Brinell Hardness Testing Methods and Their Applicability
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2020 AFS Proceedings of the 124th Metalcasting Congress Paper 2020-012 (10 pages) Brinell Hardness Testing Methods and Their Applicability Devin R. Hess, Ph.D., General Motors Engine Materials Engineer, Pontiac, Michigan Herbert W. Doty, Ph.D. General Motors Materials Technology, Pontiac, Michigan Copyright 2020 American Foundry Society ABSTRACT test, better known as the Product A, was introduced in 1975.4 The Leeb test is a form of the scleroscope test. Hardness is one of the most commonly specified requirements on automotive propulsion system One definition of hardness is a materials resistance to engineering drawings. It is used as a process control indentation. This is typically determined by measuring the check and as a proxy for strength, wear resistance, and permanent depth or diameter of the indentation left by the machinability. It is commonly assumed harder means testing method. The resulting hardness value depends on stronger, and while this is generally true, what are we the Product And the test parameters being used. Hardness really controlling when we measure hardness? Depending therefore is not a fundamental physical property of a on the material and the manufacturing process, hardness material. Thus, it is critical that the Product A parameters can be used to verify that the material has been exposed to be clearly defined when specifying or reporting a the appropriate thermal conditions and that the proper hardness value. One concern that often arises is how to microstructure is present. compare hardness values obtained from different test methods. This paper explores some of the issues that can arise when trying to compare between different scales within a given HARDNESS TEST METHODS REVIEWED IN THIS Product And when trying to convert from one test method PAPER to another and offers some rationale for these limitations. The focus of this paper is limited to cast iron and BRINELL HARDNESS aluminum engine components and the Brinell, Rockwell, The Brinell hardness test is an indentation type of test. It and Equotip (noted from here on as “Product A”) test is commonly specified to test materials that have a methods. structure that is too coarse or that have a surface that is too rough to be tested using another test method, e.g. Keywords: Hardness, Brinell, Rockwell, cast iron, castings and forgings. The Brinell method is performed aluminum by applying a predetermined test load (F) to a carbide ball of fixed diameter (D) into the workpiece. The load is held INTRODUCTION for a predetermined time period and then removed. The diameter of the resulting indentation is then measured Different hardness test methods have been developed and using a specially designed Brinell scope or an optical adopted to address a variety of problems. There are at system across at least two diameters, usually at right least 12 different methods that can be used for measuring angles to each other. These diameters are averaged (d) hardness. One of the earliest hardness testing methods and used to determine the surface area of the indentation. was the scratch test which was attributed to Reaumur in The hardness number is generated by dividing the test 1722.1 File hardness is one type of scratch test which has force by the surface area of the indentation, Equation 1. been used to ensure that proper surface hardening has The Brinell test was originally developed for determining been achieved in applications such as the induction heat the hardness of steels but has since been applied to almost treating of valve seats in cast iron cylinder heads. In 1900, all metals. Johan August Brinell’s ball hardness test was showcased at the Paris Exhibition.2 The Brinell test has become one 2 = Eqn. 1 of the most commonly used hardness tests. Another ( ) commonly used hardness test is the Rockwell hardness Where: 2 2 test which was introduced in 1919 by Stanley P. HBW = the Brinell hardness− � −number Rockwell.1 The Vickers hardness test was introduced in 3 F = the test force in kgf 1922 by R. L. Smith and G. E. Sandland. The Vickers D = the diameter of the indenter ball in mm test was a variation on the Brinell test. The Leeb rebound d = the measured mean diameter of the indentation Page 1 of 10 2020 AFS Proceedings of the 124th Metalcasting Congress Paper 2020-012 (10 pages) Standards for Brinell Hardness Testing indicates recommended force-diameter ratios for certain The two most commonly utilized standards for measuring materials and hardness ranges. That table is re-created in Brinell hardness are ASTM E10 and ISO 6506. ASTM Table 1.6 It is important to note that the standards use E10 is the standard followed in North America while ISO force-diameter ratio, but it is actually the force in kgf 6506 is the standard followed throughout