In this test a hardened steel ball is pressed into the surface of
the test material using a prescribed ball. The ball and load have to be selected
to suit the material being tested.
The Brinell hardness test consists of indenting the test material with
a 10 mm diameter hardened steel or carbide ball subjected to a load of
3000 kgf (29 430 N). For softer materials the load can be
reduced to 1500 kgf (14 715 N) or 500 kgf (4 905 N ) to avoid excessive
indentation. The full load is normally applied for 10 to 15 seconds for harder ferrous metals
and for 30 seconds or more for other metals softer metals.
The diameter of the indentation left in the test material is measured with a microscope.
The Brinell hardness number is calculated by dividing
the load applied by the surface area of the indentation.
D = Diameter of Ball
D1 = Diameter of indentation
F = applied force
Vickers Hardness Test
In this test a Diamond Indenter is pressed into the surface
of the material being tested. Standard loads used include 5, 10, 20, 30,
50, and 100 kgf. (49,05, 98,1 196,2 490,5 and 981 N).
The load is stated in specifying the hardness number i.e HD(10) = 100. the indenter
is a square based pyramid (136o included angle )to suit the material being tested
The Hardness Number HD = 1.844 x Load/ Average diagonal length of indentation
Rockwell Hardness Test
In this test a Hard Steel Ball or a Diamond Cone Indenter
is pressed into the surface of the material being tested/ The result
of the test is read directly from machine.
The indenter is forced into the test material under a preliminary minor load (98N)and
after equilibrium are achieved an indicating device, which follows the movements
of the indenter, is set to the datum position.
An additional major load is then applied with resulting increase in penetration.
The conditions are then allowed to stabilise and then the additional major load is
removed,leaving the minor load in place. The resulting permanent penetration
esulting from the application and removal of the additional major load is
used to calculate the Rockwell hardness number.
HR = E - e
F1 = additional major
e = permanent increase in depth of penetration due to major load , measured in units of 0.001 mm
E = a constant of 100 units for diamond and ball indenters
HR = Rockwell hardness number
D = diameter of steel ball
Scale
Indenter
Major Load F1 N
E
Applications
A
120oDiamond cone
490.5
100
Sheet steel ; shallow case hardened
B
1/16" steel ball
882.9
130
Copper, Aluminium alloys, Low Carbon Steel
C
120oDiamond cone
1373.4
100
Most Widely Used -Hardened Steels, Cast irons etc
D
120oDiamond cone
882.9
100
Thin but hard steels, Ductile Iron (Pearlitic
E
1/8" steel ball
882.9
130
Cast Iron, Aluminium, Bearings alloys
F
1/16" steel ball
490.5
130
Annealed copper alloys , Soft thin metals
G
1/16" steel ball
1373.4
130
Phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, malleable irons, Lead etc
H
1/8" steel ball
490.5
130
Soft Metals Plastics etc
K
1/8" steel ball
1373.4
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
L
1/4" steel ball
490.5
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
M
1/4" steel ball
882.9
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
P
1/4" steel ball
1373.4
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
R
1/2" steel ball
490.5
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
S
1/2" steel ball
882.9
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
V
1/2" steel ball
1373.4
130
Soft bearing metals, Plastics, soft materials.
Superficial Rockwell Hardness Test
A more surface sensitive measurement of hardness than for the regular
Rockwell scales. This technique is useful for samples with hardness
gradients at the surface, to test small areas, and for thin samples.
Superficial Rockwell hardness scales are N and T for metals and W, X, and Y for
non-metallic materials and coatings.
The Superficial Rockwell hardness test method consists of indenting the test
material with a diamond cone (N scale) or hardened steel ball indenter.
The indenter is forced into the test material under a preliminary minor (29.43N)
and the conditions are allowed to settle. Then the indicating device that follows
the movements of the indenter is set to a datum position. An additional major load, is applied with
resulting increase in penetration . The conditions are allowed to settle
again and then the additional major load is removed. The permanent increase in depth of penetration, resulting from the
application and removal of the additional major load is used to calculate
the Rockwell Superficial hardness number.
