Lab Session #10:

To perform Brinell hardness test and determine Brinell Hardness No. of given
specimen
Objective:
The objectives of this experiment are:
1. To study the effect of material on Rockwell Hardness no.
2. To study the effect of thickness on Rockwell Hardness no.

Apparatus:
1. Brinell hardness testing machine

Theory:
1. Hardness tests:
The nomenclature of hardness comes in various terms depending on the techniques
used for hardness testing and depends on the hardness levels of various types of
materials. Different techniques used to determine the hardness of different
materials are as follow:
1. Mohrs Scratch test
2. Sceleroscope Rebound test
3. Indentation test
I. Micro-indentation knop test
II. Macro-indentation test
Rockwell Hardness test
Brinell Hardness test
Vickers Hardness test

1 Rockwell hardness test:

Rockwell hardness test is commonly used among industrial practices because the
Rockwell testing machine offers a quick and practical operation and can also
minimize errors arising from the operator. The depth of an indentation determines
the hardness values. The indenter made of diamond or hardened steel is pressed
onto a flatly ground metal surface with a minor load of 10 kg to position the metal
surface as shown in figure below.
 2. Brinell Hardness Test
For Brinell hardness test, the hardness of materials is tested by pressing a steel ball
or tungsten carbide ball for a time of 10 to 15 seconds into the surface of specimen
by a standard load P(kgf). After that, the mean diameter of the indentation d [mm]

is measured when the load is removed. The Brinell hardness number HB, is obtained
by dividing the size of the load applied by the surface area of the spherical
indentation A [mm2].

D D d
2 2

D

2
F
HB=

Where h (mm) is the depth of indentation, D (mm) is the diameter of the ball. For
soft or very hard materials, the Brinell test cannot be used. This test is limited to
materials with hardness up to 450 HB with a hardened steel ball and 600 HB with a
tungsten carbide ball.

3. Vickers Hardness Test

Vickers test involves a diamond indenter in the form of a square-based pyramid with
an apex angle of 136 (shown below). The indenter is being pressed under load for
10 to 15 seconds in to the surface of the specimen under test. The result is a
square-shape indentation. After the load and indenter are removed the diagonals of
the indentation d (mm) are measured. The Vickers hardness number HV is obtained
by dividing the size of the load F (kgf), applied by the surface area A (mm 2), of the
indentation. Thus, the HV is given by
2 Fsin 68 1.854 F
HV = 2
= 2
d d

Typically, a load of 30 kg is used for

steels and cast irons, 10 kg for
copper alloy, 5 kgf or pure copper
and aluminum alloy, 2.5 kg for pure
aluminum and 1 kg for lead, tin and
tin alloys. Up to a hardness value of
about 300 HV, the hardness value
number given by the Vickers test is
the same as that given by the Brinell
test.

