Hardness Testing

THERE ARE TWO BASIC TYPES:

INDENTATION HARDNESS TESTING REBOUND HARDNESS TESTING

INDENTATION HARDNESS TESTING METHODS:

BRINELL ROCKWELL NORMAL / SUPERFICIAL VICKERS KNOOP, VICKERS (Microhardness Method) ASTM E10 ASTM E18 ASTM E92 ASTM E384

MLP for Hardness Testing of Metallic Materials MLP PB-5

DEFINITION:
HARDNESS IS THE PROPERTY OF THE MATERIAL TO RESIST PERMANENT DEFORMATION.

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Hardness Testing

(CONTINUED)

PRINCIPLE OF INDENTATION HARDNESS TESTING:

AN INDENTER OF KNOWN GEOMETRY AND DIMENSIONS IS IMPRESSED INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SPECIMEN BY A KNOWN LOAD. THE SIZE OF THE INDENTATION MADE (AS DETERMINED BY MEASURING ITS DEPTH, OR AREA, DEPENDING ON THE TEST), PROVIDES AN INDICATION OF THE HARDNESS OF THE MATERIAL.

PURPOSE OF HARDNESS TESTING:

TO CHECK THAT THE MATERIAL MEETS SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. TO CHECK THAT THE MATERIAL IS IN THE CORRECT CONDITION [TEMPER]. TO PREVENT POSSIBLE MIXING OF MATERIALS. HARDNESS IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FAIRLY ACCURATE INDICATOR OF THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES.

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Hardness Testing

(CONTINUED)

ADVANTAGES OF HARDNESS TESTING

FAST RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE CAN BE PERFORMED ON THE FINISHED PRODUCT NON-DESTRUCTIVE ADAPTABLE PRACTICALLY TO ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

DIFFERENT HARDNESS METHODS, DIFFERENT SCALES

MATERIAL CONDITION, SIZE, SURFACE FINISH ETC., DETERMINE METHOD TO BE USED.

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Rockwell Hardness Test

TEST LOADS REGULAR: 10 kgf (KILOGRAMS OF FORCE) MINOR LOAD; 60, 100, 150 kgf MAJOR LOADS SUPERFICIAL: 3 kgf MINOR LOAD; 15, 30, 45 kgf MAJOR LOADS. 120 DIAMOND CONE INDENTER; 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 & 1/2 INCH STEEL BALL PENETRATORS THE DEPTH OF PENETRATION BETWEEN THE MINOR AND MAJOR LOAD IS MEASURED AND HARDNESS VALUES AREA ARE DIRECTLY DISPLAYED.

INDENTERS

MEASUREMENT

PRIMARY CHARACTERISTIC

RAPID, DIRECT-READING TEST FOR PRODUCTION OPERATIONS. CONSISTS OF MANY SCALES.

MAJOR AREA OF APPLICATION SURFACE FINISH

PRODUCTION TESTING OF RELATIVELY SMALL PARTS. A REASONABLY SMOOTH SURFACE ( 63 INCH MAX FOR REGULAR, 32 INCH MAX FOR SUPERFICIAL) IS REQUIRED

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Microhardness Test
TEST LOADS INDENTERS MEASUREMENT 1 gf TO 1 kgf. (kilograms of force) KNOOP DIAMOND INDENTER, OR 136 DIAMOND PYRAMID INDENTER. INDENTATIONS ARE MEASURED OPTICALLY USING CLEMEX MICROHARDNESS TESTER. HARDNESS VALUES ARE DISPLAYED AND PLOTTED INTO THE GRAPH. BASICALLY A LABORATORY TEST. LONG DIAGONAL OF MARK VIRTUALLY UNAFFECTED BY ELASTIC RECOVERY OF MATERIAL. SMALLEST IMPRESSION PERMITS TESTING OF VERY SMALL PARTS AND VERY THICK SECTIONS. CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENTS (CARBURIZE OR NON-CARBURIZE SURFACE). VERY BRITTLE, OR FRAGILE MATERIALS. VERY THIN FOILS, FILMS AND COATINGS. CASE HARDNESS PROFILES OF CASE HARDENED PARTS. GENERALLY, MICROHARDNESS TESTS REQUIRE FLAT, SMOOTH, HIGHLY POLISHED SURFACES. THE SMALLER THE INDENTATION, THE BETTER THE SURFACE FINISH MUST BE. STANDARD ASTM E384
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PRIMARY CHARACTERISTIC

