Silicon Carbide vs. Tungsten Carbide Nozzles
Silicon Carbide vs. Tungsten Carbide Nozzles
In today’s nozzle market, there are two popular materials of nozzle’s liner composition. One is the Silicon carbide nozzle, and the other one is tungsten carbide nozzle. The material of the liner composition affects nozzles wear resistance which is one of the most important things sandblasters would care about a nozzle. In this article, we are going to talk about two types of liner composition.
Silicon Carbide Nozzle
The first one is silicon carbide nozzle. Compare to tungsten carbide nozzle, silicon carbide nozzle has a lighter weight and it is easier for sandblasters to operate. Since sandblasters normally work for a long time, plus the sandblasting equipment is already a heavy part. A lighter nozzle would definitely save the sandblasters a lot of energy. And this is one of the reasons why silicon carbide nozzle is popular in the industry. Besides the lighter weight, most silicon carbide nozzle also contains excellent corrosion resistance and abrasive resistance. This means silicon carbide will not be corroded by water or other factors quickly. Therefore, the silicon carbide nozzles have a long lifespan. According to the research, a good silicon carbide nozzle can last for up to 500 hours in average.
However, silicon carbide nozzles also have their disadvantage which is they are easy to crack or break if they are dropped on a hard surface. Silicon carbide has less impact resistance compare to tungsten carbide. With this in mind, while operating the silicon carbide nozzle, the sandblasters should be really careful and try not to mishandle these. Or they might have to replace the nozzle.
In conclusion, silicon carbide nozzle is more suitable for people who do not want to replace their nozzles frequently and looking for a long lifespan nozzle.
Tungsten Carbide Nozzle
The second type is tungsten carbide nozzle. As mentioned before, silicon carbide has a lighter weight compare to tungsten carbide nozzle. So a tungsten carbide nozzle would not be the first choice for those who work for a long time. However, tungsten carbide nozzles have a more impact resistance. They won’t be crack and break easily, and they would be the best choice when it comes to a harsh environment. The approximately working hour for a tungsten carbide nozzle is 300 hours. Since the environment it works on would be much harder, the lifespan is also less than the silicon carbide nozzle. In addition, tungsten carbide nozzles could work well with most abrasive media.
Therefore, if people are looking for something with high durability, a tungsten carbide nozzle would satisfy their needs.
In the end, both types of nozzles have their pros and cons. Before choosing the best option, people should concern what they cares the most. At BSTEC, we have both types of nozzles, just tell us your needs and we will recommend the best type that suits you!
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