AMITY UNIVERSITY, KOLKATA

Mechanical & Automation Engineering Department

Experiment No:
Engineering Materials Lab

Course Code:ES205

Vickers Hardness Number

of Given Specimen.
OBJECTIVE: To
Determine the

INTRODUCTION:
test method, is mostly used for small parts,
to as a microhardness
The Vickers hardness test method, also referred
thin sections, or case depth work.

measurement system. The

Microhardness test procedure, ASTM E-384,
The Vickers method is based on an optical
make an indentation which is measured and
converted to a
loads using a diamond indenter to
specifies range
a of light but test samples must be highly polished to
hardness value. It is very useful for testing on a
wide type materials,
of
base pyramid shaped diamond is used for testing in
the Vickers
enable measuring the size of the impressions. A square
loads are very light, ranging from 10gm to lkgf, although
"Macro" Vickers loads can range up to 30
scale. Typically
kg or more.

The Microhardness methods are used to test on metals, ceramics, composites almost any type of material.

Since the test indentation is very small in a Vickers test, it is useful for a variety of applications: testing very thin
materials like foils or measuring the surface of a part, small parts or small areas, measuring individual microstructures,
or measuring the depth of case hardening by sectioning a part and making a series of indentations to describe a profile
of the change in hardness.

Sectioning is usually necessary with a microhardness test in order to provide a small enough specimen that can fit into
the tester.Additionally, the sample preparation will need to make the specimen's surface smooth to permit a
indentation shape and good measurement, and to ensure the regular
sample can be held perpendicular to the indenter.
Often the prepared samples are mounted in a plastic medium to facilitate the
should be preparation and testing. The indentations
as large as possible to maximize the measurement resolution. (Error is
magnified
decrease) The test procedure is subject to problems of operator influence on the test
as indentation sizes
results.
 wurtg pe

PROCEDURE:
test force (F in newtons N) and te suface z
the applied
from the quotient of of the residual
hardness (HV) results
pyramidal
the surface area
The Vickers formula below). To calculate
indent on the specimen (see used. because the base
area of Vickers indents is
residual
ofthe of the two diagonals (dl and d2 in mim) is
indentation, the average
frequently not exactly square.
on the test force and
hardness range can be found in
the standard (ISO 6507). Depending
The recommended Vickers
The Vickers hardness value
lies between I and 3.000 HV.
specimen material used,

from 0 to its final value within 7 seconds

(minimisation of measurement
force is increased
Ideally, the test to 8 seconds (nominal
The maximum permissible interval for application time from the standard is 2
uncertainty). Ifte
force is 10 to 15 seconds (nominal time duration 14 s .
time duration 7 s). Generally, the dwell time for the test
also be specified in the hardness value, eg.: 610 HV 100
dwell time is any longer, the duration in seconds must
(dwell time of 30 s).

The test forces used in the macro range in the Vickers method are mostly substantially smaller than those used in
the Brinell method. The preferred choice for the macro range is 49, 98. 196, 294, 490 or 980 N. with 294 N being
used most frequently for testing in practice.
 ULATION :

136

test forceF =0,102x 0,1891 x

HV= constantxurface of the indentation

d (averagediagonallength)
2

OBSERVATION TABLE;
Average Remarks
Average Diagonal Vickers
SI. Material Force td2/2) Hardness
Used Applied(F) Length(D=dl No (HV)
No.

PRECAUTION:
smooth and free from foreign matter.
test specimen shall be
(1) The surface ofthe
increase of depth.
(2) The thickness of
the test specimen shall be at least 8 times the permanent