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Rockwell Hardness Testing of C45 Steel

The material testing report investigates the Rockwell hardness testing procedure and the impact of quenching temperature on the hardness of medium carbon steel (C45). Experimental results indicate that the optimal quenching temperature for achieving maximum hardness is 780°C, while lower and higher temperatures result in reduced hardness due to incomplete austenitization and coarse grains, respectively. The findings align with metallurgical theory regarding the relationship between heat treatment conditions and mechanical properties.

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11 views2 pages

Rockwell Hardness Testing of C45 Steel

The material testing report investigates the Rockwell hardness testing procedure and the impact of quenching temperature on the hardness of medium carbon steel (C45). Experimental results indicate that the optimal quenching temperature for achieving maximum hardness is 780°C, while lower and higher temperatures result in reduced hardness due to incomplete austenitization and coarse grains, respectively. The findings align with metallurgical theory regarding the relationship between heat treatment conditions and mechanical properties.

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24143117
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MATERIAL TESTING REPORT

1. Objective
- To become familiar with the Rockwell hardness testing procedure (HRC/HRB).
- To understand the effect of quenching temperature and cooling conditions on the hardness of
medium carbon steel (C45).
- To compare and analyze the hardness of specimens treated at different temperatures.
- To establish the relationship between heat treatment conditions and mechanical properties.

2. Theoretical Background
- Hardness: The ability of a material to resist localized plastic deformation under concentrated load.
- Common hardness scales:
• Brinell (HB): steel ball, suitable for soft to medium materials.
• Vickers (HV): diamond pyramid, for thin and hard materials.
• Rockwell (HR): fast, direct reading, multiple scales (HRA, HRB, HRC...).
- Rockwell C scale (HRC): Diamond cone indenter (120°), load 150 kgf, used for hardened steels.
- Rockwell B scale (HRB): Steel ball indenter, load 100 kgf, used for softer materials.
- Heat treatment effect: Heating above austenitizing temperature then quenching → martensitic
transformation → hardness increases. Too low temp → incomplete austenitization. Too high temp
→ coarse grains → reduced hardness.

3. Experimental Results

3.1. Experimental Conditions


Sample Quenching Temp (°C) Holding Time (min) Cooling Medium
a 740 12 Water
b 780 11 Water
c 820 10 Water
d 860 9 Water

3.2. Hardness Test Results


Sample Scale Measured Values Average
a HRC 35 – 36 – 33 35 ± 2
b HRC 67 – 66 – 63 65 ± 2
c HRB 81 – 82 – 83 82 ± 1 HRB
c HRC 52 – 53 – 54 53 ± 1 HRC
d HRC 59 – 60 – 59 59 ± 1

3.3. Hardness–Temperature Relationship


4. Conclusion
- The hardness of C45 carbon steel strongly depends on the quenching temperature.
- At 740°C, hardness was low (~35 HRC) due to incomplete austenitization.
- At 780°C, hardness reached the maximum (~65 HRC), proving this is the optimum quenching
temperature.
- At higher temperatures (820–860°C), hardness decreased due to coarse grains and non-uniform
martensitic structure.
- The results match metallurgical theory: there exists an optimal quenching temperature that
produces maximum martensite and thus maximum hardness.

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