3D Printing

Laboratory Assignment 4: Brinell Hardness Test

Theory:
Brinell hardness test is most commonly used to test materials that
have a structure that is too rough or too coarse to be tested using
other test methods, e.g., castings and forgings. In Brinell testing
machine the load is applied by a lever mounted on knife edges and
carrying a hanger for suspending the required load. The supporting
table for spacing the specimen can be raised or lowered by a steel
screw by operating a large hand wheel. When testing, the load is
applied and removed by hydraulic power controlled by a hand lever.
The indenter used is a hardened steel ball which will have a diameter
of 10mm, 5mm or 2.5mm. The reading microscopic has a 25-fold
magnification. The gap between successive graduations of the scale
is 0.5mm and a micrometer is arranged sideways, the eye piece of
the reading microscope may be turned up by 90 degree so that the
impressions of the ball can be measured in two perpendicular
directions.
Brinell testing often use a test load of 500 kg for relatively soft
materials such as copper, aluminium alloys and 3000 kgf for
harder material and a 10 mm wide indenter so that the resulting
indentation averages out of most surface and sub-surface
inconsistencies. After the load is applied for a specific time
(usually 10 to 15 sec for hard ferrous materials and about 30 sec
for soft nonferrous materials) the recovered indentation diameter
is measured in millimeter. This time period is required to ensure
that plastic flow of the work metal has ceased.

A well-structured Brinell hardness number reveals the test

conditions, i.e., "70 HB 10/500/30" which means that a Brinell
Hardness of 70 was obtained using a 10mm diameter hardened
steel ball with a 500 kilogram load applied for a period of 30
seconds. Highly hardened steel cannot be tested by a hardened
steel ball because the ball will get flattened and become
permanently deformed. The appreciable error in BHN occurs at
indentation diameter less than 2.9 mm and for softer materials
inaccuracy is at diameter greater than 6mm. On tests of
extremely hard metals a tungsten carbide ball is substituted for
the steel ball (upto 444-627 HB) and a special hardened and
burnished steel ball may be used up to 500 HB.

(showing the manner in which the application of force by the indenter causes the metal
of work piece to flow)

Compared to the other hardness test methods, the indenter used

in Brinell makes the deepest and widest indentation, so that test
averages the hardness over a wider amount of materials which
will accounts for multiple grain structures and any irregularities
in the uniformity of the material.

The Brinell hardness number is defined as the ratio of test load

to the surface area of indentation.

Where,

P = Load in Kg

HBW = Brinell hardness number (Kg/mm2)

D = Diameter of the ball (mm)

d = Diameter of the indentation (mm)

Where,

Constant = 0.102 = 1/(g ) = 1/9.81

g = acceleration due to gravity

F = Force in Newton

While testing, the indentation should not be made nearer to the

edge of a specimen, the distance from the edge to the center of
indentation should be greater than 2.5 times diameter of
indentation in order to avoid unnecessary concentration of
stresses the spacing between the two adjacent impressions
should be at least 3 times the diameter of indentation, and also
the rapid rate of applying load should be avoided since rapidly
applied load may restrict plastic flow of a material which
produces effect on size of indentation.

TEST SPECIMEN:
The selected specimen shall have a thickness at least 8 times
the depth of indentation to avoid the deformation to be extended
to the opposite surface of a specimen. After the test, no
deformation shall be there on the surface of the test piece
opposite to the indentation. The surface of the test specimen
shall be smooth and even, free from oxide scale, foreign matter
and, in particular completely free from lubricants.

POSSIBLE INDENTATION PATTERNS:

Brinell number is based on the surface area of the indentation.
In the Brinell test the indentation may exhibit different surface
characteristics, which have been carefully studied and analyzed.
When a indenter is pressed on to the surface of the specimen
under compressive load there will be a large number of
deformations under the indenter. The deformed material flow out
in all directions. Surface surrounding the impression bulges out
slightly to account for volume of material displaced under the
indenter. In case of ridging type impression, the diameter of the
indentation will be more than the actual value and whereas, in
case of sinking type impression the diameter of the indentation
will be less than the actual value.

RELEVANT INDIAN STANDARD FOR

BRINELL TEST:
1. IS 1500: 2005, Method for Brinell Hardness Test for Metallic
Materials, Fourth Revision, 2005.

Procedure

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the indentation hardness of,

1. Mild steel specimen

2. Cast iron specimen

3. Brass specimen

4. Aluminium specimen
STEPS:
1. When you click on a Brinell test file, a new window will
open as shown below.

2. Click on the NEXT button at the bottom right corner to

move to the next step.
3. Click on the material to select the required specimens and
the load to be applied on that is shown, and then click on
NEXT button.

4. The load to be applied on the selected specimen is

displayed here, click NEXT button to mount the specimen
on setup.
5. Click on hand wheel then move mouse pointer over the
hand wheel to rotate it in clockwise direction till the
specimen is in position, after adjusting the specimen in
specified position then move to the next step by clicking
on NEXT button.

6. Switch on the machine and click on hand lever to apply

load, again click on unload after applying load of 10 to 15
sec for ferrous material and up to 30sec for nonferrous
material.
7. Scroll mouse over the microscope adjusting screw to view
the indentation, adjust the indentation corner to zero.

8. Click on hand lever again to stop the loading process.

 9. The observation of trial 1 is given; repeat the same steps
for other trials.

10. The final average hardness value from different trials is given
here.
Self Evaluation

Check your understanding after you have gone through the basic
theory and the procedure to use the simulator.

