Hardness Test

Hardness Test
Appendix C
What are we going to learn today?
Explain the basics of Brinell, Rockwell

and microhardness tests
Explain advantages and disadvantages
of each type of test and select the
best for each application
Perform the test, determine
hardness reading and convert into
another scale
In his book on Hardness the
scientist ONeill states that:
The hardness of metals, like the

storminess of seas, is easily
appreciated but not readily measured
for one would hope to express it in
terms of fundamental units.
Hardness is:
the resistance of a material to
deformation, abrasion, scratching,
penetration, resistance to cutting,
lack of malleability etc.
Accompanying factors
Materials with higher hardness have
higher Tensile Strength and
Brittleness
Softer material are more ductile
Scratch Hardness
Introduced by Friedrich Mohs in 1822
Mohs hardness Scale
Mineral Hardness #
Diamond 10
Corundum 9
Topaz Hard Cr plating 8
8
Martensitic steel 7-8
Quartz 7 W7
Feldspar 6
Apatite 5
Fluorite 4 Mild steel 3-4
Calcite 3 Copper 2-3
Gypsum 2 Lead 1-2
Talc 1
Brinell Test - Load over Area Test
Introduced by Dr. Jonathan Brinell in 1900.

Brinell Test Method ASTM Standard E10
1. Press a 10mm (3/8") diameter ball into

material with a known amount of load.
2. Measure diameter of the indentation.
3. Calculate hardness according to the

formula
How to calculate hardness #?
P
BNH
D / 2 D D2 d 2
P load in kg
D diameter of the ball in mm
d diameter of indentation in mm
P/D2 ratio for Brinell test
Material P/D2 ~BHN

Steels and
30 Over 100
cast iron
Copper and Al
10 30-200
alloys
Pure Al 5 15-100
Tin, lead and
1 3-20
their alloys
Limitations of the Brinell
Hardness Test
a) Sample must be ten times thicker than the
indentation depth (sample usually should be at
least 3/8" thick).
b) Test is most accurate if the indentation depth

is 2.5 - 5.0 mm. Adjust load to achieve this.
c) Test is no good if BHN > 650
d) Sensitivity problem
Advantages of the Brinell Test
Widely used and well accepted

Large ball gives good average
reading with a single test
Accurate
Easy to learn and use
Disadvantages of the Brinell Test
Destructive
Non-portable
High initial cost ($5,000)
Error due to operator reading Brinell
Microscope (10%max)
Hardness and Tensile Strength
Tensile Strength = BHN x 500 [psi]

Microhardness Test another
load over area test
Vickers:
ASTM E384 micro force ranges
10g to 1kg
ASTM E92 macro force ranges
1kg to 100kg
Knoop - ASTM E384
Vickers
developed in England is 1925 and was
formally known as the Diamond
Pyramid
Range HV= 100-1000
Vickers test
All Vickers ranges use a 136 pyramidal diamond

indenter that forms a square indentation.
Vickers Test Method
The indenter is pressed into the sample by an accurately
controlled test force.
The force is maintained for a specific dwell time, normally
10 15 seconds.
After the dwell time is complete, the indenter is removed
leaving an indent in the sample that appears square shaped
on the surface.
The size of the indent is determined optically by measuring
the two diagonals of the square indent.
The Vickers hardness number is a function of the test force
divided by the surface area of the indent. The average of
the two diagonals is used in the following formula to
calculate the Vickers hardness.
HV = Constant x test force /
indent diagonal squared
HV = 1854.4 x P/d2
Knoop Test
Knoop testing is done with a rhombic-based pyramidal

diamond indenter that forms an elongated diamond
shaped indentation
Knoop Test Method
The indenter is pressed into the sample by an accurately
controlled test force.
The force is maintained for a specific dwell time, normally
10 15 seconds.
After the dwell time is complete, the indenter is removed
leaving an indent in the sample that appears square shaped
on the surface.
The size of the indent is determined optically by measuring
the longest diagonal of the diamond shaped indent.
The Knoop hardness number is a function of the test force
divided by the projected area of the indent. The diagonal is
used in the following formula to calculate the Knoop
hardness.
HK = Constant x test force /
indent diagonal squared
HK = 14229 x P/d2
Advantages of the Vickers-Knoop
Test
One scale covers the entire hardness

range.
A wide range of test forces to suit every
application.
Nondestructive, sample can normally be
used.
The small diamond indenter and low test
forces allows testing very small parts or
material features not capable if being
tested any other way
Disadvantages of the Vickers and Knoop
Test
The main drawback of the Vickers and

