solutions

Experience shows that optimal design solutions result from the close cooperation of engineers from the end-use industry and the Technical Ceramics manufacturer. The best results are always obtained when these contacts have been established at an early stage in the development project - when it is still possible to adjust the design and take full advantage of the unique properties of Technical (Industrial) Ceramics.

Click here to read about our expertise in the design and manufacture of Tungsten Carbide & Technical (Industrial) Ceramic components.