Precision Sapphire Orifice Jewels

Micro-hole sapphire components for flow control, metering and precision fluidic systems.

Microwork supplies custom sapphire orifice jewels for applications where stable flow control, wear resistance, chemical resistance and long service life are required.

A sapphire orifice jewel is a small precision component with a controlled micro-hole used to create a defined restriction in a gas or liquid flow path. It can be used as an insert, nozzle element, flow control component or metering part in fluidic systems.

Synthetic sapphire is selected because of its high hardness, excellent wear resistance, chemical stability and ability to maintain a precise orifice geometry under demanding operating conditions. Compared with metal or polymer orifices, sapphire can provide better long-term dimensional stability in abrasive, corrosive or high-pressure environments.

Typical Applications

Common applications include:

• Gas and liquid flow control
• Flow meters and metering devices
• Pressure regulators
• Analytical instruments
• Medical and laboratory fluidic systems
• Ink jet and dispensing systems
• Pneumatic regulators
• Cleaning nozzles and precision jet applications
• Water jet or high-pressure fluidic systems, subject to design review

Typical Orifice Types

Available orifice types may include:

• Straight-hole sapphire orifices
• Micro-hole orifices
• Cup orifices
• Sapphire nozzle inserts
• Ruby or sapphire orifice jewels
• Sapphire orifice jewels mounted in brass, stainless steel or other housings
• Custom orifice geometry based on drawing and flow requirements

Custom hole diameter, thickness, edge condition, inlet geometry and mounting method can be reviewed according to your drawing and application conditions.

Typical Specifications

Material: Synthetic sapphire / single-crystal Al2O3

Feature: Micro-hole, straight hole, cup orifice, nozzle insert or custom orifice geometry

Hole diameter: Custom micro-hole sizes available upon drawing review

Outer diameter: Custom OD available according to housing or mounting design

Thickness: Custom thickness available depending on flow path and strength requirements

Tolerance: Custom tolerance available upon drawing review

Edge condition: Sharp edge, chamfered edge or rounded inlet can be reviewed according to flow and wear requirements

Surface finish: Fine ground or polished surfaces available depending on application

Mounting: Loose jewel insert, press-fit, bonded, metal-mounted or custom assembly

Housing material: Brass, stainless steel or specified material, subject to review

Application: Gas, liquid, flow control, metering, analytical, medical, dispensing or high-pressure use

Engineering Considerations

When designing a sapphire orifice jewel, engineers should consider hole diameter, thickness, length-to-diameter ratio, inlet geometry, edge condition, surface finish, flow medium, pressure, temperature, filtration level and mounting method.

The orifice edge geometry is especially important. A sharp edge may be required for certain flow control or metering applications, while a rounded or chamfered inlet may improve durability and reduce chipping risk in some operating conditions.

Very small holes, high aspect-ratio holes, extremely tight tolerance, high-pressure service and abrasive or particulate media can significantly affect manufacturability, lead time and cost. Filtration and cleanliness requirements should also be considered to avoid clogging or unstable flow.

For mounted orifice assemblies, fit tolerance, concentricity, bonding method, press-fit stress and thermal expansion mismatch between sapphire and metal should be reviewed carefully.

Sapphire vs Ruby Orifice Jewels

Sapphire and ruby are both single-crystal aluminum oxide materials with excellent hardness, wear resistance and chemical stability. Ruby is aluminum oxide doped with chromium, while sapphire is typically colorless single-crystal aluminum oxide.

For many fluidic applications, both materials can be used depending on design, availability, color preference, inspection method and customer specification. The final choice should be based on drawing requirements, operating conditions and assembly design.

Information Needed for Quotation

To review a sapphire orifice jewel, please provide:

• Drawing or sketch
• Material requirement: sapphire or ruby
• Hole diameter and tolerance
• Outer diameter and thickness
• Hole type: straight, cup, tapered or custom geometry
• Edge condition requirement
• Surface finish requirement
• Flow medium: gas, liquid, solvent or other fluid
• Working pressure and temperature
• Mounting method or housing material
• Quantity and inspection requirement

Need a Custom Sapphire Orifice Jewel?

Send us your drawing, hole diameter, tolerance, flow medium, pressure, edge condition and mounting requirement. We can help review manufacturability, material suitability and key technical risks before quotation.