Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico

Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

ME 3221 / 02: Laboratorio Ingeniería de Materiales

SP – 11

HARDNESS TEST

by

Marlen Valentín Santiago #58295

Javier Puig Vivoni #61305
José Iván Maldonado #66245
Norman Miranda Álvarez #58315
Gilberto Claudio #

Prof. Julio Noriega

12 de abril de 2011
19 de abril de 2011
 Abstract

In this report we tested three different methods to test the hardness of a

material. These were the Rockwell, Vickers, and Brinell methods. The specimens

used aluminum 2024, steel 4140, steel 1018, and bronze SAE 660.
 Table of Contents:

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………pág. 1-2

Theory……………………………………………………………………………….pág.3

Equipment…………………………………………………………………………..pág. 4

Experimental Procedure……………………………………………………………pág. 5-6

Results ...………………………………………………………………….……….pág. 7-10

Discussion of Results……………………………………………….………….…pág. 11-12

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………pág. 13

Recommendation …………………………………………………………………pág. 14

Reference …………………………………………………………………………pág. 15

Appendix …………………………………………………………………………pág. 16-17

Figures …………………………………………………………………………..pág.
 Introduction

Hardness is the property of a material that enables it to resist plastic

deformation, usually by penetration. However, the term hardness may also refer to
resistance to bending, scratching, abrasion or cutting. Hardness measures
material's resistance to penetration.  Most hardness tests involve indentation, but
hardness may be reported as resistance to scratching (file test), or rebound of a
projectile bounced off the material (scleroscope hardness).  Hardness often is a
good indication of tensile and wears properties of a material.

Hardness testing is universally used in quality control, research and

development. The main purpose of the hardness test is to determine the suitability
of a material, or the particular heat treatment to which the material has been
subjected. Many factors can influence the hardness measured and, apart from the
material itself, can be related to the equipment or the measurement. For example,
when material is welded together, you often want to check the quality of the welded
sample by performing hardness measurements at various places across your
sample. Typically, a line of indentations is made a few mm parallelly to the sample
edge across the sample surface. In particular the hardness around the heat
affected zone is of interest, as too high harnesses might incur risks to the strength
of the weld.

As hardness testing could be divided in three types which include the elastic
hardness, the resistance to cutting or abrasion and the resistance to indentation,
only the resistance to indentation (hardness) will be performed in this experiment.
This resistance to indentation will be measured by applying to test, the Brinell Test
and the Rockwell Test. The indentation test consist of impressing an indentor of
known form into an specimen that is resting on a rigid platform with a known static
load. The load could be applied directly or through a lever system.
 Brinell test utilized a hand operated hydraulic press that forces an indentor
ball into the test specimen. In this method, a hardened steel ball is pressed into
the smooth surface of the metal so as to make an indentation of a size such as can
be conveniently measured under the microscope. The spherical area of the
indentation being calculated and the pressure being known, the stress per unit of
area when the ball comes to rest is calculated, and the hardness number obtained.
Within certain limits, the value obtained is independent of the size of the ball and of
the amount of pressure.

Rockwell test is utilized a direct reading based on differential in depth

measurement. The Rockwell test method measures a permanent depth of
indentation produced by the preliminary and total test forces. First, a preliminary
test force (pre-load or minor load) is applied. This is the zero or reference position.
Then, an additional test force (or major load) is applied to reach the total required
test force. This additional force is held for a predetermined amount of time and
then released, but with the preliminary test force still applied. The indenter reaches
the final position at the preliminary force and the distance traveled from the major
load position is measured and converted to a value into one of the many scales for
Rockwell hardness.
 Theory

For the purpose of this experiment the hardness test is calculated by determining
the Brinell Hardness Number (BHN). To determine the BHN the following equation
is used:

L
BHN =
D
(π )( D−√ D 2−d2 )
2

Equation #1. Equation to find Brinell Hardness number.

Where; L = Test Load [Kg]

D = Diameter of the ball [mm]

d = diameter of the impression [mm]

 Equipment

 The Brinell Test will be performed using the Brinell Hardness Tester: Model HB-2 from
Detroit testing Machine Company.

Figure #1. Brinell Hardness Tester

 The Rockwell Hardness Test will be performed using the Rockwell Hardness Tester from
Buehler LTD.

Figure #2. Rockwell Hardness Tester.

