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Description
Vickers Hardness
The Vickers hardness test uses a square-based pyramid diamond indenter with an angle of 136º between the opposite faces at the vertex, which is pressed into the surface of the test piece using a prescribed force, F. The time for the initial application of the force is 2 s to 8 s, and the test force is maintained for 10 s to 15 s. After the force has been removed, the diagonal lengths of the indentation are measured and the arithmetic mean, d, is calculated. The Vickers hardness number, HV, is given by:
HV = Constant × Test force / Surface area of indentation
Standard Vickers Scales
| Micro Hardness Scales |
Test Force F (N) |
| HV 0.01 |
0.09807 |
| HV 0.015 |
0.1471 |
| HV 0.02 |
0.1961 |
| HV 0.025 |
0.2452 |
| HV 0.05 |
0.4903 |
| HV 0.1 |
0.9807 |
| Low Force Hardness Scales |
Test Force F (N) |
| HV 0.2 |
1.961 |
| HV 0.3 |
2.942 |
| HV 0.5 |
4.903 |
| HV 1 |
9.807 |
| HV 2 |
19.61 |
| HV 3 |
29.42 |
| Low Force Hardness Scales |
Test Force F (N) |
| HV 5 |
49.03 |
| HV 10 |
98.07 |
| HV 20 |
196.1 |
| HV 30 |
294.2 |
| HV 50 |
490.3 |
| HV 100 |
980.7 |
Standards
BS EN ISO 6507-1:1998,
(BS 427:Part 1:1961)
| Metallic materials. Vickers hardness test. Test method |
| ASTM E92-82(1997)e3 |
Standard Test Method for Vickers Hardness of Metallic Materials |
The Vickers hardness test uses a square-based pyramid diamond indenter with an angle of 136º between the opposite faces at the vertex, which is pressed into the surface of the test piece using a prescribed force, F.
The time for the initial application of the force is 2 s to 8 s, and the test force is maintained for 10 s to 15 s. After the force has been removed, the diagonal lengths of the indentation are measured and the arithmetic mean, d, is calculated. The Vickers hardness number, HV, is given by: HB = Constant × F / Surface area of indentation
Standard Brinell Scales
| Hardness Scales |
Ball diameter,
D (mm) |
Nominal force,
F (N) |
| HBW 10/3000 |
10 |
29420 |
| HBW 10/1500 |
10 |
14710 |
| HBW 10/1000 |
10 |
9807 |
| HBW 10/500 |
10 |
4903 |
| HBW 10/250 |
10 |
2452 |
| HBW 10/100 |
10 |
980.7 |
| HBW 5/750 |
5 |
7355 |
| HBW 5/250 |
5 |
2452 |
| HBW 5/125 |
5 |
1226 |
| HBW 5/62.5 |
5 |
612.9 |
| HBW 5/25 |
5 |
245.2 |
| HBW 2.5/187.5 |
2.5 |
1839 |
| HBW 2.5/62.5 |
2.5 |
612.9 |
| HBW 2.5/31.25 |
2.5 |
306.5 |
| HBW 2.5/15.625 |
2.5 |
153.2 |
| HBW 2.5/6.25 |
2.5 |
61.29 |
| HBW 1/30 |
1 |
294.2 |
| HBW 1/10 |
1 |
98.07 |
| HBW 1/5 |
1 |
49.03 |
| HBW 1/2.5 |
1 |
24.52 |
| HBW 1/1 |
1 |
9.807 |
The designation "HBW" specifies the use of a tungsten carbide ball indenter.
The designation "HBS" specifies the use of a hardened steel ball indenter but is now deleted from standards.
It should be noted that measurements of HBW and HBS on the same sample may differ in value due to differences in the tribological characteristics of the indenter-specimen interface.
Standards
BS EN ISO 6506-1:1999,
(BS 240:Part 1:1962) |
Metallic materials. Brinell hardness test. Test method |
| E10-01 |
Standard Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials |
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