Why Check Hardness?

* Hardness Testing
Presented by Willrich Precision
Ph 866-945-5742 / sales@Willrich.com
Created by Walter Wardzala, Major Instrument Sales Specialist
 Materials Testing
Tensile
Charpy Impact
Fatigue
Ductility
Corrosion Testing
Structure

Hardness
6 Properties of Materials
•Stiffness — resists deformation
•Toughness — resists failure, even after
deforming
•Strength — resists both deformation
and failure
•Ductility — deforms before it breaks
•Brittleness — breaks before it deforms
•Hardness — resists dents, scratches,
and other permanent changes under
compressive force
•(Malleability-Elasticity-Plasticity…)
Indentation Hardness Testing
Resistance to penetration
Brinell
Vickers
Rockwell (Superficial-Microficial)
Scratch Test
Durometers
Leeb (Impact)
Birkovich
Resistance to Penetration
NOT a fundamental property of material
i.e like Tensile Strength or Density
Rockwell is a unit less value (like percentage)
Vickers Load over Area / Pascals/ mPA-gPA
Why Check Hardness?
Machinability- Tool Life
Wear Properties
Corrosion Resistance
Fatigue/ Life Cycle
Annealing
Cost Savings
Because you have to!
The most important
question!
How hard do you expect it to be?
Customer might give you:

Test Method
Load
Scale
Indenter
Conversions
Mitutoyo Hardness Testers
HH 300 Durometers
HH 411 Rebound (Leeb) (HLx) Type
Baby Brinell (187.5 kgf or LESS)
HV 100 Heavy Load Vickers
HM 200 Electro Magnetic Micro Hardness
HR Series Rockwell Type
New Top Secret HR Testers
 Durometers
A & D Scales Only Supported (out of 12)
Dial and digital, test stands are recommended
 HH411
HL(scale) D most common
Mass, surface and thickness sensitive
ASTM A956
 Brinell
The First Widely
Accepted Hardness Test
1897
10mm Ball
500-3000 kgf
Low Power Scope
Light force (Baby) Brinell
Be careful what you wish for!
Yes we can do tests up to 187.5 kgf

US Thinks of Brinell as:

500 kgf. to 3000 kgf. and 10 mm ball

ISO Thinks of Brinell as:

1kgf to 187.5 kgf
1mm, 2.5mm, 5mm and 10mm ball
 Macro Vickers
Rockwell-like construction
1 kgf. and over
Common Euro and Japanese test
Best surface not required
HV100 Macro Vickers
HV110 1-50 kgf.

HV120 .3-30 kgf.

Automatic Dead Weight System
10X lens Standard (2 to 100X optional)
Micro Vickers
Less than 1 kgf.
20-100 micron d typical
Case / Gradient Hardness
Most common type application
Typical Knoop
Traverse
 Vickers/ Knoop
All testers come with Vickers indenters
A Knoop indenter may replace it or HM200
machines can add a second indenter
assembly
 HM210 Micro Vickers
New HM210
Closed loop force control
Motorized turret
Up to 4 lenses (Retrofitable)
Up to 2 Indenters
10-1000 gf. Adjustable
LED Illumination
Note: No vise/fixturing is included.
HM220 Light Load Micro Vickers
New HM220
Closed loop force control
.05-2000gf Adjustable
Adjustable Loading rates (11-60 microns/ sec)
Motorized Turret
Up to 4 lenses ( Service Retrofitable)
Up to 2 Indenters (Factory only)
Standard “Package” 10X, 50X, 100X $25,975
Actually $2.800 less than previous models!
HM/HV Automation
HM 210/220 Type A Tester
Uses a digital filar eyepiece where the operator manually
determines the end points of the indentation.
A CCTV can be added for easier viewing.
 HM 210/220 Type B Tester
A Type B tester deletes the control panel from the tester, removes
the filar eyepiece, and all measurement is automatically
performed by the software. Manual on screen measurement is
possible.
A Type B utilizes the standard mechanical stage on an HM200
testers and will interface with an optional mechanical stage on the
HV100
HM 210/220 Type C Tester
Type C Tester is similar to a Type B tester with the addition of
a motorized X-Y Stage.

50x50mm or 100x100mm is available.

The Type C does not include automatic focus!!!

HM 210/220 Type D Tester
The Type D tester is a fully automatic testing system with a
motorized X-Y and Z axis.

Complex programed patterns can be run without supervision.

AVPak-10 Software (Type B-C-D
Testers)
Why Rockwell?
World Wide Standards
ASTM E18
Very Common Test
Fast cycle time
The Scale defines all!
Minimum Thickness Charts
√ The Prints!
ASTM E18 Key Points
Timing!
Test on one side of block only!
Spacing of 3 diameters between indents
1 HR value is 80 millionths travel
Yellow indicates scales that can be performed with included indenters
Yellow indicates scales that can be performed with included indenters
3 Components of Rockwell
Testing
• 1 Load
• 2 Displacement
• 3 Indenter
• 4 TIMING!
 New HR-Series
In General:
Economical Testers-Made in Brazil
Better Electronics-Conversions
Includes V and Flat anvils
Carbide Ball Indenter
All Dead Weight- Except HR521 top-of-the line
 HR320MS
MS model only - Rockwell and Superficial
Scale conversions
Output
Adjustable Timing
Add a weight system**
 HR430MR & HR430MS
HR430MR Rockwell only model
HR430MS Rockwell/Superficial model
Auto-Brake/Start system
Scale Conversions
Dial a weight system
 HR500 Series
Closed Loop Testers
Indenters and Test Blocks
Anvils and Accessories
Data Collection/SPC
Options
 USB Input Tool Direct
Data Collection from a hardness tester direct to Excel
06ADV380E Fits most hardness testers
Rockwell Pocket Guide
Rockwell Pocket Guide
Other Available Literature
• Why check hardness at all?

• Jominy Bars
• Lug Nuts
Some 21st Century
catastrophies
• There are no hardness
testing Police!
-Tom Farrell
 ASTM
• The American Society for Testing and Materials
formed in 1898 (2001) by a chemist for the
Pennsylvania Railroad
• Voluntary Consensus Society
• $80
•
Customer Call Out:

45.8
B 45.8
HRBW 12 45.8
Is this a
Brinell
hardness
tester?
 Portable Hardness Testers
• Proprietary Scales
• Different Forces
• Different Indenters
• Material Dependent
• Operator Dependent
 Scale Conversions

• Don’t do it! (At least not at first)

• HRC50 to a depth of .035” (Euro EHT HV550 or CHD)
• 513HV
• @ what test force?
Proper Nomenclature

• 513HV.3 ≈ HRC50

• 313HBW 10/3000

• HRBWHBS
Again, the most important
question!
How hard do you expect it to be?

Test
Load
Scale
Indenter
Conversions
•Thanks for coming!!!

•Call with any questions.

•See you in Toronto!