Practical No.

04:
Hardness Testing On Rockwell Hardness Tester of given Sample Material.

I. Practical Significance
In the industry, it has become practice to understand hardness as the indentation hardness only,
unless otherwise specified. The Rockwell hardness test is probably the most widely used method
of hardness testing. It is developed with the depth of penetration as the criterion for the hardness
of the metal. This concept was proposed in 1908 by Ludwig at Vienna.

II. Industry/Employer Expected Outcome (s)

This practical is expected to develop the following skills for the industry/Employer
1. Ability to operate the Rockwell hardness tester accurately and efficiently, including setup,
calibration, and maintenance.
2. Capability to assess the suitability of materials for specific applications based on hardness
test results.

III. Minimum Theoretical Background with diagram (if required)

Rockwell hardness test differs from Brinell hardness test in that the hardness is determined from the
depth of indentation made by the indenter under a constant load. Various types of indenters may be
used in Rockwell hardness tests: diamond indenter and steel-ball indenters of diameter 1/16, 1/8, 1/4,
or 1/2 inch. In this test, the indenter is pressed into the specimen surface under an initial minor (light)
load followed by a major (heavy) load. The additional depth of indentation made by the indenter
under the major load beyond that by the minor load is measured and converted to a hardness number.
The hardness number is inversely related to the depth of indentation. In regular Rockwell hardness
tests, the minor load is always 10 kg while the major load can be 60, 100, or 150 kgf. A letter is
assigned to each scale that employs a particular combination of indenter and major load. A hardness
number is suffixed by first the letter H (for hardness), then the letter R (for Rockwell), and finally the
letter that indicates the scale used. For example, a value of 45 on the Rockwell C scale is expressed
as 45 HRC.
Rockwell hardness tester gives the direct reading of hardness number on a dial provided with the
machine. The specimen may be cylinder, cube, thick or thin metallic sheets. Individual can operate
the Rockwell hardness tester effectively, interpret the results accurately, and understand the
implications of those results in a practical, industrial context.
Table No. 4.1 Rockwell Hardness Tester Machine Scale
Sr. Minor Major Total
Rockwell Type of load
No. load(A) load (B) Application
Scale Indenter P=(A+B)
Kg-F Kg-F Kg-F
A Scale Diamond Carbide materials, thin steel,
1 10 60 70
(HRA) Cone and other hard materials.
Used for softer metals like
B Scale 1/16 inch copper alloys, soft steels,
2 10 100 110
(HRB) Steel Ball aluminum alloys, and
malleable iron.
Used for harder materials
C Scale Diamond such as hardened steel,
3 10 150 160
(HRC) Cone titanium, and certain
ceramics.
 D Scale Diamond Used for thin steel and hard
4 10 100 110
(HRD) Cone cast iron.
E Scale 1/8 inch Steel Used for aluminum and
5 10 100
(HRE) Ball magnesium alloys
F Scale 1/16 inch Used for materials like
6 10 60 70
(HRF) Steel Ball copper and brass alloys
G Scale 1/16 inch
7 10 100 110 Used for very soft materials
(HRG) Steel Ball
H Scale 1/8 inch Steel Used for aluminum and other
8 10 60 70
(HRH) Ball soft metals.
K Scale 1/2 inch Steel Used for very soft metals and
9 10 150 160
(HRK) Ball plastics.
IV. Experimental setup (Model)-

Fig.4.1 Types of Indenter

1. Power switch
2. Test scale scroll key
3. Indenter
4. Indenter display
5. Major load (kg) display
6. Weight selector dial
7. Anvil
8. Specimen
9. Capstan hand wheel
10. Minor load (kg) display

Fig.4.2 Rockwell Hardness Tester

Fig.4.3 Indentation Process
 V. Required Resources /Apparatus/Equipment with specification
S. No. Name of Suggested Broad Specification Quantity
Resourc
e
1 Digital Rockwell 1) Test loads - 60, 100 & 150 kgf 2) 02
hardness Tester Minor load - 10 kg3) Max test height
- 230 mm 4) Throat depth - 133 mm
along with essential accessories.
2 Set of standard Mild steel, Brass, Bronze, Each one
specimen Copper,
Aluminium

