AE2130 PRACTICUM REPORT

HARDNESS TEST

Made to fulfill AE2130 practicum assignment

Date of Practicum : Monday, 4 November 2019

Date of Submit : Monday, 11 November 2019

By
Silvia Amanda
13618015
GROUP INTERNATIONAL 5

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING PROGRAM STUDY

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE

ENGINEERING
INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG
2019
 TABLE OF CONTENT

Table of Content i
List of Figure ii
List of Table iii
Chapter I
Preliminary 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Objectives 2
1.3 Formulation of Problems 2
Chapter II
Basic Theory 3
2.1 Material Properties 3
2.2 Procedure 7
Chapter III
Data Processing 9
3.1 Observational Data 9
3.2 Observational Data Result 10
Chapter IV
Analysis 12
Chapter V
Conclusion and Suggestion 14
5.1 Conclusion 14
5.2 Suggestion14
Reference 15
Attachment 16

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 LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 2.1.1 Shore Scleroscope 4

Figure 2.1.2 Indentation with Brinell Test 5

Figure 2.1.3 Indentation with Vickers Test 6

Figure 2.1.4 Rockwell Hardness Scale 7

Figure 2.2.1 Steel and aluminum specimen before testing 8

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 LIST OF TABLE

Table 3.1.1 Low Carbon Steel Rockwell Test Data 9

Table 3.1.2 Aluminum Rockwell Test Data 9

Table 3.1.3 Low Carbon Steel Vickers Test Data 10

Table 3.1.4 Aluminum Vickers Test Data 10

Table 3.2.1 Rockwell Hardness Number Conversion 11

Table 3.2.2 Vickers Hardness Number Conversion 11

Table 4.1 Differences between reference and the test result table 13

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 CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1.1 Background

Every material in the world has each own mechanical property, these mechanical
properties can be modified to obtain certain material character. This mechanical
properties will help us, the engineer, to choose the best material for the best
performance. One of the mechanical properties is hardness.

There are many concepts of material hardness that is used by different research
group, such as material resistance against scratch, load, and etc. We can find it by
doing a hardness test on a material. Hardness is a measure of the resistance of a metal
to deform plastically. Hard test is the most effective test and relatively easy to
determine the mechanical properties of a material. Hardness test is a non-destructive
test for material. This mechanical property is very closely related to the performance
of a material, if the mechanical properties are good then the performance of a material
is good too. By conducting a hard test, the material can be easily classified as a
ductile or brittle material. Hard test can also be used as a method to find out the effect
of heat or cold treatment on a material. Materials that have experienced cold working,
hot working, and heat treatment can be known to describe changes in strength, by
measuring the surface hardness of a material. Therefore, with hardness tests we can
easily carry out quality control of the material.

Originally, the hardness test is used to measure only metal hardness. Nowadays,
the procedure has been developed to test the hardness of polymers, ceramics,
semiconductors, and other materials. The purpose of this material hardness can be
observed at industrial regions, where the industrial engineers are trying to find non-
brittle but high impact strength material, or metallurgical engineers need to find a
material which has low hardness to be applied by cold rolling process. Therefore, the
strength of materials data is important to be obtained by this hardness test.

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 There are many types of hardness test which are Rockwell, Brinell, and Vickers
test. The standard in these tests is ASTM E19-11. Rockwell hardness test is an
empirical hardness test which the data can be used to calculate metals’ tensile
strength, wear resistance and endurance. This test can also be used to determine
quality control and material selection. Rockwell test is considered as a good
measurement for commercial ship test and has been widely used in industries. The
important thing is hardness may not show the full condition of a product. Vickers
hardness test is a micro hardness test that can be used to measure a very thin or small
material to be measured by Rockwell and Brinell test.