much of the rest divided by the diameter squared. of the world. While these standards are essentially equivalent there are subtle differences which have been Table 1. Ratio 0.102xF/D2 for Different Metallic shown to result in different hardness readings. In Materials6 comparing these standards, it is important not only to Material Brinell Force-diameter point out the differences which exist but also to point out hardness ratio 0.102xF/D2 common requirements between the standards. (HBW) (N/mm2) Steel, nickel 30 Common Requirements Between Standards ASTM E10 and ISO 6506 both describe equipment alloys, titanium alloys requirements, test piece requirements, and the test a procedure for performing Brinell hardness measurements. Cast iron < 140 10 Both standards require the use of a hard metal or tungsten ≥ 140 30 carbide ball as the indenter.5,6 Both standards show how Copper and < 35 5 to designate Brinell hardness by calling out the hardness copper alloys 35 to 200 10 number followed by the indenter type (e.g. HBW for hard > 200 30 metal ball), followed by the diameter of the indenter used Light metals and < 35 2.5 and the applied load in kgf.5,6 For example, 109 HBW their alloys 35 to 80 5, 10, 15 10/500 would be a hardness value of 109 using a tungsten > 80 10, 15 indenter with a diameter of 10 mm (0.39 in.) and an Lead, tin 1 applied load of 500 kgf (4903 N). Both standards also Sintered metal According to ISO 4498-1 recommended that the test be carried out at a temperature a - For the testing of cast iron, the nominal between 50 F(10 C) and 95 F(35 C).5,6 diameter of the ball shall be 2.5 mm, 5 mm, or 10 mm. A rather interesting commonality between the two standards is a comment made with respect to converting While ASTM E10 does not provide any recommendations to other hardness scales or to tensile strength. Both for what load should be used it does state that different standards make a statement cautioning against converting Brinell hardness numbers may be obtained if different to other hardness scales or into tensile strength, stating loads are used on the same diameter ball on the same that these conversions are approximations at best and material.5 ASTM E10 also states that direct comparisons should be avoided unless a reliable basis has been of results using different scales (indenter and load established through comparative tests.5,6 This cautionary combinations) can only be made using the same force- statement will be explored in further detail later in this diameter ratios.5 paper. In North America it has been common practice to use a An important, and often overlooked, requirement that is 500 kgf (4903 N) load with a 10 mm (0.39 in.) diameter common between both standards is the minimum and indenter when testing aluminum.7 This results in a force- maximum diameter of the indentation. Both standards diameter ratio of 5. According to ISO 6506, as shown in indicate that the test force be selected so that the resulting Table 1, a force-diameter ratio of 5 should only be used indentation is between 24% and 60% of the ball for light metals that have a hardness between 35 and 80. diameter.5,6 This common requirement also leads to one of Also as shown in Table 1, ISO 6506 recommends a force- the most significant differences between the two diameter ratio of 10 or 15 be used for light metals and standards which will be discussed in the next section. alloys with a hardness number greater than 80. Differences Between Standards Most automotive cast aluminum components have a One difference between the ASTM E10 and ISO 6506 hardness that exceeds 80 HBW 10/500 with some standards is the required thickness of the test sample. components approaching 120 HBW 10/500. Figure 1 ASTM E10 suggests that the thickness of the material shows an overlay of this typical hardness range with both should be at least 10 times the depth of the indentation.5 the HBW 10/500 scale and the HBW 10/1000 scale. Whereas ISO 6506 only requires the thickness to be at least 8 times the depth of the indentation.6 The graph in Figure 1 has been created to show the hardness as a function of the indentation diameter. The Probably the most important difference between ASTM indentation diameter has been limited to fall within the E10 and ISO 6506 resides in the recommendation for 24% to 60% range specified by ASTM E10 and ISO what test force to use. ISO 6506 provides a table which 6506. As is illustrated in Figure 1, the typical range of Page 2 of 10 2020 AFS Proceedings of the 124th Metalcasting Congress Paper 2020-012 (10 pages) hardness values for automotive cast aluminum alloys is VICKERS HARDNESS fully covered using the HBW 10/1000 scale whereas the The Vickers hardness test method, also referred to as a maximum hardness value that falls within the 24% to microhardness test method, is mostly used for small parts, 60% range is only 109 HBW 10/500.