MAJOR AREA OF APPLICATION

SURFACE FINISH

Rockwell Indentation Test Principle

Figure 1 Plots of force vs. time (a) and Indenter-depth vs. time (b) For an HRC test illustrating the testing cycle parts and The difference in Indenter depth measurements h.

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TEST PARAMETERS HARDNESS NUMBERS

INDENTER (SPECIFIED BY SCALE) LOAD IN KG ROCKWELL NUMBER READ DIRECTLY DISPLAYED

SIZE OF INDENTATION DIAMETER ROCKWELL: APPROX. 0.2 TO 1.5 MM

ROCKWELL APPROX. 0.1 TO 0.7 M SUPERFICIAL: DEPTH (INCHES) ROCKWELL: ROCKWELL SUPERFICIAL: (100ROCKWELL NO.) 0.00008 WITH DIAMOND (100ROCKWELL NO.) 0.00004

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Types and Appearance of Different Indentations

BRINELL

ROCKWELL

VICKERS

KNOOP

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Terminology
ROCKWELL HARDNESS TEST:
AN INDENTATION HARDNESS TEST USING A VERIFIED MACHINE TO FORCE A DIAMONDS SPHEROCONICAL INDENTER, OR HARD STEEL BALL INDENTER UNDER SPECIFIED CONDITIONS INTO THE SURFACE OF THE MATERIAL UNDER TEST, IN TWO OPERATIONS. THE DIFFERENCE IN DEPTHS MEASURED BETWEEN THE PRELIMINARY AND TOTAL TEST FORCES. (MINOR AND MAJOR LOADS, RESPECTIVELY.)

HARDNESS DESIGNATION:
ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBERS HR, ARE ALWAYS QUOTED WITH THE SCALE SYMBOL REPRESENTING THE INDENTER AND THE FORCES USED.

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Terminology

(CONTINUED)

HARDNESS DESIGNATION (continued)

THE HARDNESS NUMBER IS FOLLOWED BY THE SYMBOL HR AND THE SCALE DESIGNATION: Example: 64 HRC = ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBER OF 64 ON ROCKWELL C SCALE. 81 HR30N = ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBER OF 81 ON THE ROCKWELL 30N SCALE. FOR VICKERS (HV) AND KNOOP (HK) THE HARDNESS NUMBERS ARE REPORTED USING SUBSCRIPT TO INDICATE THE LOAD IN GRAMS-FORCE. Example: 400 HK 100

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Indenters
DIAMOND SPHEROCONICAL INDENTER: THE DIAMOND INDENTOR SHALL BE FREE FROM SURFACE DEFECTS (CRACKS, CHIPS, PITS, ETC.)

STEEL BALL & PENETRATORS:

THE BALL SHALL BE POLISHED AND FREE FROM SURFACE DEFECTS. THE HARDNESS OF THE BALLS SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN 850 HV10.

ANVILS:
A SUITABLE ANVIL SHALL BE USED FOR THE SPECIMEN TO BE TESTED. CYLINDRICAL PIECES SHALL BE TESTED WITH A: V-GROOVED ANVIL, OR ON HARD, PARALLEL TWIN CYLINDERS FLAT PIECES SHALL BE TESTED ON A: FLAT, SMOOTH BEARING SURFACE FOR THIN MATERIALS, OR FOR SPECIMENS THAT ARE NOT PERFECTLY FLAT A SPOT ANVIL SHALL BE USED.
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Rockwell Diamond Cone Indenter

APPLICATION OF MINOR & MAJOR LOADS

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Various Anvils For Rockwell Testing Machines

(d) V-SLOT ANVIL

(a) ANVIL (TESTING TABLE) FOR LARGE WORK PIECES

(b) PLANE-SURFACE ANVIL

(c) PEDESTAL SPOT ANVIL

(e) CYLINDRON ANVIL

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DAMAGED ANVILS SHALL BE REPLACED

THE SEATING AND SUPPORTING SURFACES OF ANVILS SHALL BE CLEAN, SMOOTH AND SHALL BE FREE FROM PITS, HEAVY SCRATCHES, SCORE MARKS, DUST, DIRT AND GREASE.