Knoop test is the need to optically measure
the indent size. This requires that the test
point be highly polished to be able to see
the indent well enough to make an accurate
measurement.
Slow. Testing can take 30 seconds not
counting the sample preparation time.
Rockwell Hardness Test
Introduced in 1919 by Stanley
Rockwell
Manufacturing started in 1920 by
Charles Wilson
Wilson revised the Rockwell method
Rockwell Test Procedure
ASTM Standard E18
Select Scale - load and indentor

depending on the scale
Press the indenter into material
- Diamond Indenter (Brale)
- 1/16" ball
- 1/8" ball
Machine measures depth of penetration
and computes hardness
Rule of Thumb:
Keep indentations 2-3 diameters
apart
Select the scale to keep reading
between 20-80
For Steel:
If HRA > 60, use HRC scale
If HRA < 60, use HRB scale
Limitations of the Rockwell Test
1) Sample must be ten times thicker than the indentation

depth (sample usually should be at least 1/8" thick).
2) Need 3 tests (minimum) to avoid inaccuracies due to

impurities, hard spots
3) The indenter travel is limited to 100 Rockwell points

or 0.2mm.
Advantages of the Rockwell Test
Widely used and well accepted
Little operator subjectivity direct
reading
Accurate
Fast
Large range of scales (plastics to steels)
Regular surface preparation (polishing
not needed)
Disadvantages of the Rockwell Test
Destructive
Non-Portable
Initial cost ($5,000)
Compared to Brinell the device is not
as rugged and need adjustments
Small impressions not so
representative as Brinell
Rockwell regular scales
(10kg minor load)
Scale Indenter Major Typical Applications of Scales
Symbol Load
kgf
HRA Brale 60 Cemented carbides, thin steel and shallow case hardened steel
Diamond
HRB 1/16" ball 100 Copper alloys, soft steels, aluminum alloys, malleable iron
HRC Brale 150 Steel, hard cast irons, pearlitic malleable iron, titanium, deep case hardened
Diamond steel and other materials harder than B100
HRD Brale 100 Thin steel and medium case hardened steel and pearlitic malleable iron
Diamond
HRE 1/16" ball 100 Cast iron, aluminum and magnesium alloys, bearing metals
HRF 1/16" ball 60 Annealed copper alloys, thin soft sheet metals
HRG 1/16" ball 150 Phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, malleable irons. Upper limit G92 to avoid
possible flattening of ball
HRH 1/8" ball 60 Aluminum, zinc, lead
HRK 1/8" ball 150

HRL 1/4" ball 60
HRM 1/4" ball 100 Bearing metals and other very soft or thin materials, including plastics (See
HRP 1/4" ball 150 ASTM D785). Use smallest ball and heaviest load that do not give anvil effect.
HRR 1/2" ball 60
HRS 1/2" ball 100
HRV 1/2" ball 150
Rockwell Superficial scales (3kg load)
Scale Symbol Indenter Major Typical Applications of Scales
Load
kg
HR15N Brale Diamond 15 kg Cemented carbides, thin steel and shallow

HR30N 30 kg case hardened steel
HR45N 45 kg Steel, hard cast irons, pearlitic malleable iron,
titanium, deep case hardened steel and other
materials harder than B100
Thin steel and medium case hardened steel
and pearlitic malleable iron
HR15T 1/16" ball 15 kg Copper alloys, soft steels, aluminum alloys,
HR30T 30 kg malleable iron
HR45T 45 kg Annealed copper alloys, thin soft sheet metals
Phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, malleable
irons. Upper limit G92 to avoid possible
flattening of ball
HR15W 1/8" ball 15 kg Cast iron, aluminum and magnesium alloys,
HR30W 30 kg bearing metals
HR45W 45 kg Aluminum, zinc, lead
Steel, hard cast irons, pearlitic malleable
HR15X 1/4" ball 15 kg
HR30X 30 kg
HR45X 45 kg
HR15Y 1/2" ball 15 kg
HR30Y 30 kg
HR45Y 45 kg
Shore Scleroscope Hardness
Is a very old hardness testing originating in
the early 1900's
Is a dynamic test that drops a diamond
tipped hammer vertically from a fixed
height onto the surface of the material
under test.
The height of the rebound of the hammer
is a measure of the hardness of the
material.
Scleroscopes are no longer produced,
however many are still in use.
testers used a glass tube graduated
from 0 to 140 to measure the
rebound. The operator would observe
the height of the rebound on the
graduated glass tube.
Some remarks on Scleroscopes
Used on a wide variety of metallic parts
but the size of the sample should be large
enough to support the rebound.
Large well-finished rolls are a good
application for a Scleroscope.
They do not leave an indent so the part
can be used after testing without
refinishing.
And finally,
While fairly versatile and portable,
Scleroscopes are difficult to use.

Hardness conversion chart
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Hardness Test

Explain the basics of Brinell, Rockwell

The hardness of metals, like the

Introduced by Dr. Jonathan Brinell in 1900.

1. Press a 10mm (3/8") diameter ball into

2. Measure diameter of the indentation.

3. Calculate hardness according to the

Material P/D2 ~BHN

b) Test is most accurate if the indentation depth

c) Test is no good if BHN > 650

Widely used and well accepted

Tensile Strength = BHN x 500 [psi]

All Vickers ranges use a 136 pyramidal diamond

Knoop testing is done with a rhombic-based pyramidal

One scale covers the entire hardness

The main drawback of the Vickers and

Select Scale - load and indentor

1) Sample must be ten times thicker than the indentation

2) Need 3 tests (minimum) to avoid inaccuracies due to

3) The indenter travel is limited to 100 Rockwell points

HRK 1/8" ball 150

HR15N Brale Diamond 15 kg Cemented carbides, thin steel and shallow

Scleroscopes are difficult to use.

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