HR = E - e
e = permanent increase in depth of penetration due to major load F1, measured in units of 0.001 mm
E = a constant of 100 units for diamond and ball indenters
HR = Rockwell hardness number
D = diameter of steel ball
Scale
Indenter
Major Load ( N )
E
Application
15N
120o Diamond cone
117.72
100
Similar to C scale, but for thin materials
30N
120o Diamond cone
264.87
100
Same as 15N
45N
120o Diamond cone
412
100
Same as 15N
15T
1/16" steel ball
117.72
100
Similar to B scale, but for thin materials
30T
1/16" steel ball
264.87
100
Same as 15T
45T
1/16" steel ball
412
100
Same as 15T
15W
1/8" steel ball
117.72
100
For very soft materials
30W
1/8" steel ball
264.87
100
For very soft materials
45W
1/8" steel ball
412
100
For very soft materials
15X
1/4" steel ball
117.72
100
For very soft materials
30X
1/4" steel ball
264.87
100
For very soft materials
45X
1/4" steel ball
412
100
For very soft materials
15Y
1/2" steel ball
117.72
100
For very soft materials
30Y
1/2" steel ball
264.87
100
For very soft materials
45Y
1/2" steel ball
412
100
For very soft materials
The Shore (Scleroscope ) Hardness Test
The Scleroscope test consists of dropping a diamond tipped hammer, which falls inside
a glass tube under the force of its own weight from a fixed height, onto the test
specimen. The height of the rebound travel of the hammer is measured on
a graduated scale. The harder the material, the higher the rebound.
The scale of the rebound is arbitrarily chosen and consists on Shore units, divided into 100 parts, which represent the average rebound from pure
hardened high-carbon steel. The scale is continued higher than 100 to
to allow for metals having greater hardness.
The shore scleroscope test does not normally mark the material under test.
The Shore Scleroscope measures hardness in relation to the elasticity of the material.
Advantages of this method are portability and non-marking of the test
surface.
Knoop
The Knoop indenter has a polished rhombohedral shape with an
included longitudinal angle of 172 degrees 30 degrees and an included transverse angle of 130 degrees 0 degrees.
The narrowness of the indenter makes it ideal for testing specimens with steep
hardness gradients and coatings. Knoop is a better choice for hardness
testing of hard brittle materials.
Jominy Hardenability
The Jominy test involves heating a test specimen of steel 25mm diameter and 100mm
long to an austenitising temperature and quenching from one end with a controlled and
standardized jet of water. After quenching, the hardness is measured at
intervals taken form the quenched end. The hardness gradient along the
test surface provides an indication of the materials hardenability.
Moh's Hardness Scale
The Moh's hardness scale consists of 10 minerals arranged in order from 1 to 10.
Diamond is rated as the hardest and is indexed as 10; talc as the softest with index number 1.
Each mineral in the scale will scratch all those below it as follows:
Diamond
10
Corundum
9
Topaz
8
Quartz
7
Orthoclase (Feldspar)
6
Aptite
5
Fluorite
4
Calcite
3
Gypsum
2
Talc
1
Shore (Durometer) test
The hardness testing of plastics is most commonly measured by the Shore (Durometer)
test. This test measures the resistance of the plastic toward indentation.
The scale provide an empirical hardness value that doesn't relate directly to the mechanical
properties of the material being tested. Shore Hardness, using either
the Shore A or Shore D scale, is the preferred method for rubbers/elastomers and
is also commonly used for 'softer' plastics such as polyolefins, fluoropolymers,
and vinyls. The Shore A scale is used for 'softer' rubbers while the Shore D scale is used for
'harder' rubbers.
The Shore hardness is measured with an apparatus known as a Durometer and
consequently is also known as 'Durometer hardness'. The hardness value
is determined by the penetration of the Durometer indenter foot into the sample.
If the indenter completely penetrates the sample, a reading of 0 is obtained, and if no penetration occurs, a reading
of 100 results. Because of the resilience of rubbers and plastics, the hardness reading my change
over time - so the indentation time is sometimes reported along with the
hardness number. The test method is identified in standard ISO 868.
The results obtained from this test are a useful measure of relative resistance to
indentation of various grades of polymers. However, the Shore Durometer
hardness test does not serve well as a predictor of other properties such as strength
or resistance to scratches, abrasion, or wear, and should not be used alone for
product design specifications.
Equivalent Hardness Conversion Tables
Harder Scales
VPN
ROCKWELL SCALES
ROCKWELL Superficial
BRINELL
SCLERO- SCOPE
U.T.S.
