PROCEDURE
A typical hardness testing procedure involves pressing a hard indenter into a material's
surface under a controlled load, then measuring the size or depth of the resulting indentation.
The method varies by the type of test (Brinell, Rockwell, or Vickers), but generally involves
applying an initial preload, followed by a main test load for a set time, and finally measuring
the permanent deformation. Hardness is then calculated by dividing the applied load by the
area or depth of the indentation.
The Brinell hardness test is a macro-scale indentation test used to determine the hardness
of a material by measuring its resistance to permanent deformation. The test involves
pressing a hard metal ball into the surface of a test specimen with a specific load for a set
period of time. The Brinell hardness number (HBW) is then calculated based on the load
applied and the surface area of the resulting indentation.
CHARPY TEST
The Charpy impact test is a standardized, high strain-rate test that measures the amount
of energy a material absorbs before fracturing. he absorbed energy, measured in joules,
serves as a quantitative indicator of a material's toughness and resistance to impact.
In a Charpy test, a standardized notched specimen is broken with a single strike from a
swinging pendulum. The procedure and equipment involve these key steps:
Specimen preparation: A standard rectangular specimen (e.g., 55mm x 10mm x
10mm for metals) is machined with a precise V-notch or U-notch in its center. This
notch creates a stress concentration point to facilitate fracture.
Calibration: The Charpy machine's pendulum is released without a specimen to
measure the frictional energy loss of the apparatus.
Specimen mounting: The notched specimen is placed horizontally on the machine's
supports, with the notch facing away from where the pendulum will strike.
Pendulum release: The pendulum is released from a specified height and impacts the
specimen directly behind the notch.
Energy measurement: The pendulum's swing height after fracturing the specimen is
measured. The difference between the initial and final potential energy of the
pendulum is the energy absorbed by the specimen, which is measured by a gauge on
the machine.
CHARPY TEST
imen, typically a rectangular bar with a V-shaped notch, is used to create a point of stress concentration. The dimension
IZOD TEST
The Izod impact test is a standardized, high strain-rate test used to measure a material's
resistance to impact. It provides a quantitative value for a material's toughness by
measuring the energy absorbed by a notched specimen during fracture. While similar in
principle to the Charpy test, the Izod test uses a different specimen configuration and is
more commonly used for testing plastics and non-metallic materials.
Specimen preparation: A standardized specimen, typically a rectangular bar with a
V-shaped notch, is used to create a point of stress concentration. The dimensions are
precisely defined by the relevant standard.
Mounting: The specimen is clamped vertically at one end, acting as a cantilever
beam. The notch is positioned facing the point of impact.
Impact: A pendulum is released from a specific height, swinging down to strike the
specimen on its notched face
Energy measurement: The energy absorbed by the specimen is calculated from the
height the pendulum reaches after fracturing the material. A higher swing height after
impact indicates less energy was absorbed, meaning a more brittle material.
