Experiment 2 : Vickers Hardness Test

1.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this experiment, the student should be able to determine metal hardness
2.0 APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT
Vickers Hardness tester (MV-1) and Specimen

3.0 SAFETY AND HEALTH

3.1 Make sure the student follows the laboratory or workshop safety regulators.
3.2 Experiment must be conducted by lecturers or experienced lab assistance.
3.3 Always know the hazards associated with the materials that are being utilized in the lab.
3.4 Always wear appropriate protective clothing.
3.5 Never perform unauthorized work,preparation or experiments
3.6 Be familiar with the location of emergency equipment fire alarms, fire extinguisher,
emergency eye wash and safety shower. Know the appropriate emergency response
procedures.

4.0 THEORY
The Vickers hardness test method consists of indenting the test material with a diamond indenter,
in the form of a right pyramid with a square base and an angle of 136 degrees between opposite
faces subjected to a load of 1 to 100 kgf. The full load is normally applied for 10 to 15 seconds.
The two diagonals of the indentation left in the surface of the material after removal of the load
are measured using a microscope and their average calculated. The area of the sloping surface of
the indentation is calculated. The Vickers hardness is the quotient obtained by dividing the kgf
load by the square mm area of indentation.
The definition of Vickers Hardness Test using the following formula :

F= Load in kgf

d = Arithmetic mean of the two diagonals, d1 and d2in mm

HV = Vickers hardness

5.0 PROCEDURES
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4

The light is adjusted to get the suitable visual brightness for the microscope.
The specimen is placed into the anvil and load change over was set at the suitable load.
Specimen and pyramid shaped diamond intender was adjusted about 0.5mm
Eye lenses was properly adjusted to get clear image and the turret was turned until the
diamond intender touch the specimen.
5.5 The control panel was switched on and the pyramid diamond intender was pressed into
the surface of the material. The indicator switched off automatically after the process is
done.
5.6 The Diagonal of resulting indention was measured under microscope and the Vickers
hardness value is taken from the conversion table.

6.0 RESULTS/DATA

For Brinell hardness test

Specimen
Steel
Brass
Aluminium

Indenter diameter
(mm)
10
10
10

Load applied
(kgF)
3000
750
500

Diameter (mm)
3.9
2.8
2.5

For Rockwell hardness

Specimen
Steel
Brass
Aluminium

Indenter diameter (mm)

1.588
1.588
1.588

Load applied (kgF)

100
100
100

7.0 DISCUSSION
7.1 state 2 advantage of vickers hardness test compared to various hardness test

This test also leaves only tiny indentations that are usually not a problem for production
items, making it suitable for quality control. The other advantage of the Vickers system other
than the increased degree of accuracy, is that it does not have a number of different scales and
indenters, as does the Rockwell and Brinnell scales.

7.2 state the difference between vickers and knoop intender

Vickers - Pyramidal shaped diamond indenter and Knoop- Rhombohedral shaped diamond
indenter

Knoop indenter is rhombohedral shape with an included longitudinal angle of 172 30 and an
included transverse angle of 130 0. and In Vickers test hardness calculations are based on
mean of measurements of two diagonals of impression.in Knoop hardness calculations are
based on measurement of long diagonal of impression.

8.0 CONCLUSION
By comparing Vickers and Knoop hardness, we can conclude that:

Vickers indenter penetrates about twice as deep as Knoop indenter.

Vickers indentation diagonal about 1/3 of the length of Knoop major diagonal.
Vickers test is less sensitive to surface conditions than Knoop test.
Vickers test is more sensitive to measurement errors than knoop test.
Vickers test best for small rounded areas.
Knoop test best for small elongated areas.
Knoop test good for very hard brittle materials and very thin sections

9.0 REFERENCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoop_hardness_test
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_hardness_test
http://metalpal.blogspot.my/2015/06/differences-between-indenter-vickers-knoop.html
http://www.hardnesstesters.com/Applications/Knoop-Testing.aspx