Hybrid Bearings are made up of two materials. The balls are made from a ceramic material, usually silicon nitride Si3N4, while the inner & outer rings are made from traditional, heat-treated chrome or stainless steel. Full Ceramic Bearings on the other hand have both the inner & outer rings as well the balls manufactured from ceramic material, usually zirconium dioxide ZrO2, also known as zirconia. Both hybrid and full ceramic bearings are now considered to be quite affordable and are often the most economical solution when the end-user considers the cost of a failure and the total cost of ownership.