Hardness Testing
Chirstian Paul Mapalo
Ike Jr. Ligutom
Nicole Andrei E. Baldoza
What is Hardness
Testing?
Hardness Testing
The application of hardness testing enables you to However, hardness is not a fundamental property
evaluate a material’s properties, such as strength, of a material. Therefore, when drawing
ductility and wear resistance, and so helps you conclusions of a hardness test, you should always
determine whether a material or material treatment evaluate the quantitative value in relation to:
is suitable for the purpose you require.
The given load on the indenter
The definition of hardness testing is ‘a test to
determine the resistance a material exhibits to A specific loading time profile and a specific
permanent deformation by penetration of another load duration
harder material.’
A specific indenter geometry
A hardness test is typically performed by pressing
a specifically dimensioned and loaded object
(indenter) into the surface of the material you are
testing. The hardness is determined by measuring
the depth of indenter penetration or by measuring
the size of the impression left by an indenter.
HOW DO HARDNESS Hardness tests that measure the depth of indenter
TESTS WORK? penetration include: Rockwell, Instrumented
Indentation Testing, and Ball Indentation
Hardness
Hardness tests that measure the size of the impression
left by the indenter include: Vickers, Knoop, and
Brinell
SELECTING THE BEST
HARDNESS TEST METHOD
The hardness test you choose should be determined by
the microstructure – (homogeneity) – of the material
you are testing, as well as the type of material, the size
of the part and its condition.
How to select the
In all hardness tests, the material under the indent
should be representative of the whole microstructure
(unless you attempting to ascertain the different
test method.
constituents in the microstructure). Therefore, if a
microstructure is very coarse and heterogeneous, you
need a larger impression than for a homogeneous
material.
The type of material to be hardness tested
Whether compliance with a standard is required
The approximate hardness of the material
The homogeneity/heterogeneity of the material
When selecting a hardness
The size of the part
test method, important
considerations include: Whether mounting is necessary
The number of samples to be tested
The required accuracy of the result
THE FOUR MOST COMMON INDENTATION
HARDNESS TESTS
Rockwell
The Rockwell hardness test
The Rockwell hardness test is often used as a
‘quick test’ on the production floor or in the
laboratory, mainly for metallic materials.
However, it can also be used for more advanced
tests. Due to the relatively high loads used,
application of the Rockwell hardness test is
generally limited to larger sample geometries.
The Rockwell hardness test
THE ROCKWELL TEST CALCULATION
The Rockwell hardness test calculation (HR) is made by measuring the
depth of an indentation made with a diamond or tungsten carbide ball.
Indenters
The Rockwell hardness test utilizes 1 of 5 different indenters:
Diamond cone
Tungsten ball in sizes 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", or 1/2"
Main loads
The Rockwell hardness test utilizes 1 of 6 different main loads:
15 kgf, 30 kgf, 45 kgf, 60 kgf, 100 kgf, or 150 kgf
The Rockwell hardness test
APPLICATION OF THE ROCKWELL
HARDNESS TEST
Surface preparation
Before application of the Rockwell hardness test, you must
prepare the surface of the material to be tested. The
required surface condition for the Rockwell hardness test
depends on the load used.
The Rockwell hardness test is used for macro hardness
tests, which are generally defined as tests that use
indentation loads below or equal to 1 kgf. Therefore, a
ground surface is usually sufficient, and sometimes no
preparation is required.
The Rockwell hardness test
LOADS
Indentation time: 2-6 seconds
Sample thickness ASTM: At least 10 times the indentation depth for both indenters
Sample thickness ISO: Diamond indenter: At least 10 times the indentation depth. Tungsten carbide indenter: At least 15 times the indentation depth
The Rockwell hardness test
The Rockwell hardness test
Vickers
The Vickers hardness test
DEFINITION OF THE VICKERS
HARDNESS TEST
The Vickers hardness test is a versatile hardness test method, used for
both macro and micro hardness testing. It has a broad load range, and
is suitable for a wide range of applications and materials.
The Vickers hardness test is often regarded as easier to use than other
hardness tests: The process can be performed on a universal or micro
hardness tester; the required calculations are independent of the size of
the indenter; and the same indenter (a pyramidal diamond) can be used
for all materials, irrespective of hardness.
The Vickers hardness test
THE VICKERS HARDNESS
CALCULATION
The Vickers Hardness (HV) is calculated by optically measuring the
diagonal lengths of the impression left by the indenter. The
measurements are converted to HV using a table or formula.
Load range: From 10 gf up to 100 kgf
The Vickers hardness test
The Vickers hardness test at a glance:
Ideal for micro hardness testing
Can be used for case hardness depth measurement, Jominy
testing and hardness testing of welds
Standards: ASTM E384, ISO 6507 and JIS Z 2244
The Vickers hardness test
SURFACE PREPARATION
Before placing the sample material in the micro hardness testing
machine, you should ensure it is correctly prepared.
The required surface condition for the Vickers hardness test
depends on the load used.
Macro hardness testing (loads higher than 1 kgf)
Surface should be ground
Micro hardness testing (loads below or equal to 1 kgf)
Surface should be mechanically polished or electropolished
The Vickers hardness test
Indentation time: 10-15 seconds
Sample thickness ASTM: At least 10 times the indentation depth
Sample thickness ISO: At least 1.5 times the diagonal length
The Vickers hardness test
Knoop
Knoop hardness testing
The Knoop hardness test is an alternative to the
Vickers test in the micro hardness testing range.
