Sean Bruegman 10/19/2015

MMAE 419-01
Prof. Murat Vural

Hardness Testing

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Experimental Procedure:
The specimens were subjected to three hardness tests: Brinell, Vickers, and
Rockwell. The Brinell Hardness test requires that the specimen be polished, so as to
not have surface impurities skew the data. The specimen was polished on both sides: a
fine polish on the test side so as to be able to properly measure the indentation, and a
general polish on the grounded side so as to have a level specimen for the test.
The Rockwell test finds the hardness number as a function of the degree of
indentation of the specimen under a specified static load. The specimen was loaded
into the machine (See Figure 1) by being placed onto a flat plate. The flat plate sat
underneath a steel ball indenter, called a “Brale” indenter. Once the specimen was
loaded into the machine, the crank was turned to let the indenter rest on top of the finely
polished face, then the lever on the bottom right of the machine was pushed back to
allow the test to begin. In the operation of
the machine, a minor load of 10 kg was first
applied, which caused an initial indentation
that sets the indenter on the material and
holds it in position. The dial was set at the
black zero on the scale, and the major load
was applied. The machine was designed to
push the Brale indenter down onto the
specimen with a load of 100 to 150 [kg],
depending on the material. The machine
initiated the test and pressed the Brale
indenter into the specimen. The lever at the
bottom right of the machine kept moving
until the test finished. Once the lever had
stopped, it was pulled back into the neutral
position, and the number (“B” or “C” Scale,
depending on the material) that was
displayed on the gauge above was
recorded. The major load was 100 kg for
the "B" scale, as the 1/16th steel ball was
used as the indenter (HRB). The "C" scale
uses a 150 kg load and the Brale indenter
(HRC). Ball diameters of 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2
inch can also be used with various loads for
softer materials (E, F, G, H, K, L, M, R, S
and V scales). This test was performed
three times, and the average was taken.

Fig. 1 – The Wilson Rockwell Hardness tester,

Model 45 JR.
 The Brinell Hardness Test uses either 3000 [kg] loads with a 10 [mm] steel ball
for ferrous metals, or for non-ferrous metals a 500kg load with a 10 [mm] steel ball.
There were two machines, one was operated pneumatically and one was operated
hydraulically. The load in this lab was applied for approximately 10 seconds. The
specimen was loaded into the machine (See Figure 2) by being placed onto a flat plate.
Once the specimen was loaded into the machine, less polished side facing down, the
crank was turned to let the indenter rest on top of the finely polished face, and the
machine’s switch was flipped on for ten seconds. After the ten seconds, the machine
was turned off and a measuring microscope was used to observe the indentation. The
diameter was recorded and then the specimen was turned 90 o and the diameter was
recorded again. Then the average was
taken of the two measurements.
Lastly, the Vicker’s Test was
performed on the specimen. The
machine operating the Vicker’s
Hardness test used a pyramidal
diamond indenter where the pyramid
angle was 136o. The testing was much
the same, in that the specimen was
loaded onto a flat plate, set into a
proper position, and the test was
initiated. The machine had a scope
built-in, so as to allow for measurement
of the indentation diameter immediately
after the test has been run. The scope
is also capable of turning 90o to allow
for the second measurement of the
diameter, and the two measurements
were averaged.

Fig. 2 – The Brinell Hardness Testing Machine.

