NDT & Corrosion Control Services Standard Operating Procedure

Document # SOP 091-15 Page 1 / 2

Issue: 1/1 Date: 20 / 4 /
Approved By:
2000
Title: Hardness Testing of Steel Specimens.

1.0 SCOPE
This procedure specifies the general requirements of Vickers hardness testing of metallic
materials at room temperature using Vickers Hardness Testing Machine.

2.0 REFERENCES
ASTM E92 Standard test method for Vickers hardness testing of metallic materials.

3.0 EQUIPMENT
A motorized Vickers hardness tester (Model VM 50) with automatic loading/ unloading
cycle and load selection of 5,10,20,30 and 50 kgf shall be used for the hardness testing. A
regular pyramid having square base and a smoothed-off point made of Diamond (face
angle 136 ± 0.5) will produce the indentation, which will be projected to the focussing
front screen. The diagonal of the impression shall be measured and the Vickers hardness
can be found by referring to the corresponding table.

4.0 TESTING PERSONNEL

Qualified personnel with sufficient working experience shall conduct the test and record
the results as per the requirements.

5.0 TEST SPECIMEN

5.1 The Vickers hardness test is adaptable to a wide variety of test specimens
ranging from large bars or rolled sections to minute pieces of metallographic
mounts.
5.2 The surface of the specimen shall be so prepared that the ends of the diagonals
are clearly defined. Thickness of the specimen shall be sufficient to prevent
any bulging due to impression on the opposite side of the specimen.
5.3 The specimen shall be so prepared and mounted in such a way that the surface
is normal to the axis of indenter.

6.0 CALIBRATION
Testing machine shall be calibrated at time intervals not exceeding 12 months. Routine
check by using standardized test block shall be conducted on daily basis.

7.0 METHOD OF TESTING

Test loads of range 5-50 Kg shall be used, depending on the requirements of the test,
using weight selection knob. After placing the specimen on test table, it can be raised
slowly to get a focussed view on front screen. At this stage, a gap of 0.2 to 0.25 mm
expected between the tip of the diamond indenter and top face of the specimen. Dwell
timer shall be adjusted to timer shall be adjusted to required duration prior to making
indentation by pressing START pushbutton. Indentor head shall be indexed to next
position and measure diagonals of impression projected on front focussing screen. The
measurements shall be made with the impression centered as nearly as possible in the
NDT & Corrosion Control Services Standard Operating Procedure
Document # SOP 091-15 Page 2 / 2
Issue: 1/1 Date: 20 / 4 /
Approved By:
2000
Title: Hardness Testing of Steel Specimens.

field of the microscope. After finding the mean value, refer corresponding table (attached)
to find-out Vickers hardness value.

The center of the impression shall not be closer to any edge of the specimen or to another
impression than a distance equal to two and a half times the length of diagonal of the
impression.
Locations of hardness measurement on the weld heat affected zone (HAZ) and parent
metal is shown on the attached sketch sk-01. Test shall be conducted on weld cross
sections removed from 6 and 12 O’clock positions for pipe specimens or from location,
25 mm from the ends of the welds for plate specimens. The test shall be conducted using
a 5Kg or 10 Kg load. The cross section shall be polished to a finish obtained from a 600
grit or finer silicon carbide paper. The cross section shall be etched to reveal the weld
HAZ and the fusion zone. In case any reading exceeds the specified limit by no more than
VHN 10, then three (3) additional indentations shall be made near the original reading. If
all three (3) retest results are below the specified limit, then the joint is acceptable.
If the specified hardness is listed using any other scale besides Vickers, then the Vickers
equivalent of the specified hardness shall be used. ASTM E140 shall be used for any
conversion between the hardness scales.

8.0 SAFETY PRECAUTION

Precaution shall be taken to protect personnel from flying broken specimen and hazards
associated with specimen slipping and falling.

9.0 DOCUMENTATION
Convex surface of the bent specimen shall be examined and interpreted as per the
requirements of the relevant standards and documented in the Welding Procedure
Qualification Record format qf- 091-20