1. The ratio of test load to surface area of indentation in this test

is

Brinell hardness number

Shear strength of material

Indentation number

None of these

2. During hardness test the indenter is usually a

Ball indenter

Cone indenter

All of the above

Pyramid indenter

3. In Brinell hardness test, the diameter of ball used to test

copper specimen is

1 mm

7 mm

3 mm
 5 mm

4. The ability of the material to resist stress without failure is

called

Strength

Hardness

Stiffness

Toughness

5. Property of hardness of material is resistance to

Indentation

Wear

Scratching

All the above

Simulator

Important Instructions: Perform the experiment for all four types

of materials

Case 1: Material Chosen: Brass

Step 1: Diameter of the indenter D = 10mm. Select the load P

based on the type of material selected (Mild steel, Cast Iron,
Brass, Aluminium)
Click and select the material from the following: Cast Iron / Mild
Steel / Brass / Aluminium

Selected Material: ___Brass_____

Step 2: The specimen is placed on the supporting table, then the

hand wheel below the table is turned in clockwise direction until
the gap between the surface of the specimen and the indenter is
5mm

Step 3: The motor is switched ON. The hand lever is pulled into
load position. The load is applied for a period of 10 to 15
seconds.

Step 4: The hand lever is pulled back into unload position. The
diameter of the impression is measured through a microscope
attached to the apparatus.

Trial 1: Measure Diameter: ___3.33__

 Trial 2: Measure Diameter: __3.41___

Observations: Enter details from Simulator experiment in

the table below:
Trial Material Diameter of Load P (kg) Average HBW Average
Indenter D diameter d1 (kg/mm2) HBW
(mm) (mm) (kg/mm2)

1
Brass 10 1000 3.33 111.6 108.94
2
3.41 106.7

Case 1: Material Chosen: Cast Iron

Step 1: Diameter of the indenter D = 10mm. Select the load P

based on the type of material selected (Mild steel, Cast Iron,
Brass, Aluminum)

Click and select the material from the following: Cast Iron /
Mild Steel / Brass / Aluminum
Selected Material: ___Cast Iron_____
Step 2: The specimen is placed on the supporting table, then
the hand wheel below the table is turned in clockwise direction
until the gap between the surface of the specimen and the
indenter is 5mm

Step 3: The motor is switched ON. The hand lever is pulled into
load position. The load is applied for a period of 10 to 15
seconds.

Step 4: The hand lever is pulled back into unload position. The
diameter of the impression is measured through a microscope
attached to the apparatus.

Trial 1: Measure Diameter: __5.8___

Trial 2: Measure Diameter: __5.9__

Observations: Enter details from Simulator experiment in the

table below:
Trial Material Diameter of Load P (kg) Average HBW Average
Indenter D diameter d1 (kg/mm2) HBW
(mm) (mm) (kg/mm2)

1
Cast Iron 10 3000 5.8 103.07 101.14
2
5.9 99.21

Case 2: Material Chosen: Mild Steel

Step 1: Diameter of the indenter D = 10mm. Select the load P

based on the type of material selected (Mild steel, Cast Iron,
Brass, Aluminum)

Click and select the material from the following: Cast Iron / Mild
Steel / Brass / Aluminum

Selected Material: __Mild Steel______

Step 2: The specimen is placed on the supporting table, then the

hand wheel below the table is turned in clockwise direction until
the gap between the surface of the specimen and the indenter is
5mm.
Step 3: The motor is switched ON. The hand lever is pulled into
load position. The load is applied for a period of 10 to 15
seconds.

Step 4: The hand lever is pulled back into unload position. The
diameter of the impression is measured through a microscope
attached to the apparatus.

Trial 1: Measure Diameter: ___4.6__

Trial 2: Measure Diameter: _5.04____

Observations: Enter details from Simulator experiment in the
table below:
Trial Material Diameter of Load P (kg) Average HBW Average
Indenter D diameter d1 (kg/mm2) HBW
(mm) (mm) (kg/mm2)

1
Mild Steel 10 3000 4.6 170.49 155.34
2
5.04 140.2

Case 4: Material Chosen: Aluminum

Step 1: Diameter of the indenter D = 10mm. Select the load P

based on the type of material selected (Mild steel, Cast Iron,
Brass, Aluminum)

Click and select the material from the following: Cast Iron / Mild
Steel / Brass / Aluminum

Selected Material: _Aluminium_______

Step 2: The specimen is placed on the supporting table, then the
hand wheel below the table is turned in clockwise direction until
the gap between the surface of the specimen and the indenter is
5mm

Step 3: The motor is switched ON. The hand lever is pulled into
load position. The load is applied for a period of 10 to 15
seconds.

Step 4: The hand lever is pulled back into unload position. The
diameter of the impression is measured through a microscope
attached to the apparatus.

Trial 1: Measure Diameter: ___2.79__

Trial 2: Measure Diameter: _2.67____
Observations: Enter details from Simulator experiment in the
table below:
Trial Material Diameter of Load P (kg) Average HBW Average
Indenter D diameter d1 (kg/mm2) HBW
(mm) (mm) (kg/mm2)

1
Aluminium 10 500 2.79 80.2 83.96
2
2.67 87.72

Quiz

Check your ability to answer some of the questions relevant to

the simulation that you used.

1. Time up to which load has to be maintained in experiment for

mild steel is

15 to 20 seconds

10 to 15 seconds

5 to 10 seconds

20 to 25 seconds

2. The property of a material that resists penetration or

indentation by means of abrasion or scratching is known as

Strength

Toughness

Hardness

Brittleness
3. The indenter used in the test is usually a

Hardened steel ball

Copper ball

Diamond point

Silver ball

4. What is the diameter of the impression?

0.2D-0.7D

0.1D

0.7D-1.3D

1.3D-1.5D

5. What is the minimum thickness of the specimen required?

20 times depth of indentation

8 times depth of indentation

5 times depth of indentation

15 times depth of indentation