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 Analysis:
Rockwell Brinell Vickers
Force [kg] 1st Measure 2nd Measure 3rd Measure Force [kg] D1 [mm] D2 [mm] Force [kg] D1 [µm] D2 [µm]
150 21.1 23.7 23.7 3000 3.92 3.91 5 198.4 183.4
150 20.5 19.5 22 3000 3.95 3.9 5 198.4 195.9
Cast Iron
150 21.2 21.6 21 3000 3.8 3.75 5 193.4 193.2
150 19.7 21 20.6 3000 4 3.95 5 192.9 185.5
150 18.5 20.1 20.8 3000 3.9 3.95 5 179.4 184.7
Steel 1045 150 21.9 20.8 21 3000 3.9 3.9 5 193.8 195.7
CD 150 22 21 21 3000 3.75 3.8 5 186.4 184.2
150 20 21 21 3000 3.9 3.9 5 179.5 190.3
Steel 1045 150 67 66 66 3000 4.1 4.1 5 203.1 203.4
HR 150 94.4 94.2 93.3 3000 4.06 4.05 5 202.9 202.9
100 93.1 93.3 93.7 3000 4.5 4.41 5 213.5 214.6
Steel 1018
100 92 92 91.5 3000 4.3 4.25 5 209.1 207.5
CD
100 92.2 92.1 92.3 3000 4.4 4.3 5 210.9 212.1
100 81.7 81.7 80.1 3000 4.8 4.8 5 233.9 235
Steel 1018
100 82.9 82.6 82.8 3000 4.9 4.8 5 233.7 233.9
HR
100 85.5 82.2 82.2 3000 4.81 4.79 5 239.8 238.2
100 61.5 60.5 61 500 2.5 2.5 5 284.6 287.5
100 60 60.5 60.5 500 2.55 2.6 5 295.6 292.4
Al 6061
100 58 58 61.5 500 2.5 2.6 5 291 291.3
100 60.5 57.9 57.5 500 2.6 2.55 5 292.3 293.9
100 89.4 90.1 90.1 500 1.9 1.95 5 214.6 216.6
100 90.5 91.5 89.5 500 1.95 2 5 212.8 214.2
Al 7075
100 90.5 91.2 92.1 500 2 1.95 5 215.8 217.6
100 91.2 91.8 91.7 500 2.1 2 5 216.4 215.1
100 86.4 84.3 85.9 500 2.2 2.15 5 235.8 244.2
Naval 100 86.2 85.3 84.7 500 2.1 2.2 5 235.6 242
Brass 100 83.5 84.5 84.5 500 2.25 2.2 5 217.7 221.6
100 85.9 83 87.8 500 2.1 2.1 5 231.6 236.8
100 32.75 33 32.9 500 2.8 2.9 5 313.8 312.3
Copper 100 42.8 41.4 39.2 500 2.8 2.7 5 323.7 328.1
110 100 39.9 40.3 37.9 500 2.8 2.9 5 313.3 324.1
100 40 41.7 41.7 500 2.8 2.8 5 310.3 309.9
Table 1 – The raw data collected from the experiments. 3
 Rockwell Avg Brinell Avg Vickers Averages
1st 2nd 3rd Overall HB Davg Overall HV L avg
20.625 21.450 21.825 239.265 3.915 254.371 190.900
Overall = 15.975 237.995 3.925 238.499 197.150
Cast Iron
No HRC 258.123 3.775 248.094 193.300
241.792 231.785 3.975 249.982 258.963 189.200
20.6 20.725 237.995 3.925 279.704 182.050
Steel 1045 Overall = 20.758 20.95 241.189 3.900 244.413 194.750
CD No HRC 258.123 3.775 269.978 185.300
244.624 241.189 3.900 266.311 271.148 184.900
Steel 1045 80.7 80.100 217.241 4.100 224.398 203.250
HR Overall = 80.150 79.65 219.781 222.322 4.055 224.785 225.173 202.900
182.381 4.455 202.325 214.050
Steel 1018
92.433 92.467 92.5 198.975 4.275 213.649 208.300
CD
Overall = 92.467 191.056 191.812 4.350 207.736 207.233 211.500
155.613 4.800 168.647 234.450
Steel 1018
83.36667 82.167 81.7 152.197 4.850 169.586 233.800
HR
Overall = 82.411 154.474 155.613 4.800 166.840 162.287 239.000
100.242 2.500 113.291 286.050
94.393 2.575 107.247 294.000
Al 6061
60 59.225 60.125 96.286 2.550 109.357 291.150
Overall = 59.783 96.328 94.393 2.575 109.450 107.907 293.100
170.192 1.925 199.426 215.600
161.602 1.975 203.369 213.500
Al 7075
90.4 91.150 90.85 161.602 1.975 197.407 216.700
Overall = 90.800 160.818 149.877 2.050 199.838 199.149 215.750
132.963 2.175 160.938 240.000
136.112 2.150 162.559 238.800
Naval Brass
85.5 84.275 85.725 126.982 2.225 192.140 219.650
Overall = 85.167 134.701 142.749 2.100 171.161 169.007 234.200
76.752 2.850 94.592 313.050
82.558 2.750 87.279 325.900
Copper 110
38.863 39.100 37.925 76.752 2.850 91.267 318.700
Overall = 38.629 78.910 79.577 2.800 92.384 96.400 310.100
Table 2 – The calculations of the Hardness numbers.

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 Steel Steel Steel Steel
Cast Al Al Naval Copper
1045 1045 1018 1018
Iron 6061 7075 Brass 110
CD HR CD HR
HB 241.79 244.62 219.78 191.06 154.47 96.33 160.82 134.70 78.91
UTS
[MPa] 834.18 843.95 758.25 659.14 532.94 332.33 554.82 464.72 272.24
Table 5 – The Ultimate Tensile Strength calculated from the Brinell Hardness Numbers of each material.

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Discussion:
For the Ferrous metals, the Hardness Numbers recorded in Table 2 seem to
follow the general trend of the Hardness Numbers for those values (or their proximal
range within 5~10%) recorded in Table 3. The ratios of the Brinell Hardness and
Ultimate Tensile strength of the tested Ferrous metals (See Table 5) generally fall within
approximately 10% of the ratios depicted in Table 3.
The Hardness Numbers calculated do not match exactly with the Hardness
numbers listed, which could come from a number of sources. First, the alloys could
have slightly different properties from ideal. Each aluminum 6061 alloy is not
guaranteed to have the same composition without any impurities in it, as with all
material. It could be as simple as the particular specimen was either harder or softer
than another sample. Another source of deviation could come from insufficient
polishing for the Brinell Hardness testing. This would leave some surface roughness,
which would have an impact on the results of the Brinell test. However, the results
seemed to stay within proximity of the predicted results. Therefore, the results of this
experiment are fairly trustworthy.