5th International Quality Conference

May 20th 2011

Center for Quality, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kragujevac

Bulent Aydemir1)
THE ADVANTAGES OF NEW
Baris Cal2) GENERATION HARDNESS
Serdar Salman3) MEASUREMENT METHODS
Abstract: Traditionally hardness has been defined as
1) TUBITAK, UME, Gebze,
resistance of a material to permanent penetration by
Kocaeli 41470, TURKEY,
another harder material. To determine hardness
mail:bulent.aydemir@
properties of material, static methods of measuring
ume.tubitak.gov.tr
hardness Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, Knoop are widely
preferred. Hardness value in all these methods is; the
2) TUBITAK, UZAY, Ankara,
value measured by various methods is based on
TURKEY, mail:baris.cal@
intentation created by designed forces. These static
uzay.tubitak.gov.tr
methods have been used according to international
standards which were defined with whole details. In
3)MARMARA UNIVERSITY;
recent years, a new instrumented indentation hardness
Faculty of Technical
method (Martens hardness) has developed. By this
Education,Goztepe- Istanbul,
method, addition to similar results with traditional
TURKEY mail:ssalman@
hardness methods also providing additional results
marmara.edu.tr
related to mechanical properties of material.
In this study, the basic structure of the hardness
measuring methods and differences are highlighted by
comparing each other. Also the reasons of prefering the
Martens hardness method are discussed.
Keywords: Hardness, Hardness measurements,
Instrumented indentation hardness, Martens hardness

1. INTRODUCTION similarity rule of hardness applies. There

Hardness is defined as the resistance
of a material to various kinds of permanent
shape change and penetration by another
harder material. Determining the material
property analysis and hardness
measurement, the methods of measuring
hardness Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers,
Knoop and instrumented indentation
(martens) are well known.
The event of hardness should be
discussed after categorizing hardness
methods according to such factors as test
force, indenter shape and test cycle. Test
force is the most important factor,
hardness methods can be classified as
fixed-load tests, such as Brinell and
Rockwell and variable-load tests, such as
Vickers and Microvickers to which the
are three indenter shapes: ball (Brinell,
Rockwell Scale B), pyramid (Vickers,
Knoop, Berkovich), and conical (Rockwell
diamond indenter, which has a spherical
tip). Testing cycles depends on two factors
which are velocity and duration of
penetration. There are two main types of
hardness measuring: based on measuring
the area of indentation and based on
measuring the depth of indentation (Table
1 and Table 2).
In all hardness methods the measured
hardness value depends on test load and
dwell time. However, anyone who has
done these measurements would appreciate
the difficulties involved in recording
accurate measurements. A specific
limitation of some hardness methods
(Vickers, Knoop) is the microscopic

5th IQC May, 20 2011 337

measurement of hardness indentations
after the indenter is removed from tested
material. Hardness values of obtained from
these measurements can vary primarily by
limitations from resolution of the optical
system, also from the perception of the
operator and finally from elastic recovery
of the material.
Martens Hardness test has an
increasing popularity in last couple of
years especially in the fields of applied
engineering. Formerly it is known as
Universal Hardness Test or Instrumented
Indentation, nowadays it is named as
Table 1. Hardness tests based on measuring the area of an indentation
Method of
Measuring the
Dimensions of
an Indentation
Hardness Sym-
Depth measurement
Martens Hardness Test and is suitable for
hardness testing of most materials. In this
method hardness value calculated from
indentation depth under working load and
variation in hardness value is much less
than variation in traditional methods
caused by material’s visco-elastic and
optical properties. During elastic and
plastic deformation user can be able to get
load and displacement values to determine
hardness of material. Also effects of both
elastic and plastic deformation, visco-
elastic effects during loading can be used
for defining other properties of material.
Definition of
Hardness,
Hardness =
Indenter Category
Test
Force／Area
of Indentation Year of
Inven-

Method bol
tion
Indenter Shape
Surface Area
Micros-copic

Unit System

Indentation
Projec-ted

Material

Shape

Macro

Micro

Nano
Area

Brinell HB ● Carbide 1900

(Hard Ball Not similar ●
Meyer ● Steel) 1908
Regular square
pyramid angle
Vickers HV ● between ● ● 1925
opposite faces:
136o
● After
load is CGS Quadrangular
removed pyramid angle
Knoop HK ● between ● 1939
opposite faces:
172.5o and 130o
Berkovich
triangular
Diamond Analogous
pyramid angle
Berkovich ● * ● 1951
between
indenter axis
and face: 63.03o
Instrumented Berkovich and
Indentation HM ● Vickers are used
(Martens) ● for ISO
When nanoindentation; 14577
SI ● ● ●
(Nanoindentation load is Ball indenters -
included) HIT applied ● are also used for 2002
other
applications
* Berkovich defines hardness H, which is determined from the surface area of an indentation and the hardness H', which is
determined from the projected area of an indentation.