VI. Precautions to be Followed

● The surface on which the Rockwell impression is to be made should be flat and
sufficiently smooth.
● Ensure the test surface is clean, smooth, and free from any contaminants, rust, or
scale.
● Remove any surface irregularities or coatings that might affect the penetration of
the indenter.
● The bottom surface also should be free from scale, dirt, or other foreign
substances that might crush or flow under the test pressure and so affect the
results.
● Use samples that are thick enough to avoid any influence from the anvil or the
back of the sample. Generally, the thickness should be at least ten times the depth
of the indentation.
● Avoid testing on samples that are too thin or deformable.
● Apply the load slowly and gradually on the sample
● Distance between old impression and location for new impression should be 3D
(three times the ball diameter)
● The thickness of the test piece must not be less than 8 times the depth of
impression.
● Select the appropriate indenter (diamond or ball) and load based on the material
being tested and the desired Rockwell scale.
● Ensure the indenter and load are properly calibrated and suitable for the hardness
range of the material.
● Conduct the test in a stable environment to avoid vibrations or temperature
fluctuations that could affect the results.
● Ensure the operator is properly trained in the use of the Rockwell hardness tester
and understands the importance of each step in the testing process.
VII. Procedure
 1. Ensure the test surface is clean, smooth, and free from any contaminants, rust, or
scale.
2. Verify that the sample is thick enough to avoid any influence from the anvil or the
back of the sample.
3. Choose a diamond cone (for hard materials) or a steel ball (for softer materials) based
on the material and Rockwell scale.
4. Choose the appropriate test load (measured in kilograms) based on the material and
Rockwell scale.
5. Calibrate the machine using standard test blocks to ensure accuracy.
6. Check the indenter and the anvil for any wear or damage.
7. Place the sample on the anvil of the hardness tester.
8. Ensure the sample is properly aligned and stable.
9. Lower the indenter until it makes contact with the sample surface.
10. Apply the preliminary (minor) load (usually 10 kgf) to seat the indenter and establish
a reference point.
11. Apply the major load (additional load) smoothly to the indenter. The total load is the
sum of the preliminary and major loads.
12. Maintain the load for a specified dwell time to ensure proper indentation.
13. After the dwell time, remove the major load while maintaining the preliminary load.
14. The depth of indentation after the removal of the major load is measured
automatically.
15. The Rockwell hardness number is displayed directly on the machine’s dial or digital
readout.
16. Record the hardness value.
17. For more accurate results, take multiple hardness readings at different locations on
the sample.
18. Ensure indentations are sufficiently spaced apart to avoid interaction.
19. Remove the sample and clean the indenter and anvil if necessary.

VIII. Observations and Calculations

Room temperature –

Material Thickness Scale Type of Minor Major Measured Average

S.N. Indenter Load Load Hardness Rockwell
kgf kgf 1 2 3 Hardness
1
2

3
4

Sample calculations:

IX. Results
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X. Interpretation of Results
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 XI. Conclusions and Recommendation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

XII. Practical Related Questions

Note: Below given are few sample questions for reference. Teachers must design more
such questions so as to ensure the achievement of identified CO.
1. State the purpose of applying the minor load in case of Rockwell Hardness test.
2. State the different types of indenters used in hardness testing.
3. Explain surface condition requirement for Rockwell hardness testing with justification.
4. State the factors which affect the hardness measurement.
5. State the reason for taking at least three readings for hardness testing.
6. State the other methods of hardness measurement.
7. Differentiate other hardness measurement methods with Rockwell method.
8. State the conditions in which hardness measurement by Rockwell method may not be
preferred.
9. Can temperature of the surrounding affect hardness of the material.
10. State the course of action to be taken with justification if there is considerable difference
between the three readings of hardness of the same sample.
11. Differentiate between the Rockwell and Brinell hardness testing methods. When would
you choose one method over the other for determining the hardness of a material.
12. Explain the applications and industries where Rockwell Hardness testing is commonly
used. Provide examples of specific materials or components that are evaluated using this
testing method.
13. Explain the limitations of Rockwell Hardness testing. In what situations might
alternative hardness testing methods be more appropriate.