TEST BLOCKS:
CERTIFIED TEST BLOCKS SHALL BE USED TO VERIFY HARDNESS TESTER. BEFORE A ROCKWELL HARDNESS TESTING MACHINE IS VERIFIED, IT SHALL BE CHECKED TO ENSURE THAT: THE MACHINE IS PROPERLY SET UP. THE INDENTER HOLDER IS PROPERLY SEATED. THE INDENTER IS FREE OF DEFECTS, VISUALLY INSPECT AT 5X MAGNIFICATION AND RECORD THE MACHINE IS CALIBRATED (Check the Sticker).

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EACH DAY, BEFORE THE TESTING MACHINE IS USED FOR TESTING PRODUCTION PARTS: MAKE AT LEAST TWO PRELIMINARY INDENTATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE MACHINE IS WORKING FREELY, AND THAT THE TEST BLOCK, INDENTER AND ANVIL ARE SEATED CORRECTLY. IGNORE THE READINGS OBTAINED. MAKE AT LEAST THREE HARDNESS READINGS ON A CERTIFIED TEST BLOCKS, ON THE SCALE AND IN THE HARDNESS RANGE THE MACHINE WILL BE USED, RECORD THE READINGS. NOTE: USE TWO STANDARDIZED TEST BLOCKS CERTIFIED FOR THE SAME METHOD AND SCALE, SERRATED BY AT LEAST TEN HARDNESS POINTS, RECORD READINGS.

IF THE READINGS FALL WITHIN THE TOLERANCES MARKED ON THE TEST BLOCK, THE MACHINE MAY BE REGARDED AS SATISFACTORY. IF NOT, NOTIFY SUPERVISOR.

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Procedures
THE TEST PIECE SHALL BE SUPPORTED RIGIDLY SO THAT NO DISPLACEMENT WILL OCCUR DURING TEST. BRING INDENTER INTO CONTACT WITH THE TEST SURFACE CAREFULLY AND APPLY MINOR LOAD, P0. ESTABLISH THE REFERENCE POSITION (ZERO DIAL IF REQUIRED) AND APPLY MAJOR LOAD, P1 WITHOUT SHOCK OR VIBRATION. WHILE MAINTAINING THE MINOR LOAD P0, REMOVE THE ADDITIONAL MAJOR LOAD, P1, WITHIN 5 TO 6 SECONDS.

RECORD HARDNESS NUMBER:

AFTER A NEW INDENTER OR ANVIL HAS BEEN MOUNTED, THE FIRST TWO READINGS SHALL BE DISREGARDED AND THE APPROPRIATE TEST BLOCK SHALL BE CHECKED. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CENTRE OF TWO ADJACENT INDENTATIONS SHALL BE AT LEAST THREE TIMES THE DIAMETER OF THE INDENTATION.

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Procedures

(CONTINUED)

THE DISTANCE FROM THE CENTRE OF ANY INDENTATION TO THE EDGE OF THE TEST PIECE SHALL BE AT LEAST THREE TIMES THE DIAMETER OF THE INDENTATION. THERE IS NO GENERAL METHOD OF ACCURATELY CONVERTING THE ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBERS ON ONE SCALE TO ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBERS ON ANOTHER SCALE, OR TO OTHER TYPES OF HARDNESS NUMBERS, OR TO TENSILE VALUES. SUCH CONVERSIONS ARE, APPROXIMATIONS AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE AVOIDED, (UNLESS REQUESTED BY CUSTOMER P.O.).

REPORT:
THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: THE ROCKWELL HARDNESS NUMBER. THE SCALE USED.

