Static indentation tests Rockwell

Many types of hardness tests have been devised. The most common in use are the static indentation tests, eg, Brinell, Rockwell, and Vickers. Dynamic hardness tests involve the elastic response or rebound of a dropped indenter, eg, Scleroscope (Table 1). The approximate relationships among the various hardness tests are given in Table 2. 

Static Indentation Tests, by far the most widely used, the most widely analyzed, and the most generous in the breadth of data they supply. A ball, cone, or pyramid is forced into a surface and the load per unit area of impression is considered the material s hardness. Several types of such tests are well known Brinnel, Vickers, Rockwell, and Knoop. 

For hardness determination, different methods are possible scratching the surface, penetration of an indenter with static or dynamic loads, or rebound as a result of elastic material behavior. The methods with a penetrating indenter are the most important ones. The applied methods are distinguished, e.g., by the shape of the indenter. Brinell hardness is determined by a ball-shaped indenter, while Vickers hardness applies a pyramid-shaped one. After the indenting test with a certain load, the surface area of the indentation is measured which delivers a value for material hardness. Determination of Rockwell hardness uses the depth of the indentation instead of the surface area (Bargel and Schulze 1988). Independent of the method, the so-called surface hardness... 

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