This page describes the Knoop hardness test and
gives you practical information on how to apply
it in practice.
The Knoop hardness test at a glance:
A micro hardness test used for brittle materials, such as
ceramics
Suitable for small elongated areas, such as coatings
Applicable standards: ASTM E384, ISO 4545, JIS Z 2251
Knoop hardness testing
DEFINITION OF THE KNOOP
HARDNESS TEST
The Knoop hardness test is an alternative to the Vickers
hardness test in the micro hardness testing range, and it can be
performed on the same universal or micro hardness testing
machine. It is mainly used to overcome cracking in brittle
materials, as well as to facilitate the hardness testing of thin
layers.
As in the Vickers hardness test, the indenter used in the Knoop
hardness test is a pyramidal diamond. However, instead of being
symmetrical, the pyramid is elongated. Knoop Hardness (HK) is
ascertained by measuring optically along the long diagonal of
the indent.
Knoop hardness testing
The Vickers hardness test at a glance:
Ideal for micro hardness testing
Can be used for case hardness depth measurement, Jominy
testing and hardness testing of welds
Standards: ASTM E384, ISO 6507 and JIS Z 2244
Knoop hardness testing
APPLICATION OF THE KNOOP
HARDNESS TEST
Surface preparation
Before application of the Knoop hardness test, you must prepare the
surface of the material to be tested.
The Knoop hardness test is used for micro hardness testing (loads
below or equal to 1 kgf) and so the surface of the sample material
should be highly polished or electropolished before it is introduced to
the micro hardness tester.
Knoop hardness testing
Indentation time: 10-15 seconds
Sample thickness ASTM: At least 10 times the indentation depth
Sample thickness ISO: At least one-third of the length of the long diagonal
Knoop hardness testing
KNOOP VS VICKERS HARDNESS TESTING
When deciding whether to use the Knoop or Vickers micro hardness testing method, there are a few things to consider.
The Knoop indenter penetrates about half as deep as the Vickers, making it suitable for brittle materials, such as ceramics
The Knoop test is more sensitive to surface conditions because the indenter penetrates less deeply
The Knoop major diagonal is ~3.0 times longer than Vickers diagonals. This minimizes errors when reading the Knoop
indent, which is important when small indents are produced (with low loads and hard materials, for example)
Due to the geometry of the indenter, the Vickers test is better suited to small rounded areas; the Knoop test is better suited to
small elongated areas, such as coatings
Both tests can be performed on the same micro hardness testing machines
Brinell
Brinell hardness testing
The Brinell hardness test is used for larger samples
in materials with a coarse or inhomogeneous grain
structure. This page describes the Brinell hardness
test in detail and gives you practical information on
how to apply it.
The Brinell hardness test at a glance:
For hardness testing of larger samples
Optical reading required
Standards: ASTM E10, ISO 6506, JIS Z 2243
Brinell hardness testing
DEFINITION OF THE BRINELL
HARDNESS TEST
The Brinell hardness test was originally developed in the late
1800s by the Swedish engineer of the same name. He wanted to
find a method to control the quality/hardness of steel. His
solution was to press a railway wheel-bearing ball into the
material and then measure the size of the mark it left. The
method proved reliable and in 1900 the Brinell hardness test was
officially born.
Today, the Brinell test is performed using a Brinell hardness test
unit. The machine presses a tungsten carbide ball into the
sample, and then optically measures the diameter of the
impression.
Indenter sizes: 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mm
Loads: From 1 kgf to 3000 kgf
Maximum hardness: 650 HBW
Brinell hardness testing
A hardness test for larger samples
As the Brinell hardness test (HBW) indentation leaves a
relatively large impression, the Brinell hardness test is
better suited to larger samples with a coarse or
inhomogeneous grain structure, such as castings and
forgings.
Good to know
HBW stands for Hardness Brinell Wolfram carbide.
Wolfram carbide (= tungsten carbide) underlines that newer
Brinell standards call for the use of tungsten carbide balls,
as opposed to the (softer) steel balls previously used (HBS).
Values will differ at higher hardness.
Brinell hardness testing
Surface preparation
Before the sample material is placed in the Brinell hardness test
unit, it must be either:
Machined
Ground
Lapped
Polished
Brinell hardness testing
Indentation time: 10-15 seconds
Sample thickness ASTM: At least 10 times the indentation depth
Sample thickness ISO: At least 8 times the indentation depth
Brinell hardness testing
HOW TO ENSURE ACCURACY AND
REPEATABILITY IN HARDNESS
TESTING
HOW TO ENSURE ACCURACY AND REPEATABILITY IN HARDNESS TESTING
The correct application of hardness testing requires
careful preparation and execution. However, once you
have the basics in place, most hardness tests offer
good accuracy and repeatability.
Factors that influence hardness testing
A number of factors influence hardness tests results.
As a general rule, the lower the load you use in the
hardness test, the more factors that need to be
controlled to ensure an accurate conclusion of the
hardness test.
HOW TO ENSURE ACCURACY AND REPEATABILITY IN HARDNESS TESTING
Here are a few of the most important factors to
consider to ensure an accurate conclusion from a
hardness test.
External factors such as light, dirt, vibrations,
temperature, and humidity should be controlled
The tester and stage should be secured on a solid
horizontal table, and the sample should be clamped or
held in a holder or anvil
The indenter should be perpendicular to the tested
surface
Illumination settings should be constant during the
test when using Vickers, Knoop, or Brinell
The tester should be recalibrated/verified every time
you change the indenter or objective lens
END
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