338 B. Aydemir, B. Cal, S. Salman

Table 2. Hardness tests based on measuring the depth of an indentation (Rockwell and
Rockwell Superficial)

Method of Indenter Category

Measuring Year
Hardness Sym- the Definition of of
Method bol Dimensions hardness Indenter Indentation
Material Macro Micro Nano Inven-
of an Shape Shape tion
Indentation
Measure the Hardness =
Rockwell HRC depth of 100 - 500 h Spherical ●
indenter (10/150) tip R 0.2
penetration. Diamond mm ●
(1) Apply the Hardness =
Rockwell Cone (Light
HR30N initial test 100 - 1000
Superficial angle test
force h (3/30)
120o load)
todetermine Hardness =
Rockwell HRB the origin of 130 - 500 h ●
depth (10/100)
measurement.
(2) Increase
the load until
Unit Not
the full test 1919
CGS analogous
force is
reached.
(3) Remove Hard
the test force steel Ball ●
Hardness =
Rockwell Carbide (Light
HR30T until the initial 100 - 1000
Superficial test force is test
h (3/30)
reached. load)
Then obtain
the difference
h (mm) in
depth
between (2)
and (1).
In Vickers hardness; geometry of the Aims of this study are to determine
indenter, which is identical to the Vickers the Martens hardness and traditional
pyramidal diamond, makes the result Vickers hardness on two tin-based bearing
theoretically independent from the chosen materials. The Vickers hardness was
test force. calculated independently from the force-
Measurement parameters of traditional indentation depth curves that were
depth sensing hardness methods (Rockwell recorded during Martens hardness using
and Rockwell superficial) sketched EN ISO 14577-1 standard method.
schematically in Figure 1. The left side of Martens hardness were carried out to
the scheme shows the parameter in the evaluate the indentation of materials by
traditional hardness test (vickers, brinell considering both the force and
etc.). The parameter in the length displacement during plastic and elastic
measurement performed by human deformation. By monitoring the complete
observer has been considered to be cycle of increasing and removal of the test
particularly important in the traditional force, hardness values were determined.
technique. The right side shows group of The reasons for preference of the Martens
the parameters in the Martens hardness hardness methods are discussed
test.

5th IQC May, 20 2011 339

 Figure 2. Martens hardness testing device
Figure 1. Schematic presentation of the
measurement parameters of traditional Test force “F” and indenter displacement
and depth sensing hardness test methods “h” are measured automatically during the
test process, during increasing as well as
decreasing test force.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS As using a stiff test frame, the indenter
displacement represents the sum of the
Two commercially available tin-based elastic displacement of the sample surface
bearing materials were investigated. and the plastic depth of the impression.
Chemical compositions of the materials Tests are carried out in the range of
were shown in Table 3. The chemical ambient temperatures between 23oC and
composition of the materials are 25oC. Each sample was tested twice and
determined by optical emission values shown are the averages of ten
spectroscopy (OES). measurements. During the tests,
mechanical behavior of two different tin-
Table 3. Chemical compositions of two based bearing materials are inspected as a
different tin-based bearing materials. function of Martens hardness by load–
Material
Sn Sb Pb Cu Fe displacement curves. The hardness values
name were measured automatically by testing
WM-2 89.264 7.2305 0.4024 3.0320 0.0162
WM-5 60.309 20.251 16.622 2.6670 0.0189
machine software TestXpert.
Martens hardness is determined from
2.1. Hardness tests the values given by the force/indentation
Martens hardness of two different depth curve during the increasing of the
bearing materials was examined by Zwick test force, preferably after reaching the
model Z05 testing machine and Vickers specified test force. Martens hardness is
indenter shown in Figure 2. Operating test defined as the test force F divided by As(h)
forces were; first of all 250N and 500N, the surface area of the indenter penetrating
then 9.807N, 49.03N and 98.07N were beyond the zero-point of the contact and is
selected to compare 2 different bearing expressed in N/mm2. Adding, it was shown
materials. Maximum test force was applied indentation hardness (HIT), elastic reverse
on the material for 10s and application and deformation work of indentation (Welast)
removal period of test force was 8s. and total mechanical work of indentation
(Wtotal).
Vickers hardness test was used HV1,
HV5 and HV10 scales by Zwick testing

340 B. Aydemir, B. Cal, S. Salman

machine. Test forces 9.807 N, 49.03 N and force-indentation depth curve during the
98.07 N were selected according to EN increasing test force, preferably after
ISO 6507-1 to compare with Martens reaching the specified test force. It
hardness results. Maximum test force was includes the plastic and elastic
applied for 10s and application and deformation. Test procedure is performed
removal period of test force was 8s, too. under load or displacement (indentation
Vickers hardness values were determined depth) control. Test force F and the
by microscopic measurement of hardness indenter displacement h are measured
indentations after indenter was removed by automatically during test process both
operator. increasing as well as decreasing test
forces.
Martens hardness tests which were
3. RESULTS made on two different tin-based bearing
materials (WM2 and WM5) were carried
Typical Martens hardness force– out at 250N and 500N test forces. It is
displacement curves for the two different clear in Figure 6a and b that WM2 material
tin-based bearing materials tested are shows the lowest penetration. Also
shown in Figure 3. Martens hardness is increase in test force increases the indenter
measured from the values given by the displacement.

500
250
450

400
200
350

300
Force (N)

Force (N)

150
250

100 200

150

100
WM5
50
WM2
50

0 0
0,00 0,05 0,10 0,15 0,20 0,25 0,00 0,05 0,10 0,15 0,20 0,25 0,30 0,35 0,40 0,45 0,50

Indenter Displacement (mm) Indenter Displacement (mm)

Figure 3. Force–indenter displacement curves showing the loading and unloading curves
for two different tin-based bearing materials under 250 and 500 N force

Table 4. Martens hardness results of tin-based materials (WM2 and WM5)

Elastic reverse
Martens indentation Total mechanical deformation
Material Force
Hardness hardness work of indentation work of
indentation
Symbol HM F H IT Wtotal Welast
Unit N/mm² N N/mm² N.mm N.mm
284 249.64 309 16.171 0.387
WM2
295 499.79 320 45.771 0.970
227 249.51 257 19.183 1.224
WM5
239 499.85 263 52.403 2.351

5th IQC May, 20 2011 341

 When the results given in Table 4 in rates of calculated work values. It was
were evaluated, rate of increase in force is shown elastic reverse deformation work of
changing Martens hardness value of about indentation (Welast) and total mechanical
4-5% for different sample materials. It is work of indentation (Wtotal) values, gives
found that the Martens hardness values of information about visco-elastic behavior of
the WM2 materials are higher than WM5 the specimen materials.
in all forces. Similarly, there are changing
Table 5. Martens and vickers hardness results of tin-based material
Martens Vickers Hardness Vickers Vickers
Material Force Force
Hardness calculated method Hardness
Symbol F HM HVcal H F HV
Unit N N/mm² - - N -
9.807 260.8 24.6 HV 1 9.807 26.9
WM2 49.03 276.1 26.1 HV 5 49.03 23.5
98.07 275.4 26.0 HV 10 98.07 23.4
As seen in Table 5, Martens and considering both the force and
Vickers hardness measurements done for displacement during plastic and elastic
same material (WM2). By using Martens deformation. Observer eliminated in this
hardness results, Vickers hardness values test method so errors and deviations
(HVcal) was calculated with the following caused by observer is eliminated as well.
formula. Vickers hardness are test methods that
HVcal = 0,0945 HIT (according to EN ISO determination among majority of the
14577-1 F3 formula) human observation.
Martens hardness values were vary up Standard deviation shows
to 3.68% from the average for the same repeatability, reliability and quality of test
material and different forces. However, the process. How much standard deviation is
Vickers hardness values were vary up to small this much reliable, repeatable and
9.34% from the average. Also converted high quality measurements done.
Martens hardness results have standard According to results in Table 5, Martens
deviation of 0.82HV and Vickers hardness test results are more reliable, repeatable
results have standard deviation of 1.99HV. and higher quality than Vickers test
results.
4. CONCLUSION Additionally, Martens hardness is new
method and able to provide additional
This study demonstrated that the information about the mechanical
Martens and Vickers hardness are properties of material such as elastic and
dependent on force between 9,807 N and plastic deformation limits etc. Especially,
98,07 N. The Vickers hardness calculated Martens hardness method has advantages
from the force-indentation depth curve such as determination of hardness for
(HVcal) vary up to 3.68% from the average changeable forces and no need to human
hardness and standard deviation 0.82HV. observation.
On the contrary, HV values measured Therefore, Martens hardness method will
using the traditional Vickers method, were become preferred method as it is not only
vary up to 9,35% from the average time saving method but also can give more
hardness and standard deviation 1.99HV. information about material properties
Martens hardness tests were carried out to compare to traditional hardness testing
evaluate the indentation of materials by methods.

342 B. Aydemir, B. Cal, S. Salman

REFERENCES:

[1] Aydemir B., Sertlik Olcum Yontemlerinin Bugunu ve Yarini, Metal Dunyasi, Sayi 189,
Sayfa 84-87, 2009
[2] Bora M.O., Coban O., Sinmazcelik T., Gunay V., Zeren M., Materials and Design 31
2707–2715, 2010
[3] EN ISO 14577-1,2002, Metallic materials -- Instrumented indentation test for hardness
and materials parameters -- Part 1: Test method
[4] EN ISO 6507-1,2005, Metallic materials -- Vickers hardness test -- Part 1: Test method
[5] Hardness testing with Zwick, Zwick/Roell, Dokuman no FP 303, 2009
[6] Shakeel A.S., McCabe J.F., Bull S., Rusby S., Wassell R.W., Dental Materials 23 1079–
1085, 2007
[7] Ullner C., Beckmann J., Morrell R., Journal of the European Ceramic Society22 1183–
1189, 2002
[8] Ullner C., Reimann E., Kohlhoff H., Subaric-Leitis A., Measurement 43 216–222, 2010
[9] Yamamoto T., The Present and Future of Hardness Standard Blocks Solid State
Phenomena Vol. 118 pp 457-462, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, 2006

5th IQC May, 20 2011 343

344 B. Aydemir, B. Cal, S. Salman