DPH HV/10
A
B
C
D
G
15N
30N
45N
BHN 500kg
BHN 3000kg
MPa
1865
92
80
87
97
92
87
1787
92
79
86
96
92
87
1710
91
78
85
96
91
86
1633
91
77
84
96
91
85
1556
90
76
83
96
90
84
1478
90
75
83
95
89
83
1400
89
74
82
95
89
82
1323
89
73
81
95
88
81
1245
88
72
80
95
87
80
1160
87
71
80
94
87
79
1076
87
70
79
94
86
78
101
1004
86
69
78
94
85
77
99
940
86
68
77
93
84
75
97
900
85
67
76
93
84
74
95
865
85
66
75
93
83
73
92
832
84
65
75
92
82
72
739
91
800
84
64
74
92
81
71
722
88
772
83
63
73
91
80
70
705
87
746
83
62
72
91
79
69
688
85
720
82
61
72
91
79
68
670
83
697
81
60
71
90
78
67
654
81
2206
674
81
59
70
90
77
66
634
80
2137
653
80
58
69
89
76
64
615
78
2069
633
80
57
69
89
75
63
595
76
2000
613
79
56
68
88
74
62
577
75
1944
595
79
120
55
67
88
73
61
560
74
1889
577
78
120
54
66
87
72
60
543
72
1834
560
78
119
53
65
87
71
59
523
71
1772
544
77
119
52
65
86
70
57
512
69
1689
528
77
118
51
64
86
69
56
496
68
1648
513
76
117
50
63
86
69
55
481
67
1607
498
75
117
49
62
85
68
54
469
66
1565
484
75
116
48
61
85
67
53
455
64
1524
471
74
116
47
61
84
66
51
443
63
1496
458
74
115
46
60
84
65
50
432
62
1462
446
73
115
45
59
83
64
49
421
60
1420
434
73
114
44
59
83
63
48
409
58
1379
423
72
113
43
58
82
62
47
400
57
1351
412
72
113
42
57
82
61
46
390
56
1317
402
71
112
41
56
81
60
44
381
55
1289
392
71
112
40
55
80
60
43
371
54
1255
382
70
111
39
55
80
59
42
362
52
1220
372
70
110
38
54
79
58
41
353
51
1193
363
69
110
37
53
79
57
40
344
50
1165
354
69
109
36
52
78
56
38
336
49
1138
345
68
109
35
52
78
55
37
327
48
1103
336
68
108
34
51
77
54
36
319
47
1076
327
67
108
33
50
77
53
35
311
46
1048
318
67
107
32
49
76
52
34
301
44
1014
310
66
106
31
48
91
76
51
33
294
43
993
302
66
105
30
48
91
75
50
31
286
42
965
294
65
104
29
47
89
75
50
30
279
41
945
286
65
104
28
46
88
74
49
29
271
41
917
279
64
103
27
45
87
73
48
28
264
40
889
272
64
103
26
45
86
73
47
27
258
39
869
266
63
102
25
44
85
72
46
26
253
38
855
260
63
101
24
43
84
72
45
24
247
37
834
254
62
100
23
42
83
71
44
23
201
240
36
814
248
62
99
22
42
81
71
43
22
195
234
35
793
243
61
98
21
41
79
70
42
21
189
228
35
772
238
61
97
20
40
78
69
42
20
184
222
34
752
VPN
ROCKWELL SCALES
ROCKWELL Superficial
BRINELL
SCLERO- SCOPE
U.T.S.
DPH HV/10
A
B
C
D
G
15N
30N
45N
BHN 500kg
BHN 3000kg
MPa
Softer Scales
VPN
ROCKWELL SCALES
ROCKWELL Superficial
BRINELL
SCLERO- SCOPE
U.T.S.
DPH HV/10
A
B
C
E
F
G
H
K
15T
30T
45T
BHN 500kg
BHN 3000kg
MPa
234
60
97
19
77
92
80
69
181
218
34
738
230
59
96
18
76
92
80
68
179
214
33
731
226
59
96
17
75
92
80
68
177
210
33
717
222
58
95
16
74
92
79
67
175
208
32
703
217
58
95
15
73
92
79
67
171
205
31
690
213
58
94
14
73
91
79
66
169
203
31
683
208
57
93
13
71
91
78
66
167
200
30
676
204
57
92
12
70
100
91
78
65
163
195
30
662
200
56
92
11
69
100
91
77
64
162
193
29
655
196
56
91
10
68
100
90
77
64
160
190
28
641
192
56
90
9
66
99
90
76
63
157
185
27
627
188
55
89
8
64
98
90
76
62
154
180
26
607
184
54
88
7
63
97
90
75
61
151
176
26
593
180
54
87
6
61
97
89
75
60
148
172
26
579
176
53
86
5
59
96
89
74
59
145
169
25
572
172
53
85
4
58
95
89
74
58
142
165
25
558
168
52
84
3
56
94
88
73
