Hardness

Hardness can be defined as resistance to penetration, cutting or resistance to plastic deformation and
Early in 1722 the testing of hardness of any material consisted of scratching. Scratch hardness testing
consists of penetration of the material surface by a testing. His scale of testing consisted of a scratching
bar, which increased in hardness from one end to the other.

In the late 19th century, more attention was paid to hardness and its measurement. Johann A. Brinell, a
Swedish engineer, introduced the new method for hardness testing which ic “ball” test. This rapidly
become know as Brinell test and used in the metal working industry.

Because of the limitations imposed by the Brinell method and increased engineering requirements, In
1915, Stanley p. Rockwell intensified their efforts towards to use other indenters principally those made
from diamond to accommodate the testing of fully hardened steels. In 1919, the Rockwell test was
introduced. It has become, by far, the most popular hardness test in use today, mainly because it
overcomes the limitations of the Brinell test.

Rockwell hardness testing is a general method for measuring the bulk hardness of metallic and polymer
materials. Although hardness testing does not give a direct measurement of any polymer materials.
Although hardness testing does not give a direct measurement of any performance properties, hardness
of a material correlates directly with its strength, wear resistance, and other properties. Hardness
testing is widely used for material evaluation because of its simplicity and low cost relative to direct
measurement of many properties Rockwell hardness testing is an indentation testing method. The
indenter is either a conical diamond or a hard steel ball. Different indenter ball diameter from 1/16 to
1/2 in. are used depending on the scale.

To start the test, the indenter is set into the top face of the sample under the minor load. A major load is
then applied and held for a set time period. The force on the indenter is then decreased back to the
minor load. The Rockwell hardness number is calculated from the depth of permanent deformation of
the indenter into the sample, Then the difference in indenter position before and after application of the
major load. The minor and major loads can be applied using dead weights or springs. The indenter
position is measured using an analog dial indicator or an electronic device with digital readout. The
various indenter types combined with a range of test loads of Rockwell hardness scales that are
applicable to a wide variety of materials. Each Rockwell hardness scale is identified by a letter
designation indicative for the indenter type and the major and minor loads used for the test.

Historical background

THE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN THE HISTORY OF

HARDNESS TESTING ARE AS FOLLOWS:
 1722: R.A. Reaumur develops a “scratching” of the surface of minerals using steel.
  1822: The Mohs scale for mineral testing is invented. This is a ten-point scratch hardness
scale in which each material can be scratched using the next harder material. The Mohs
hardness values are still used today in mineralogy, but are not suitable for determining
the hardness of technical materials(metals). The individual hardness steps are relatively
large and have different intervals.
 

Mohs hardness Type of mineral Vickers hardness (HV)

1  Talcum                        2HV

2  Gypsum                      35HV

3  Calcite                    100HV

4  Fluorspar                    200HV

5  Apatite                    540HV

6  Orthoclase                    800HV

7  Quartz                 1.100HV

8  Topaz                 1.400HV

9  Corundum                 2.000HV

10  Diamond               10.000HV

 1900: J. A. Brinell develops a ball indentation test that later becomes known as the Brinell method.
 1920: S. R. Rockwell develops the pre-load method named after him for testing his ships.
 1925: The Vickers method was invented by R. Smith and G. Sandland in England. It allows
microhardness tests to be carried out.
 1939: F. Knoop, C. G. Peters and W. B. E. Emerson develop the Knoop method at the National
Bureau of Standards (USA).
Rockwell hardness
Basic mechanics and lever principale
The Rockwell hardness test method is a destructive type test. It consists of indenting in the test
material with a diamond cone or hardened steel ball indenter. The indenter is forced into test
material under applied load and makes a dent inside the specimen. The movement of the
indenter is measure by the dial gauge and then the we calculate the hardness of material with
the reading of dial gauge and applied load.
Rockwell Hardness tester work on the principal of lever

In lever we apply effort (weights of Rockwell) to get multiple of load(Load on indenter directly
applied on the specimen). And we increases the effort arm and decreases the load and to get
multiple of load which is required on the tip of indenter. And then the indenter move insert in
the testing specimen and make dent on it and the indention which is make on the surface of the
specimen was depend on the hardness of the material which is under test. If the hardness is
less than the depth of the dent is increase and this dent was measured by the dial gauge which
is fixed on the lever and measures the depth of the dent to check the hardness of the material.