1.2 Objectives
1. Measuring the Vickers hardness number from the specimen
2. Measuring the Rockwell hardness number from the specimen
3. Estimating the ultimate tensile strength from the hardness number
1.3 Problem Formulation
1. What is the Vickers hardness number from the specimen?
2. What is the Rockwell hardness number from the specimen?
3. By the hardness number, what is the magnitude of ultimate tensile strength?

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 CHAPTER II
BASIC THEORY

2.1 Material Properties

Hardness is the resistance of a material to deform in the local area and surface
of the material, and specifically for metal its only for plastic deformation. The
strength of a material is directly proportional to its hardness, the harder a material is,
the stronger the material. Hardness test is divided into 3 types based on the nature of
the test, which are:

1. Scratch Method
The scratch method is done by scraping a material against the test material.
Material being etched according to Mohs scale. The Mohs scale of the lowest
violence is as follows:
a. Talk/Cast f. Orthoclase
b. Gypsum g. Quartz
c. Calcite h. Topaz
d. Flourite i. Corundum
e. Apatite j. Diamond
To measure hardness with this method is observing whether there is a scratch
on the test material or not. If the scratched material has not been able to scratch the
test material, it is necessary to use material at a higher Mohs scale. When the scraping
material is able to scratch the test material, the hardness value of the test material is
equivalent to the hardness of the scraping material.

The disadvantage of the mohs scale is that the distance between the intervals
is less specific, so the hardness of the material is less accurate.

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2. Dynamic Method

The hardness test using the dynamic method is carried out by calculating the
impact energy produced by the indenter which is dropped on the surface of the
specimen. The tool used for this test is the shore scleroscope.

Figure 2.1.1 Shore Scleroscope

The indenter is dropped on the surface of the material, and then it rebound
very high. The difference in height when it is dropped and its rebound shows the
amount of energy absorbed by the material. In the dynamic method the indenter is a
ball.

3. Indentation Method

The indentation method is a hardness test which is placing a load on the test
material using an indenter, so that indent marks will form on the surface of the test
material. Unlike the scratch method, in this method, the hardness value of a material
is generally determined by using a comparison between the load and the cross-
sectional area of the indentation results.

Based on the type of indenter, the indenting method is further divided into sections :

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 a. Brinell Hardness

The indenter used is a steel ball or tungsten carbide with a diameter of

10 mm. The load given is 3000 kg for hard material, and 500 kg for softer
material. Reducing the load for softer material aims to avoid indentation being
too deep. This material is being loaded for 30 seconds. Brinell hardness
testing standards refer to ASTM E10. To determine the value of brinell
hardness we compare the value of a given load with the surface area of the
indentation. The diameter after being loaded can be measure with optical
microscope.

x
r
y t

d
D

Figure 2.1.2 Indentation with Brinell

Test

Brinell Hardness Number :

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 b. Vickers Hardness

In the Vickers hardness test, the indenter is a pyramid-shaped diamond with an angle
of 136⁰ based on the ASTM E 92 standard. Variation of the indenter load is between
1-120 kg. To determine the value of vickers hardness, we compare the value of a
given load with the surface area of the indentation.

C
O
x B

68O

Figure 2.1.3 Indentation with Vickers Test

Vickers Hardness Number :

P = Load given (kg)

D2 = The area of the indentation (mm2)

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 c. Rockwell Hardness

In the Rockwell method, the type of indenter used is a conical diamond or a tungsten
carbide sphere with an inner angle of 120o. Based on literature, this method has
different types of indenter and loading values as follows :

Figure 2.1.4 Rockwell Hardness Scale

In this method, there are two loads given, minor loads and major loads. The
first minor load is 10 kg. This minor load is intended to create a reference line. Since
not all test material surfaces are flat, so this reference line is made as a reference
point. After that we give the major loading, which is equal to 60, 100, or 150 kg.

For this test, we use HRA indenter for steel specimen and Steel sphere (HRF)
for aluminum specimen. The Rockwell hardness number can obtained from the
testing machine, which is Rockwell Zwick Machine.

