HARDNESS TESTING OF METALLIC MATERIALS

TITLE
Hardness Testing of Metallic Materials
OBJECTIVE

To determine the hardness of metallic materials by using the Rockwell scale.

INTRODUCTION
Hardness in its definition is the resistance of metal to plastic deformation, usually by indentation.
However, the term may also refer to stiffness or temper, or to resistance to scratching, abrasion, or
cutting. It is the property of a metal, which gives it the ability to resist being permanently, deformed
(bent, broken, or have its shape changed), when a load is applied. The greater the hardness of the metal,
the greater resistance it has to deformation. The dictionary of Metallurgy defines the indentation
hardness as the resistance of a material to indentation. This is the usual type of hardness test, in which a
pointed or rounded indenter is pressed into a surface under a substantially static load.
There
are
three types of tests used with accuracy by the metals industry; they are the Brinell hardness test, the
Rockwell hardness test, and the Vickers hardness test. Since the definitions of metallurgic ultimate
strength and hardness are rather similar, it can generally be assumed that a strong metal is also a hard
metal.

THEORY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardness, n.d.)

Hardness has been variously defined as resistance to local penetration, scratching, machining,
wear or abrasion, and yielding. The multiplicity of definitions, and corresponding multiplicity of
hardness measuring instruments, together with the lack of a fundamental definition, indicates
that hardness may not be a fundamental property of a material, but rather a composite one
including yield strength, work hardening, true tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and others.

There are two types of irregularities at the grain level of the microstructure that are responsible
for the hardness of the material. These irregularities are point defects and line defects.

A point defect is an irregularity located at a single lattice site inside of the overall threedimensional lattice of the grain. There are three main point defects. If there is an atom missing
from the array, a vacancy defect is formed. If there is a different type of atom at the lattice site
that should normally be occupied by a metal atom, a substitutional defect is formed.

If there exists an atom in a site where there should normally not be, an interstitial defect is
formed. This is possible because space exists between atoms in a crystal lattice. While point
defects are irregularities at a single site in the crystal lattice, line defects are irregularities on a
plane of atoms.

Dislocations are a type of line defect involving the misalignment of these planes. In the case of
an edge dislocation, a half plane of atoms is wedged between two planes of atoms. In the case of
a screw dislocation two planes of atoms are offset with a helical array running between them.

Dislocations provide a mechanism for planes of atoms to slip and thus a method for plastic or
permanent deformation.[6] Planes of atoms can flip from one side of the dislocation to the other
effectively allowing the dislocation to traverse through the material and the material to deform
permanently. The movement allowed by these dislocations causes a decrease in the material's
hardness.

The permanent increase in depth of penetration, resulting from the application and removal of
the additional major load is used to calculate the Rockwell hardness number.
Equation 1 : HR = E e

E = a constant depending on form of indenter

e = permanent increase in depth of penetration due to major load

Figure 1 - (http://www.gordonengland.co.uk/, n.d.)

Rockwell Hardness Test

The Rockwell Hardness test is a hardness measurement based on the net increase in depth of
impression as a load is applied.
Hardness numbers have no units and are commonly given in the R, L, M, E and K scales. The
higher the number in each of the scales means the harder the material.
Hardness has been variously defined as resistance to local penetration, scratching, machining,
wear or abrasion, and yielding. The multiplicity of definitions, and corresponding multiplicity of
2

hardness measuring instruments, together with the lack of a fundamental definition, indicates
that hardness may not be a fundamental property of a material, but rather a composite one
including yield strength, work hardening, true tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and others.

In the Rockwell method of hardness testing, the depth of penetration of an indenter under
certain arbitrary test conditions is determined. The indenter may either be a steel ball of some
specified diameter or a spherical diamond-tipped cone of 120 angle and 0.2 mm tip radius,
called Brale. The type of indenter and the test load determine the hardness scale.

There is a second Rockwell tester referred to as the "Rockwell Superficial Hardness Tester".
This machine works the same as the standard Rockwell tester, but is used to test thin strip, or
lightly carburized surfaces, small parts or parts that might collapse under the conditions of the
regular test. The Superficial tester uses a reduced minor load, just 3 kilograms, and has the
major load reduced to either 15 or 45 kilograms depending on the indenter, which are the same
ones used for the common scales.

MATERIALS AND APPARATUS (http://www.bikepro.com/products/metals/hardness.html, n.d.)

Hardness tester
Conical diamond with a round tip / ball indenters
A portable and fast hardness gauge, for testing Aluminum, mild steel, brass and copper
The digital durometer HPE, serves for the hardness determination of rubber, elastomers, and
plastic
Standard specimen

PROCEDURE

A standard specimen of 6.4mm (0.25 in) thickness was either molded or cut from a sheet.
A testing temperature of 10-35 C should be used , and a given specimen with a flat or v notch
was selected.
It was made certain the crank was in unload position and the Rockwell scale should be adjusted
according to the specimen.
An indenter should be specified according to the material used.
The large pointer in the dial face was adjusted in relevance with the following scale.

Table 1 :Rockwell Hardness Scales

Scale symbol

Pre-load kg (N)

10 (98)

10 (98)

Indenter

Total test force Specimen

kg (N)
material
Diamond (1200, 60 (589)
Thin steel,
0.2 tip radius)
Non-ferrous,
WC 1/16 100 (981)
steels
(1.588mm)
3

soft

Diamond (1200, 150 (1471)

0.2 tip radius)

10 (98)

Hard steels

The specimen was placed having let the indenter to contact with the test surface with a velocity
less than 2.5mm/s by raising the anvil in a clockwise direction.
It was suggested to obtain a preliminary load with 10kg and the hand wheel was turned for the
required number of revolutions for the large pointer.
Load was applied by moving the crank with a loading time of one to eight seconds.
Then the specimen was unloaded by moving the crank,and the values in the relevant dial was
taken as the result.
Repeating the test along with the same specimen would carry out better results.

OBSERVATION
Table 2 :

HRB Results

Sample

1st value

2nd value

3rd value

4th value

5th value

Avg.
Value

64

75

83.5

82

93.5

79.6

Table 3 : HRC Results

Sample

1st value

2nd value

3rd value

4th value

5th value

Avg.
Value

61

56

67

62

57.5

60.7

CALCULATIONS
(http://www.hegewald-peschke.com/info-bereich/guidelines-to-hardness-testing.html, n.d.)

Rockwell hardness test defined by the formula, according to the measured Rockwell hardness,
Rockwell hardness calculated a variety of scale corresponding to the value of the residual
indentation depth. 1.
HRA, HRC, HRD scale Rockwell hardness HR = 100-h/0.002 residual indentation depth h =
(100-HR) 0.002mm such as:
4

hardness is 62HRC, the residual indentation depth is h = (100 - 62) 0.002 = 0.076mm 2. HRB,
HRF, HRE, HRG, HRH, HRK scale Rockwell hardness HR = 130-h/0.002 residual indentation
depth of quality products h = (130-HR) 0.002mm such as:
hardness to 80HRB, the residual indentation depth is h = (130-80) 0.002 = 0.1mm 3. HRN, HRT
scale Rockwell hardness HRN (or T) = 100-h/0.001 residual indentation depth h = (100 - HR)
0.001mm such as: hardness value 80HR30N, the residual indentation depth is h = (100-80) 0.002
= 0.04mm

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardness, n.d.)
(http://www.gordonengland.co.uk/, n.d.)
(http://www.hegewald-peschke.com/info-bereich/guidelines-to-hardness-testing.html, n.d.)
(http://www.bikepro.com/products/metals/hardness.html, n.d.)