Hardness

 Resistance to plastic deformation by indentation.

 Resistance to scratching or abrasion.
 Resistance to permanent deformation.
 Stronger metals are generally harder.
 Hardness is a combination of properties yield strength,
work hardening, tensile strength, modulus of elasticity.

Importance

 Rubbing materials needs to be harder.

 Example:- Gears
 Abrasive particles need to be hard.
 Harder materials are scratch resistant.
 Example: Glass
 Hardness is an estimate of strength.
 Cutting tools need to be really hard.

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 Measuring hardness

 Principle: Indenter of known size is impressed into the

metal surface with known force.
 Depth/width/diameter/area of indentation is measured.
 Types of hardness tests
Macrohardness tests - Brinell, Rockwell (large
indenter and force)
Microhardness tests – Vickers, Knoop (Small
indenter and force)
Nanohardness tests – Very small force

Advantages of Hardness measurements

 Quick
 Non destructive
 Can be done on finished parts.
 Any surface shape
 Any grain size
 Estimation of material properties
 Cheap – less maintenance
 Each test covers wide range of materials

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 Factors affecting hardness
 Heat treatment -
Annealing – Softer
Quenching and tempering - Harder
 Grain size
 Composition
Carbon content
Alloying
 Cold working
 Temperature
Brinell Hardness test

 Invented by J.A Brinell in 1990

 Steel or Carbide ball of known diameter
 Known load, Dwell time
 3000 or 500 Kgf with 10 mm ball.

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  Example: 150 HB (3000 Kgf)
 Ranges fro 10 to 10,000
 Metals: 50 to 750 HB

Brinell Hardness

 Tensile strength (MPa) = 3.55 x HB (HB < 175)

= 3.38 x HB ( HB > 175)
@ 3000 Kgf
 Thickness – 10 times the depth of indentation
Advantages: -
 Only one scale
 Wide range with single scale
 Easy to compare
 Non-destructive
Disadvantages:-
 Relatively large dent
 Relatively slow
 Needs measurement
 Needs finished surface.

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 Rockwell Hardness test

 Named after S.P Rockwell

 Two types – Rockwell and Superficial Rockwell.
 Various Rockwell scales differentiated by load and
indenter.
 Example : - Indenters: 1/16’’ 1/8 ‘’ Brale ½’’
Loads : 60 KGF, 100 Kgf 150 Kgf
 30 Different scales (A, B, C………)
 Choice: Which test? Which load indenter combination?
 Depends on metal surface condition and thickness.

Principle
 Measures depth of indenter
 First apply minor load
 Then release major load

 HR = R – e where e = h3
 R = 100 for brale, 130 for others (ball)

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 e = depth in units of 0.002 mm

Scales
 A = Brale/ 60 kgf - Steels
 B – 1/16’’ / 100 kgf soft steels and brass
 C – Brale / 150 kgf - tool steel
 E – 1/8’’ / 100 kgf – aluminum
 H – 1/8’’ / 60 kgf – Annealed Aluminum
 denoted as 64 HRB, 26 HRC
 Thickness : 10 times depth of indentation
 Away from edges : 3 times dia of indentation
 Away from previous indentation: 3 times dia of
indentation

Rockwell Superficial Hardness

 More surface sensitive

 Thin samples and coating
 N and T scales for metals ( T: 1/16’’ , N : Brale)
 W,X,Y, scales (1/8’’, ¼’’ & ½’’ ball) – non metals.
 Major load of 15, 30 and 45 KGF
 Minor load of 3 Kgf

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 Denoted as 45N-20

Rockwell Scales
Major Minor
Scale Name Indenter Load Load Applications*
Regular Rockwell
Scales
Cemented carbides, thin steel and shallow case
A Diamond 60 kg 10 kg hardened steel
Copper alloys, soft steels, aluminum alloys,
B 1/16" ball 100 kg 10 kg mealleable iron
Steel, hard cast irons, pearlitic malleable iron,
titanium, deep case-hardnened steel and the
C Diamond 150 kg 10 kg materials harder than HRB100
Thin steel and medium case-hardnened steel
D Diamond 60 kg 10 kg and pearlitic malleable iron
Cast iron, aluminum and magnesium alloys,
E 1/8" ball 100 kg 10 kg bearing metals

F 1/16" ball 60 kg 10 kg Annealed copper alooys, thin soft wheet metals.

Phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, malleabel
irons. Upper limit is HRG 92 to avoid possible
G 1/16" ball 150 kg 10 kg flattening of the ball.
H 1/8" ball 100 kg 10 kg Aluminum, Zinc, Lead
Bearing metals and otehr very soft or thin
materials. Use samllest ball and heaviest load
K 1/8" ball 150 kg 10 kg that do not give and anvil effect
L 1/4" ball 60 kg 10 kg [Same as K]

M 1/4" ball 100 kg 10 kg [Same as K]

P 1/4" ball 150 kg 10 kg [Same as K]
R 1/2" ball 60 kg 10 kg [Same as K]
S 1/2" ball 100 kg 10 kg [Same as K]
V 1/2" ball 150 kg 10 kg [Same as K]

Superficial
Rockwell Scales
15N Diamond 15 kg 3 kg Similar to C scale, but for thin materials
30N Diamond 30 kg 3 kg [Same as 15N]
45N Diamond 45 kg 3 kg [Same as 15N]
15T 1/16" ball 15 kg 3 kg Similar to B scale, but for thin materials
30T 1/16" ball 30 kg 3 kg [Same as 15T]
45T 1/16" ball 45 kg 3 kg [Same as 15T]
15W 1/8" ball 15 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
30W 1/8" ball 30 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
45W 1/8" ball 45 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
15X 1/4" ball 15 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
30X 1/4" ball 30 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
45X 1/4" ball 45 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
15Y 1/2" ball 15 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials
30Y 1/2" ball 30 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials

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 45Y 1/2" ball 45 kg 3 kg Used for very soft materials

Advantages of Rockwell

 Direct reading

 Rapid, Non-destructive, cheap

 Slightly rough surfaces OK

 Any surface shape

 Wide ranges – almost all metal.

Disadvantages

 Base support dependent

 Difficult to compare

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 Vickers Hardness Test

 Vickers ltd – 1920s

 Microhardness test
 Diamond pyramid indenter
 Load up to 120 kgf
 Diagonal of indentation measured by calibrated
microscope.
 HV = 1.854 (F/D2)
 Denoted as 512HV0.5
 Highly location sensitive

Advantages
 Any metal
 One scale – Indenter
 Non-destructive, very accurate.

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Disadvantages

 Needs measurement and calibration

 Slow
 Good surface finish needed
 Expensive

Knoop hardness

 After F.Knoop (1939).

 Rhombohedral indenter (Elongated pyramid shape)

 W = 7L, depth = 1/30 L, HK = 14.229 (F/D2)

 Low pressure : Glass and ceramics (Less than 1 KG
force)
 Denoted as 500HK 0.5
Advantages:
 Elongated pyramid – low force
 One scale and indenter
Disadvantages:

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 Optical microscope needed
 Slow and expensive

Other tests

 Shore hardness: Based on rebound height of diamons

hammer.
 Mohs Hardness : Very old method
1) Talc
2) Gypsum
3) Fluorite
4) Apalite
5) Orthoclase
6) Quartz
7) Topaz
8) Corundum
9) Diamond

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 Rockwell Hardness Testing Procedure

 Which metal?
 Hard? Soft?
 Choose scale
 Hard scale – smaller indenter, high load
 Soft scale – larger indenter, low load
 Example:- C is harder than A, K Harder than H

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Procedure:

 Insert indenter and load

 Calibrate
 Apply minor load
 Adjust pointer to zero
 Apply major load
 How many rotations the dial rotated?
 Release major load
 Read hardness – Brale : Black dial , Others: Red dial

Test: - Two types of aluminum (7075-O and 7075-T6) and two

types of steel (1018 and 1090) and alloy steel (M2-tool steel).
Discuss effect of heat treatment, carbon content and alloying.

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