2.2 Practicum Procedure

a. Vickers Hardness Test Procudure

The procedure of Vickers hardness test are :

1. Preparing the test specimen. Use the flattest surface.

2. Turn on the Zwick Roell Machine.
3. Put the specimen under the indenter.

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 4. Start the machine by press the S button.
5. Wait for the indenter to indent the material for about 10 seconds.
6. Take a look at the microscope and adjust the line to the edge of the rhombus.
7. Press the red button at the microscope. And rotate the microscope 90o. Adjust
the line to the edge of the rhombus.
8. Record the result of diameter 1 and diameter 2.
9. Press the red button again and record the number of Vickers hardness shown.
10. Repeat step 3-9 in a different yet empty spot of the specimen 2 more times.
11. Repeat step 3-10 with a different specimen.

Figure 2.2.1 Steel and aluminum specimen before testing

b. Rockwell Hardness Test Procedure

The procedure of Rockwell hardness test are :

1. Install the steel sphere indenter for aluminum specimen. And change it to
HRF
2. Change the load to 60 kg.
3. Put the specimen under the indenter.
4. Rotate the specimen plate until it almost reach the indentor (Or until the beep
sound)
5. Wait for a second and record the Rockwell Hardness Number shown.
6. Repeat step 3-5 in a different yet empty spot of the specimen 2 more times.

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 7. Repeat step 1-6 with a different specimen which is steel and change the
indenter to diamond cone (HRA).

CHAPTER III

DATA PROCESSING
3.1 Observational Data

a. Rockwell Hardness Test

Type of Machine : Zwick Roell

Testing standard : ASTM E 18.
Date of Testing : 4 November 2019
Assistant : Raphael Oswald (13715016)

Table 3.1.1 Low Carbon Steel Rockwell Test Data

Rockwell Rockwell
Material No Load (kg) Indenter Hardness Hardness
(HRA) Average

1 60 47.1
Low Carbon Diamond
2 60 46.7 46.93
Steel Cone
3 60 47

Table 3.1.2 Aluminum Rockwell Test Data

Rockwell Rockwell
Material No Load (kg) Indenter Hardness Hardness
(HRF) Average
Aluminum 1 60 Steel Ball 34.1 35,06

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 2 60 37.3
1/16 Inch
3 60 33.8

b. Vickers Hardness Test

Type of Machine : Zwick Vickers

Testing standard : ASTM E 92.

Date of Testing : 4 November 2019
Assistant : Raphael Oswald (13715016)

Table 3.1.3 Low Carbon Steel Vickers Test Data

Vickers Vickers
Material No P (N) D1 (μm) D2 (μm) Hardness Hardness
(HV) Average

1 0.2 30.2 34.6 353

Low Carbon
2 0.2 33.5 32.6 341 301,33
Steel
3 0.2 40.6 44 210

Table 3.1.4 Aluminum Vickers Test Data

Vickers Vickers
Material No P (N) D1 (μm) D2 (μm) Hardness Hardness
(HV) Average

1 0.2 90.2 88.7 46

Aluminum 2 0.2 88.7 88.7 47 47.33
3 0.2 85.1 88.1 49

3.2 Observational Data Result

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 UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength) is the maximum stress that a material can
withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking. We can calculate it using
Brinnel Hardness formula. So we have to convert to Brinnel Hardness

Conversion to brinnel hardness with interpolation

a. Rockwell Hardness Number Conversion

Table 3.2.1 Rockwell Hardness Number Conversion

Brinell Hardness UTS

Material Rockwell Hardness
(HBN) (3.45HBN)

137.52
Low Carbon Steel 46.93 HRA 474.444
(3000 kg)
83.12
Aluminum 35.06 HRF 286.764
(500 kg)

b. Vickers Hardness Number Conversion

Table 3.2.2 Vickers Hardness Number Conversion

Brinell Hardness UTS (MPa)

Material Vickers Hardness
(HBN) 3.45*HBN

Low Carbon Steel 301.33 HV 285.41375 984.6774

Aluminum 47.33 HV 44.33 152.9385

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 CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

Before we conduct this test, the specimen need to be prepared so we can

guarantee the validation of the test result. The specimen that is being used in this test
had already prepared. The surface of the specimen have to be as flattest as possible.
Then we had to furbish it with sandpaper, therefore the specimen is easier to observe
because the force from the indenter is focused on one point.