 T h e s a m p l e s w i

Figure #3. Bausch and Lomb

Microscope
Experimental Procedures
A. Experimental Procedures for Brinell Hardness Test
1. Before start the test, be sure that the tested surface and back surface of the
specimen must be parallel with each other or the sample must be secure on
an Anvil in a way that makes the tested surface perpendicular to the
Indentor. Remember that the impressions made at an angle will not provide
accurate measurements.
2. Grind or file the area on rough and unfinished surface. The back surface of
the specimen should be clean and free from scratches or dents. The better
the finish on the part to be tested, the more accurately the hardness
determination will be made.
3. Place the weight in the cross arms of the Brinell machine. The correctly
place (or remove) the weight, takes one in each hand a do them in pairs to
maintain balance. Slots in the weights should be staggered.
4. Place the specimen on the screw table and turn the handwheel to raise the
specimen until it is close to, or in contact with, the 10mm test ball.
5. Close needle valve and pump up pressure, while watching the amount of
load being applied on the gauge. Just before the gauge indicating needle
reaches the 3000 mark, push pump handle all the way up and bring down
very slowly until cross arm and weights have been raised approximately one
half inch.
6. The test load should remain on for al least 15 second. To release the load,
open needle valve slightly, allowing the weights to come gently to rest. Then
open approximately three full turns. (For specific setting for a particular
application consults the ASTM Standars E-10 for the material being tested
and the type of the test being conducted).
7. Repeat this procedure one time with the 3000kg load and do the same with
a 1000kg load for the same steel specimen. Remove specimen and place
microscope over each indentation.
B. Experimental Procedure for Rockwell Hardness Test

1. Before start the test, be sure that the tested surface and back surface of the
specimen must be parallel with each other or the sample must be secure on
an Anvil in a way that makes the tested surface perpendicular to the
Indentor. Remember that the impressions made at an angle will not provide
accurate measurements.
2. Grind or file the area on rough and unfinished surface. The back surface of
the specimen should be clean and free from scratches or dents. The better
the finish on the part to be tested, the more accurately the hardness
determination will be made.
3. Set the tester for Load Application Timing. The descent Speed Control Knob
is on the left side of the tester and should be set at ten. The Time in Load
Adjustment Knob is also on the left panel and should be set at five second
or less.
4. Select the proper weight for the test to be conducted by adjusting the
Weight Selector Knob on the right side of the tester.
5. Use the Diamond Indentor for this experiment.
6. The specimen should be placed securely on the Anvil with the area to be
tested, directly under and perpendicular to the Diamond Indentor.
7. Raise the Elevating Screw by rotating the Capstan Handwhell
counterclockwise until the Diamond Indentor makes contact with the sample
and the Initial Load has been applied. The Initial load has been properly
applied when the Initial Load Indicator is pointing to the Small dot on the
face of the dial.
8. When the Initial Load is properly applied, the large needle should be within
ten points from the zero setting on the main scale. The Dial should be
adjusted to align zero with the position of the pointer. The Dial can be
adjusted to the right or left by pivoting the Bezel at the base of the Elevating
Screw. When the pointer has been set to zero the machine is ready to apply
the Additional Load.
 Tables
A. Method of Hardness Rockwell

Steel 4140 Steel 1018 Bronze Sae 660 Aluminum 2024

16.75 18.50 72.00 84.00
15.75 17.50 74.50 83.00
16.25 18.00 74.00 83.00
17.0 19.00 72.50 81.00
16.10 18.50 75.00 82.00
17.80 18.75 73.50 81.00
17.30 18.50 74.50 83.00
18.00 19.00 73.50 83.50
17.60 18.00 73.50 83.00
17.45 17.00 74.00 83.00

B. Method of Hardness Brinell

Steel 4140 (mm) Steel 1018 Bronze Sae 660 Aluminum 2024
4.5 3.2 3.9 2.3
4.45 3.3 3.9 2.23
4.0 2.2

Carga: 3,000 1,500 1,000 500

C. Method of Hardness Vickers

Discussion of Results
 Conclusion

In this experiment we did the different hardness tests, the objectives to determine
the BHN of a single 1018 Steel specimen using a 1000 kg and 3000 kg load, and
to determine a Rockwell Hardness number for the Brass, Aluminum, Steel 1018
and Steel 4041 were achieved.

For the Brinell Hardness Test, the 10 mm indentor ball produced a 2.3 mm
impression on the sample that represented a calculated BHN of 185.1 versus 185
obtained from the BHN table. For the Rockwell Test experimental data the
Chauvenet’s Criterion for Data elimination was performed for the population and no
value was required to be eliminated for the four samples

It is critical to follow the standards laido ut by the ATSM in order to obtein a higher
degree of precisión in this ex[periment.
 Recommendations

It is recommended to upgrade both instruments the Brinell and Rockwell to be

automated. In order to reduce the human error associated to recording of the
measurement, it would be good to have digital output.
 References

1. Callister, W. D. & Rethwisch, D.W. (2007). Materials Sciences and engineering:

An introduction, 7 Ed. New York, USA; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

2. An American National Standard. E18 - 08. (2006)

3. An American National Standard. E10 - 07. (2006)

4. An American National Standard E92-82. (2006)

5. Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Department of Mechanical Physical

Metallurgy Laboratory Manual, pp. 14-27, 2009.
Appendix

Figure 1: Machine of Rockwell Hardness.

Figure 2: Machine of Brinell Hardness.

Figure 3: Machine of Vickers Hardness.

Figure 4: Clearly is observed the Rockwell Hardness Method specimen steel 4140

Figure 5: Clearly is observed the Brinell

Hardness method in the steel 4140.