Hardness in industry feild refers to mechanical performance index that various mechanical parts should have. It is the resistance capacity to part deformation. The greater the resistance capacity to deformation it is, the higher the hardness value it will have. There are many factors effect specimen's hardness value, including its chemical component, organization structure, treatment process, and outer environment.
There are also a lot of methods to test hardness value:
The working principle of Brinell hardness tester is that press a steel ball, with certain diameter, into the surface of specimen. Keep on pressing for a set period of time, then remove the test force and a round indentation with depth is obtained on the surface of specimen. Measure the indentation diameter. Looking up the conversion table to get Brinell hardness value.
In order to get consistant hardness value, we do need to unify the standard test condition in the actual measurement. Now, the standard which has passed is 10mm carbide alloy ball indenter, 3000kgf test force, and more than 10 seconds maintaining time. The PHB-3000 hydraulic Brinell hardness tester produced by Shenyang TX company could completely meet all the above conditions, being the first choice instrument of portable Brinell hardness tester so far.
Because a relevant larger diameter carbide alloy ball indenter and bigger test force are applied in Brinell hardness testing, the indentation superficial area will be bigger.
Therefore, the Brinell hardness value has a better representation, without being influenced by structure of the specimen. As the indentation of the Brinell hardness testing is bigger, the Brinell hardness tester is not proper for testing too thin specimen. The indentation left on the specimen is permenent, so if you have special requirement, this kind of hardness tester may not proper for you.