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Indentations Made by Vickers (LEFT) and Knoop (RIGHT) Indenters

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Rockwell and Vickers Hardness Testing Machines

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General Guidelines
ON RAW MATERIALS USE HEAVIEST LOAD ALLOWED, PROVIDED
THERE IS SUFFICIENT STOCK REMOVAL FOLLOWING HEAT TREATMENT.

DEPTH OF INDENTATION
ROCKWELL DIAMOND PENETRATOR: NORMAL: SUPERFICIAL: Example: THE HARDNESS OF A CARBURIZED CASE IS: THE DEPTH OF PENETRATION IS: 90 HR15N. (100-ROCKWELL NUMBER) * 0.00008 (inch) (100-ROCKWELL NUMBER) * 0.00004 (inch)

(10090) * 0.00004 = 0.0004"

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PART WITH THE SAME HARDNESS TESTED ON THE C SCALE WILL HAVE A DEPTH OF PENETRATION OF: (10059.5) * 0.00008 = 0.0032 inch
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General Guidelines

(CONTINUED)

SPACING OF INDENTATIONS
INDENTATIONS MUST BE A MINIMUM OF THREE DIAMETERS, OR THREE DIAGONALS FROM THE EDGE OF THE PART. FOR THE KNOOP INDENTER AT LIGHT LOADS, 1-1/2 TIMES THE LENGTH OF THE SHORT DIAGONAL IS SUFFICIENT IF THE LONG DIAGONAL PARALLELS THE EDGE IN QUESTION.

SPECIMEN THICKNESS
AS A GENERAL RULE, THE DEPTH OF PENETRATION SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 1/10TH OF THE THICKNESS OF THE SPECIMEN, OR OF THE CASE OF CASE HARDENED PARTS. DEFORMATION OF THE CORE MATERIAL BENEATH THE CASE IS CALLED BRINELLING.

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General Guidelines

(CONTINUED)

SHAPE OF SPECIMENS
IDEALLY HARDNESS SHOULD BE PERFORMED ON A FLAT SURFACE. THE ERROR PRODUCED BY PART CURVATURE DEPENDS ON THE RATIO OF MARK SIZE TO THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE SURFACE.

COMPOSITION OF SPECIMENS
HETEROGENEOUS MATERIALS REQUIRE LARGER INDENTATIONS TO GET AN AVERAGE HARDNESS VALUE HOMOGENOUS MATERIALS MAY BE TESTED USING LARGE OR SMALL INDENTATIONS. BRITTLE MATERIALS SHOULD BE TESTED WITH LIGHT LOADS.

DESTRUCTIVENESS OF TEST
HARDNESS TESTING MAY BE COME A DESTRUCTIVE TEST IF THE INDENTATION IS TOO LARGE. MARKS LEFT BY VICKERS ARE SELDOM OBJECTIONABLE. NEXT IS ROCKWELL SUPERFICIAL TESTING, FOLLOWED BY ROCKWELL.

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General Guidelines

(CONTINUED)

HARDNESS CONVERSION
CONVERSION OF HARDNESS VALUES FROM ONE SCALE TO ANOTHER SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF POSSIBLE UNLESS SPECIFIED BY CUSTOMER'S PURCHASE ORDER. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CONVERSION TABLES TO BE EXACT OVER A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS AND HARDNESS. WHEN REPORTING CONVERTED HARDNESS NUMBERS, THE MEASURED HARDNESS SHALL BE INDICATED IN PARENTHESES AS SHOWN: 61.5 HRC (78.9 HR30N) HARDNESS CONVERSION TABLES, BASED ON ASTM METHOD E140 ARE GIVEN IN NORTHSTAR METALLURGICAL LABORATORY PROCEDURE, MLP PB-1.

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General Guidelines

(CONTINUED)

SURFACE PREPARATION
SURFACES TO BE HARDNESS TESTED SHALL BE CLEAN, FLAT, SMOOTH AND FREE FROM FOREIGN MATERIAL. AVOID TAKING HARDNESS READINGS ON DECARBURIZED OR CARBURIZED SURFACES, WHERE CARBONIZING IS NOT A REQUIREMENT. PREPARE SUCH SURFACES BY GRINDING OR FILING.