For low carbon steel specimen and aluminum, there isn’t an irregular
indentation mark because we use high technology machine that can automatically
indenting the specimen and calculate the hardness number. Another thing, we
carefully indent the specimen at flat and empty surface by making enough distance
between the first indent and another. And microscopically there isn’t any irregular
mark.

Objectively, Rockwell test is simpler than Vickers test. Because it relatively

faster and it also on macroscopic scale. On the other hand, we conduct more steps on
Vickers test and it’s more difficult because its on microscopic scale. We have to
accurately adjust the line to the edge of the indent to guarantee the validation of the
test. But we have to be glad, because we use more high technology machine
nowadays. It can calculate the hardness number and gives us the number faster and
more accurate.

Based on the test, the hardness on steel specimen is higher than aluminum
specimen. We can figure it by the chemical composition. On table periodic, Al has 13

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electron and Steel, which we can say Fe has 26 electron. So we can say that Steel has
more electron than aluminum. At the end of the indenter, also have electron. So when
the specimen being indent, the more it has electron, the more electron reacting. Also,
the steel is actually a composite of carbon and steel. We can also figure the hardness
by the crystal structure. Steel has body-centered cubic crystal structure, and
aluminum has face-centered cubic crystal structure. A BCC crystal structure is more
pack (based on the atomic packing factor) so it’s more dense and harder than
aluminum whose APF is smaller. Last, we can figure the hardness by the
microstructure. Steel has a composition of 1 Fe : 8 carbon and has a pearlite. Because
of this composition, steel is harder than aluminum because aluminum has only
aluminum on its composition.

Table 4.1 Differences between reference and the test result table

UTS from reference UTS Vickers UTS Rockwell

Specimen
(MPa) (MPa) (MPa)
Low Carbon
360-460 984.6774 474.444
Steel
Aluminum 90-128 152.9385 286.764
By seeing some references through the internet and literature, it is proven that
the test result are higher than the actual data. This can be happen because of some
factors. First thing is the inaccuracy of measuring and adjusting the microscope,
mechanical error, wrong procedure of testing, or slip at the surface because of the
improper cleaning of lubricants. Second, it may be because there is an error in
converting. For the example aluminum specimen with Rockwell test. We got the
hardness number by using a different table (with 500kg Rockwell indenter) because
the lack of data in the conversion chart.

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 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

5.1 Conclusion

1. Vickers hardness number for low carbon steel specimen is 301.33 HV and for
aluminum specimen is 47.33 HV
2. Rockwell hardness number for low carbon steel specimen is 46.93 HRA and
for aluminum specimen is 35.06 HRF
3. Ultimate Tensile Strength for low carbon steel specimen are 984.6774 MPa
(with Vickers test) and 474.444 MPa (with Rockwell test). For aluminum
specimen the UTS are 152.9385 MPa (with Vickers test) and 286.764 MPa
(with Rockwell test)

5.2 Suggestion

Students have to be more precise and accurate when taking the data,
interpolating, and converting the data so the result will be more valid. For Vickers
test, the indenter has to match the specimen that is being tested.

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 REFRENCE

Callister, William D. Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction, 6th

edition, John Wiley & Son Inc. Page 134 – 140

Davis, Harmer, George Earl Troxell, George F.W.Hauck. The Testing of Engineering
Materials, 4th Edition, Chapter 12 page 195- 220

http://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-hardness.htm

https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2863

https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6115

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 ATTACHMENT

Vickers Indent under microscope

Hardness Test machine

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The specimen after Rockwell hardness test

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