Brinell Hardness Test Blocks

The Brinell Hardness Test uses a hard metal ball to make an indent on the sample material and then measures the size of the imprint left on the sample. The Brinell hardness test uses a test force ranging from 1 kg to 3000 kg applied to the specimen for a specified holding time.

The Brinell hardness is then calculated through measuring two perpendicular diameters of the indentation. The softer the material, the larger the indentation, while a harder substance will show a smaller indentation.


Product Information

Brinell Hardness Test Blocks Applications

The Brinell hardness test is used in situations involving broad or rough surfaces, coarse-grained materials, or heavy loads. It works especially well for determining the hardness of materials with narrow hardness ranges, such castings, softer steels, and non-ferrous metals.

Situations in which Brinell hardness testing is used:

  • Soft Materials – copper, lead, aluminium, low-carbon steels, and certain polymers. Larger indenters and high loads reduce the impact of surface imperfections and produce hardness measurements that are more precise.
  • Casting Industry – bronze, aluminium alloys, and cast iron. Brinell offers a reliable way to quantify the hardness of the material, which is essential for assessing its sturdiness and strength.
  • Large Forgings – Accurate measurements on the rough surfaces of forgings are made possible by the high test load and big spherical indenter.
  • Coarse-Grained Materials – Over a wider indentation region, Brinell testing produces an average hardness value. This contributes to explaining the possible variance in hardness between the grains.

Brinell hardness testing may not be appropriate for materials with extremely high hardness or for thin and tiny components where a smaller indentation size is required.

The Brinell Hardness Test Process

Brinell hardness testing uses a large, spherical indenter. This causes a large depression on the material’s surface, which lessens sensitivity to surface roughness and facilitates accurate measurement.

The size of the indentation reflects an average hardness across a broader region. When considering many different techniques of hardness testing, this can offer a more realistic measurement of the overall hardness of the material.

Brinell hardness testing follows these steps:

Indentation: The ball penetrates the material using a predetermined load applied for a predetermined period of time.

Measurement: The diameter of the resultant depression is measured after the load has been removed.

Calculation: The applied force, the indenter ball diameter, and the indentation diameter are used to determine the Brinell Hardness Number (BHN).

Brinell-diagram

When to Choose Brinell Hardness Test Blocks

For evaluating the hardness of a variety of materials, especially those with irregular or coarse features, the Brinell Hardness Test provides a stable and accurate approach. The Brinell test yields important information about the characteristics of a material by measuring the indentation left by applying a uniform force to a hardened steel ball.

Comprehending the Brinell Hardness Test is crucial for quality assurance and material selection, regardless of whether you work with castings, forgings, or other difficult materials. Please contact Indentec for additional information about our Brinell hardness testing blocks.

Commissioning Your Machine

Calibrated by our in-house UKAS/ISO accredited calibration laboratory and supplied with a UKAS Calibration or Manufacturers Certificate. Also supplied with corrosion prevention packaging and storage case. Listed values are nominal, actual block will be within the specified range of the nominal value.

If you require assistance at any point, our service hotline is available to support you.