DO NOT MAKE HARDNESS INDENTATIONS ON

SHOT PEENED SURFACES. SUPER FINISHED SURFACES.

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Correction to be added to HRC and HRA Values Values Obtained on Convex Cylindrical Surfaces
7.0 " Dia

6.0

5.0
3

8" Dia

4.0 " Dia 3.0

5

8" Dia

" Dia 2.0

7

8" Dia

1.0

0.0 020 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90

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Important Rules
CORRECTION FACTORS FOR MACHINE ERRORS SHALL NOT BE USED IN CERTIFYING HARDNESS VALUES. HARDNESS TESTING SHALL ONLY BE PERFORMED ON A SINGLE THICKNESS OF MATERIAL. MAKE SURE TO USE THE RIGHT INDENTER FOR THE JOB. MAKE SURE THAT THE ANVIL IS FREE OF DENTS, NICKS AND OTHER DAMAGE. MAKE SURE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PART IS CLEAN AND FREE OF NICKS, DENTS ETC. WHEN REMOVING ANVILS COVER THE TOP WITH YOUR HAND, TO AVOID HITTING AND CHIPPING THE DIAMOND INDENTER. ALWAYS TEST THE HARDNESS MACHINE USING TEST BLOCKS BEFORE STARTING THE SHIFT. RECORD HARDNESS VALUES OBTAINED IN THE LOG BOOK, DATE AND SIGN. ENSURE THAT THE HARDNESS MACHINE HAS A VALID CALIBRATION STICKER. OUT OF CALIBRATION MACHINES SHALL BE QUARANTINED.
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Important Rules

(CONTINUED)

DO NOT USE TEST BLOCKS WITH INDICATIONS ON SITTING AREAS. ENSURE THAT THE TEST BLOCKS ARE USED ON THE IDENTIFIED FACE AND HAVE ENOUGH UNUSED AREAS TO PROVIDE VALID READINGS. USE TEST BLOCKS THAT APPROXIMATE THE HARDNESS OF THE PARTS TO BE TESTED. DAMAGED EQUIPMENT SHALL BE REPAIRED OR CHANGED. REPORT DISCREPANCIES TO THE RESPONSIBLE SUPERVISOR. WHEN INCORRECT READING IS OBTAINED, REFEREE TEST SHALL BE PERFORMED. WHEN DEEMED NECESSARY TO PERFORM REFEREE TEST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS SHALL BE USED: (A) RE-PREPARATION OF THE SPECIMEN TO IMPROVE SURFACE FINISH, PARALLELISM AND/OR FLATNESS. (B) (C) SELECTION OF LOAD WHICH PRODUCED MAXIMUM SENSITIVITY OF READINGS (HIGHER LOAD FOR HIGHER HARDNESS). USE OF DIRECT READING DIGITAL EQUIPMENT INSTEAD OF EQUIPMENT REQUIRING HUMAN INTERPRETATION OF READINGS.

(D) MAKE THREE TO FIVE IMPRESSIONS. ALL READINGS SHALL CONFORM TO SPECIFICATION, REPORT THE MEDIAN VALUE.
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NORMAL

LOAD LINE 2 MAX.

Figure 1

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ROCKWELL DIAMOND INDENTER

120 0.35

POLISHED DIAMOND SPHEROCONE

R 0.200 mm 0.010 mm

Figure 2
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INDENTER

TEST PIECE

ANVIL

MACHINE CENTRE LINE

Figure 4
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INDENTER

TEST PIECE

ANVIL

MACHINE CENTRE LINE Figure 5

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INDENTER

TEST PIECE 90 ANVIL

MACHINE CENTRE LINE Figure 6

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SPOT ANVIL

INDENTER TEST PIECE

POLISHED SURFACE MINIMUM HARDNESS OF ANVIL: 60 HRC ANVIL

MACHINE CENTRE LINE Figure 7

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