57
140
162
25
545
164
51
83
2
54
93
88
72
56
137
159
24
538
160
51
82
1
53
92
88
72
55
135
156
24
524
156
50
81
0
51
91
87
71
54
133
153
24
517
152
50
80
49
91
87
70
53
130
150
503
148
49
79
48
90
87
70
52
128
147
144
49
78
46
89
86
69
51
126
144
141
48
77
44
88
86
68
50
124
141
139
47
76
43
87
86
68
49
122
139
137
47
75
100
41
86
85
67
49
120
137
135
46
74
99
39
85
85
66
48
118
135
132
46
73
99
38
85
85
66
47
116
132
130
45
72
98
36
84
84
65
46
114
130
127
45
71
100
98
35
83
84
64
45
112
127
125
44
70
100
97
33
82
84
64
44
110
125
123
44
69
99
96
31
81
83
63
43
109
123
120
43
68
98
96
30
80
83
62
42
107
121
118
43
67
98
95
28
79
83
62
41
106
119
116
42
66
97
95
27
78
82
61
40
104
117
115
42
65
96
94
25
78
82
60
39
102
116
114
42
64
96
94
24
77
82
60
38
101
114
113
41
63
95
93
22
76
81
59
37
99
112
112
41
62
95
92
21
75
81
58
36
98
110
111
40
61
94
92
19
74
81
57
35
96
108
110
40
60
93
91
18
73
81
57
34
95
107
108
39
59
93
91
16
72
80
56
32
94
106
107
39
58
92
90
15
71
80
55
31
92
104
106
38
57
91
90
13
71
80
55
30
91
102
105
38
56
91
89
12
70
79
54
29
90
101
104
38
55
90
88
10
69
79
53
28
89
99
103
37
54
90
88
9
68
79
53
27
87
102
37
53
89
87
7
67
78
52
26
86
101
36
52
88
87
6
66
78
51
25
85
100
36
51
88
86
4
65
78
51
24
84
100
35
50
87
86
3
65
77
50
23
83
99
35
49
87
85
64
77
49
22
82
98
35
48
86
85
63
77
49
21
81
97
34
47
85
84
62
76
48
20
80
96
34
46
85
83
61
76
47
19
79
95
33
45
84
83
60
76
46
18
79
95
33
44
84
82
59
75
46
17
78
94
32
43
83
82
58
75
45
16
77
93
32
42
82
81
58
75
44
15
76
92
31
41
82
81
57
74
44
14
75
91
31
40
81
80
56
74
43
13
74
90
31
39
80
79
55
74
42
11
74
90
30
38
80
79
54
73
42
10
73
89
30
37
79
78
53
73
41
9
72
88
29
36
79
78
100
52
73
40
8
71
88
29
35
78
77
100
52
72
40
7
71
87
28
34
77
77
99
51
72
39
6
70
87
28
33
77
76
99
50
72
38
5
69
86
28
32
76
75
99
49
71
38
4
68
86
27
31
76
75
98
48
71
37
3
68
85
27
30
75
74
98
47
71
36
2
67
85
26
29
74
74
98
46
70
36
1
66
84
26
28
74
73
97
45
70
35
66
84
25
27
73
73
97
45
70
34
65
83
25
26
73
72
97
44
69
33
65
83
24
25
72
71
96
42
69
33
64
82
24
24
71
71
96
42
69
32
64
82
24
23
71
70
96
41
68
31
63
81
23
22
70
70
95
40
68
31
63
81
23
21
70
69
95
39
68
30
62
80
22
20
69
69
95
38
68
29
62
80
22
19
68
68
94
38
67
29
61
79
21
18
68
67
94
37
67
28
61
79
21
17
67
67
93
36
67
27
60
78
21
16
67
66
93
35
66
26
60
78
20
15
66
66
93
34
66
26
59
77
14
65
65
92
33
66
25
59
77
13
65
65
92
32
65
24
58
76
12
64
64
92
32
65
24
58
76
11
64
64
91
31
65
23
57
75
10
63
63
91
30
64
22
57
75
9
62
62
91
29
64
22
56
74
8
62
62
90
28
64
21
56
74
7
61
61
90
27
63
20
56
73
6
61
61
90
26
63
20
55
73
5
60
60
89
26
63
19
55
72
4
59
60
89
25
62
18
55
72
3
59
59
88
24
62
17
54
71
2
58
58
88
23
62
17
54
71
1
58
58
88
22
61
16
53
70
0
57
57
87
21
61
15
53
VPN
ROCKWELL SCALES
ROCKWELL Superficial
BRINELL
SCLERO- SCOPE
U.T.S.
DPH HV/10
A
B
C
E
F
G
H
K
15T
30T
45T
BHN 500kg
BHN 3000kg
MPa
Figure comparing hardness scales
Table of Components showing relevant surface Hardness values
Important Notes:
Values below are typical of high specification components.. Lower values are
likely in more general applications...