4. Test consideration:
There are several considerations for Brinell hardness test:
I. Require clean and well positioned indenter and anvil
II. The test sample should be clean, dry, smooth and oxide-free surface
III. The surface should be flat and perpendicular to the indenter
IV. Low reading of hardness value might be expected in cylindrical surfaces
V. Specimen thickness should be 10 times higher than the depth of the indenter
VI. The spacing between the indentations should be 3 to 5 times of the
indentation diameter
VII. Loading speed should be standardized.
5. Brinell Hardness tester:
The Brinell tester (figure below) uses a hardened spherical ball, which is forced into
the surface of the metal. This ball is 10 millimeters (0.3937 inch) in diameter. A
pressure of 3,000 kilograms is used for ferrous metals and 500 kilograms for
nonferrous metals. The pressure must be maintained at least 10 seconds for ferrous
metals and at least 30 seconds for nonferrous metals. The load is applied by
hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure is built up by a hand pump or an electric
motor, depending on the model of tester. A pressure gauge indicates the amount of
pressure. There is a release mechanism for relieving the pressure after the test has
been made.
A calibrated microscope is provided for measuring the diameter of the impression in
millimeters. The machine has various shaped anvils for supporting the specimen
and an elevating screw for bringing the specimen in contact with the ball
penetrator. These are attachments for special tests.
The components of the machine are:
I. lever VI. Microscope
II. Skirt/Elevating screw VII. Hand wheel
III. Anvil VIII. Indenter/penetrator
IV. Hydraulic system IX. Drill chuck
V. Weights and weight pan
X.
XI.
 XII. Procedure:
1. Per the softness of material decide the load for Brinell hardness test.
2. Place the specimen on the anvil support.
3. Lift the anvil with the help of handwheel until indenter touches the specimen.
4. Keep on moving anvil upward after contact until the needle on small dial
indicator reaches the set point.
5. Now turn the trip lever and weight for 15-30 seconds dwell time.
6. Now turn the trip lever back and move the anvil downward.
7. Measure the diameter of the indentation to find the Brinell hardness no.
8. Repeat the experiment for different material and thickness.
XIII.
XIV.
XV. Observations:
XVI. Brass
XVII. Indente XVIII. Indentation XX. Brinell Hardness
XIX. Load
r Dia Dia No.
XXI. D XXII. d XXIII. p XXIV. BHN
XXV. mm XXVI. mm XXVII. Kg XXVIII.
XXIX. 10 XXX. 2.4 XXXI. 1500 XXXII. 327
XXXIII. 10 XXXIV. 2.8 XXXV. 1500 XXXVI. 239
XXXVII. 10 XXXVIII. 2.5 XXXIX. 1500 XL. 301
XLI. 10 XLII. 2.6 XLIII. 1500 XLIV. 278
XLVII. Avg. Value
XLV. XLVI. XLVIII. 286
=
XLIX. Aluminum
L. Indente LI. Indentation LIII. Brinell Hardness
LII. Load
r Dia Dia No.
LIV. D LV. d LVI. p LVII. BHN
LVIII. mm LIX. mm LX. Kg LXI.
LXII. 10 LXIII. 3.7 LXIV. 500 LXV. 45
LXVI. 10 LXVII. 3 LXVIII. 500 LXIX. 69
LXX. 10 LXXI. 3.8 LXXII. 500 LXXIII. 42
LXXVI. Avg. Value
LXXIV. LXXV. LXXVII. 52
=
LXXVIII. Steel
LXXIX. thickness LXXX. 4.35 mm
LXXXI. Indente LXXXII. Indentation LXXXIV. Brinell Hardness
LXXXIII. Load
r Dia Dia No.
LXXXV. D LXXXVI. d LXXXVII. p LXXXVIII. BHN
LXXXIX. mm XC. mm XCI. Kg XCII.
XCIII. 10 XCIV. 2.5 XCV. 3024 XCVI. 606
XCVII. 10 XCVIII. 2.3 XCIX. 3024 C. 718
CI. 10 CII. 1.8 CIII. 3024 CIV. 1178
CVII. Avg. Value
CV. CVI. CVIII. 834
=
CIX. thickness CX. 5.45 mm
CXI. Indente CXII. Indentation CXIII. Load CXIV. Brinell Hardness
 r Dia Dia No.
CXV. D CXVI. d CXVII. p CXVIII. BHN
CXIX. mm CXX. mm CXXI. Kg CXXII.
CXXIII. 10 CXXIV. 1.8 CXXV. 3024 CXXVI. 1178
CXXVII. 10 CXXVIII. 2.5 CXXIX. 3024 CXXX. 606
CXXXI. 10 CXXXII. 2 CXXXIII. 3024 CXXXIV. 952
CXXXVII. Avg. Value
CXXXV. CXXXVI. CXXXVIII. 912
=
CXXXIX. thickness CXL. 2.2 mm
CXLI. Indente CXLII. Indentation CXLIV. Brinell Hardness
CXLIII. Load
r Dia Dia No.
CXLV. D CXLVI. d CXLVII. p CXLVIII. BHN
CXLIX. mm CL. mm CLI. Kg CLII.
CLIII. 10 CLIV. 3 CLV. 3024 CLVI. 417
CLVII. 10 CLVIII. 3.1 CLIX. 3024 CLX. 390
CLXI. 10 CLXII. 4.15 CLXIII. 3024 CLXIV. 213
CLXVII. Avg. Value
CLXV. CLXVI. CLXVIII. 340
=
CLXIX.
Graph

Effect of Material
900
800
700
600
500
BHN 400

300
200
100
0
Aluminium Brass Steel
1. Effect of
material
CLXX.
 Effect of thickness
1000 912
900 834
800
700
600
BHN 500
400 340
300
200
100 2.2 1 4.35 2 5.45 3
0
1 2 3

Thickness BHN

2. Effect of
thickness
CLXXI.
CLXXII.
CLXXIII. Specimen calculation:

CLXXIV. indentation diameter=d=2.4 mm

CLXXV. Load= p=F=1500 kg

D D2d 2

10 1022.42

( 10)
CLXXVI.
2
D

2
F
HB=

CLXXVII.
CLXXVIII. Comments and discussion:
1. The effect of material shows that the hardness of steel is greatest and
aluminum is lowest.
2. Effect of thickness shows mean hardness increases with increase in
thickness.
3. Because of the wide test force range the Brinell test can be used on almost
any metallic material. The part size is only limited by the testing instrument's
capacity.
CLXXIX. Strengths:
 4. One scale covers the entire hardness range, although comparable results can
only be obtained if the ball size and test force relationship is the same.
5. A wide range of test forces and ball sizes to suit every application.
6. Nondestructive, sample can normally be reused.
CLXXX. Weaknesses:
7. The main drawback of the Brinell test is the need to optically measure the
indent size. This requires that the test point be finished well enough to make
an accurate measurement.
8. Slow Testing can take 30 seconds not counting the sample preparation time.
CLXXXI.
CLXXXII.
CLXXXIII.