Hardness testing is a method for detecting a material's resistance to indentation by a hard object. It falls under the category of materials mechanical property testing. Hardness values are calculated by measuring the indentation size. Common units include Brinell hardness (HBW), Rockwell hardness (HRC), and Vickers hardness (HV), each corresponding to different indenter and test force combinations.
Testing methods are mainly divided into indentation methods and springback methods. Indentation methods include Rockwell hardness testing (using a diamond cone or steel ball indenter to measure the indentation depth), Brinell hardness testing (using a cemented carbide ball indenter to measure the indentation diameter), and Vickers hardness testing (using a square pyramidal diamond indenter to measure the diagonal length). Springback methods, represented by the Leeb hardness test, calculate hardness based on the rebound speed of the impactor. This method requires control of temperature, indentation spacing, and surface roughness, and adheres to standards such as GB/T 230.1 and ISO 6508, among other domestic and international specifications.
With the development of materials science, hardness testing has gradually formed a standardized system. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has successively released core standards such as ISO 6506 (Bruce) and ISO 6508 (Rockwell), while my country has simultaneously formulated national standards such as GB/T 4340.1 (Vickers) to standardize test procedures and equipment calibration requirements.
