SIKSHA

ANUSAN

OEEMED UNIVERS

INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGINEERINL DEPARTMENTI

LABORATORY MANUAL
ADVANCE MACHINING LABORATORY

SUBJECT:

MICRO INDENTATION HARDNESS TEST

 Advanced Machining Lab

Micro hardness tester

Engineering (ITER, Bhubaneswa

Department of Mechanical
 ITER/s '0' A Universlty
Adv. Machining Lab./MECH/
EXPERIMENT
AIM OF THE
To determine micro indentation hardness of metal chips coming out of different
cutting operation.
To determine the hardness of the surfaces produced by non-conventional
machining processes
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Micro hardness tester with its system
Disc polishing Machine
CONSUMABLES REQUIRED
Industrial resin for molding (Powder and liquid)
Emery papers (250, 320, 450, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 & 1500 grade)
" Diamond paste (3 um& 1um)
" Lubricating spray for diamond polishing
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Make:Vaiseshika Electron Devices

Micro Hardness Measurement Range :20 to 1500 vickers

Objective :40X

Micrometer Eye piece :10X

Total Magnification :400X

Indentation System
Loading/Unloading Mechanism :Manual

Weights :10 to 200gm

Indenter : Diamond Pyramid
Specimen Table
" Angle of turn :0 to 180°

Longitudinal travel :0 to 10mm

Crosswise travel :0to 10mm

Micrometer feed scale :0.01mm/ div
" Total weight of the :20Kgs. (approximately)
system
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 University
Ady. Machining Lab./MECH/ ITER/S 'O A

Dimensions
:340x290x380mm (approximately)
Accuracy :+/-20 vickers (for 100 to 1500
vickers)
+/- 10 vickers (for <100vickers)
THEORY
Micro indentation hardness testing, more commonly (but incorrectly) called micro
hardness testing, is widely used to study fine scale changes in hardness, either
intentional or accidental. Heat treaters have utilized the technique for many years to
eValuate the success of surtace hardening treatments or to detect and assess
decarburization. Metallographers and failure analysts use the method for a host of
purposes including evaluation of homogeneity, characterization of weld-ments, as an aid
to phase identification, or simply to determine the hardness of specimens too small for
traditionalbulk indentation tests.
The Vicker's Test

In1925, Smith and Sandland of the UK developed a new indentation test for metals that
were too hard to evaluate using the Brinell test. The hardened steel ballof the Brinell
test limited the test to steels with hardness below ~450 HBS (48 HR C). (The harder
tungsten carbide ballwas not available in 1925. The WC indenter extends the Brinell test
tometals up to 615 HBW (~58 HRC). The WC ball has now replaced the steel ball for the
Brinelltest.) In designing the new indenter, a square-based diamond pyramid (see Figure
4/, they chose a geometry that would produce hardness numbers nearly identical to
Drinell numbers in the range where both tests could be used. This was avery wise
dedision as it made the Vickers test verv easy to adopt. The ideal d/D ratio (d =
npression diameter, D= ball iameter) for a spherical indenter is 0.375. If tangents are
urawn to the ballat the impression edges for d/D =0.375, they meet below the center of
tne impression at an angle of 136°. the anglechosen for the Vickers indenter.

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 hie.ÉÁH/ ITER/S'O' AUniversity

Vlckers
ickers llurdness Test

Nticro-Vekers

lise of diamond allowed the Vickers test to be used to evaluate any material (except
diamond) and, furthermore, had the very important advantage of placing the hardness of
allmaterials on one continuous scale. This is a major disadvantage of Rockwell type tests
where different scales (15 standard and 15 superficial) were developed to evaluate
materials. Not one of these scales can cover the full hardness range. The HR A scale
covers the broadest hardness range, but it is not commonly used. In the Vickers test, the
load is applied smoothly, without impact, forcing the indenter into the test pieca. The
indenter is held in place for 10 or 15 seconds. The physical quality of the indenter and
the accuracy of the applied load (defined in E 384) must be controlled in order to get the
correct results. After the load is removed, the two impression diagonals are measured,
Usually to the nearest 0.1-um with a filar micrometer, and averaged. The Vickers

hardness (HV) is calculated using:

Where,
P= load applied in kgf
diagonals in mm.
D=average length of

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 Lab./MECH/ ITER/S'O' A University
Mac':is: :
Ady.

geometrically similar at all test loads, the

Racause theshape of the Vickers indentation is
value is constant, within statistical precision, over a very wide test load range as long
HV
is reasonably homogeneous. In the Vickers test, it is assumed that
as the test specimen
recovery does
recovery does not occur once the load is removed. However, elastic
elastic
impression
quite pronounced. Generally, the
occur, and sometimes its influence is Brinell test,
square, and the twodiagonals have similar lengths. As with the
appears tobe rather
number is calculated based on the surface area of the indent
the Vickers hardness
If the impression shape is distorted due to elastic recovery (very
than the projected area.
average of the
anisotropic materials), should the hardness be based on the
Common in projected
possible to calculate the Vickers hardness based on the
two diagonals? It is
which can be measured by image analysis. While rigorous studies
drea of the impression, measurement is the preferred
the literature, the diagonal
O tnis problem are scant in
approach even for distorted indents, at this time.
PROCEDURE
process.
Collect the chips coming out of the machining preparation of the sample.
mm length for
Arrange a PVC pipe 20mm dia and 15
Prepare the industrial resin for molding resin into it.
on a flat plate and pour the
Keep the sample in the pipe kept
AllOWthe specimen toCure for 10minutes.
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Adv. Machining Lab./MECH/ITER/S'0'A University
Polish the specimen either by hand or
by the Disc
different grades of emery papers starting trom polishing machine by
the coarse to the fine grades., using
Wse water for cooling the
speCimen while
thespecimen be altered at every change ofpolishing. Make sure that the position of
emery paper.
Einallypolish it by the diamond paste to have a mirror finish.
Now nut the specimen under the
objective of the Micro hardness tester and focus
one area of it.
Dt suitable load on the loading unit and rotate
the mechanical stage to 180. The
Specimen now will be brought under the loading point
Anplythe load gently and allow it for 10 to 15 sec. Remove the load and rotate the
Mechanical stage back to its original position.
The image of the impression is now visible on the computer screen. Then measure
the length of diagonals and input the load applied to the software "Hardness Pro"
10 nos of reading have to be taken and the average Vicker's Hardness nurnber is

found.
OBSERVATION TABLE
machining
For chipscoming out of conventional
Depth of cut Hardness No.
Name of Cutting Feed rate
SI
No. procesS Speed (mm) (HV)
(m/min) (mm/rev)

GRAPHS TO BE PLOTTED
hardness
Cutting Speed Vs. Chip
Feed Rate Vs Chip hardness
Depth of Cut Vs Chip hardness
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 Machin,
LGh./MECH/ ITER/S 0' A University
Adv.

machinedssurfaces of non-conventional
For
machining
Name of
procesS
Machining parameters Hardness
No.
No.

GRAPHS TOBE PLOTTED

" Input Current Vs. Chip hardness

Gap Voltage Vs Chip hardness
" Pulse on Time Vs Chip hardness

STUDENT OUTCOME

Upon completion of the experiment, the student acquires the ability to conduct
experiment and acquire the knowledge about the hardness of different materials. The
student also acquires the ability to find the Vicker's hardness of chips coming out of
Conventional machining and surfaces machined by non-conventional machining.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
Avoid your fingers from touching the grinding wheel while polishing the specimen.
" Do not disturb the alignment of the microscope objectives of the Micro hardness
tester
CONCLUSION: