LAB # 4

HARDNESS TEST
GROUP MEMBERS

JACQWIN JOY
AKHIL JOHN
ABIN ALEX
JOEL K GEORGE
AIM To determine the hardness of given materials.
 ➢ Hardness is a measure of the resistance to localized
plastic deformation induced by either mechanical
indentation or abrasion.
➢ There are three main types of hardness

INTRODUCTION ➢
measurements: scratch, indentation, and rebound.
Indentation hardness measures the resistance of a
sample to material deformation due to a constant
compression load from a sharp object
➢ Common indentation hardness scales
are Rockwell, Vickers, Shore, and Brinell.
MATERIALS REQUIRED

 Brinell hardness testing machine.

 Rockwell hardness testing machine.
 Sample specimen for calibration.
 Hardened steel ball and diamond indenter.
 Microscope gauge.
 Specimens for testing.
Types of Hardness Testing
Brinell hardness testing Rockwell hardness testing
machine machine
BRINELL HARDNESS
TEST
Specimens used for
Brinell Hardness

 Hardened Steel Gear

 Cast Iron Square plate
 Aluminium Rectangular plate
THEORY

 The Brinell scale characterizes the indentation hardness of materials through

the scale of penetration of an indenter, loaded on a material test-piece.
 The typical test uses a 10 millimetres (0.39 in) diameter steel ball as an
indenter with a 3,000 kgf (29.42 kN; 6,614 lbf) force.
 For softer materials, a smaller force is used; for harder materials, a tungsten
carbide ball is substituted for the steel ball. The indentation is measured
and hardness calculated as:
01 02 03 04 05 06
Use a sample of A steel ball indenter Remove the sample Use formula to find Now repeat same Note all the readings
stainless steel of of 10 mm dimeter at from the machine the Brinell hardness procedure for and do calculations
known hardness for 3000 kgf is forced on and measure the number. different specimens to find the hardness.
the calibration. the sample for 15 diameter of the at same load with
seconds. This load indent with the help same 10 mm
will create an indent of microscope. indenter.
on the sample piece.

PROCEDURE
 CALIBERATION
P=3000kgf
d= 4.2mm
D=10mm
Brinell Hardness Number=
= 206.525
OBSERVATIONS
RESULTS
ADVANTAGES :-

 The Brinell method can be used for testing non-homogeneous materials (e.g.
castings), because the large ball comes into contact with many crystals
(different metallographic constituents of the material), thereby forming a
mechanical average value.
 A choice can be made between a large number of test forces and ball
diameters for the widest variety of applications.
 Relatively large test indents that are easier to measure the rather small
Vickers indentations.
 The specimen surface can be rough.
DISADVANTAGES :-

 The surface quality of the specimen must be good, because the indent is
measured optically.
 High risk of deforming the material to be tested when testing in the macro
range with high test loads (e.g. HBW 10/3000) and consequent risk of
measuring errors due to wall formation. Therefore good illumination of the
test indent is important for ensuring correct evaluation of the test indent
 Limitation in applying the method on thin specimens of very hard materials.
 The process is slow (by comparison with the Rockwell method). The test cycle
take between 30 and 60 seconds, not including the time taken to prepare the
specimen.
ROCKWELL HARDNESS
TEST
Specimens used for Rockwell Hardness

 Coin

 Cylinder
 THEORY

 The Rockwell scale is a hardness scale

based on indentation hardness of a
material.
 The Rockwell test determines the hardness
by measuring the depth of penetration of
an indenter under a large load compared to
the penetration made by a preload.
 There are different scales, denoted by a
single letter, that use different loads or
indenters. The result is a dimensionless
number noted as HRA, HRB, HRC, etc.,
where the last letter is the respective
Rockwell scale.
 120 degree conical diamond indenter is
used for hard materials.
PROCEDURE

3. Turn the capstan 4. Further turn the

1. Select the load by 2. Clean the test-piece
wheel to elevate the wheel for three
rotating the Knob and and place n the special
test specimen into rotations forcing the
fix the suitable anvil or work table of
contact with the test specimen against
indenter. the machine.
indenter point. the indenter.

6. Push the lever to 8. The Rockwell

apply the Major load. A 7. As soon as the pointer hardness can be read off
5. Set the pointer on
Dash Pot provided in the comes to rest pull the the scale dial, on the
the Scale dial at the
loading mechanism to handle in the reverse appropriate scale, after
appropriate position.
ensure that the load is direction slowly. the pointer comes to
applied gradually. rest.
CALIBERATION

 By caliberating the specimen we get a

hardness number of 56 .

 Specimen value = 56.66 +/- 1 HRC

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
ADVANTAGES :-

1. The most widely used non- destructive testing method for determining
hardness.
2. Simple to perform.
3. Highly skilled operators are not required.
4. Can be used for a wide range of materials.
5. The entire operation completes within 10 seconds.
6. Results are displayed directly on the dial.
 DISADVANTAGES :-

1. Possibility of errors is higher owing to shifting of the sample under test load during
test cycle.
2. Quality of indenter and surface influences the test result more.
3. The tests should not be performed closer to the edge of the specimen.
PRECAUTIONS

1 2 3 4
ALWAYS USE SMOOTH DO NOT USE THIN DO NOT MAKE INDENT ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY
AND FLAT WORKPIECE WORKPIECE SO THAT CLOSE TO EDGES OF SHOES AND GLASSES
FOR TESTING. INDENT DOES NOT WORKPIECE. IN THE LAB
SHOW ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF WORKPIECE.
THANK YOU…