Recommended temperature of the material to test for hardness

[virjil]

What is the recommended temperature of a material before a standard Brinell hardness test is performed? Ambient?

 

[metengr]

Typically, room temperture. Refer to ASTM E10 Standard Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials. For portable hardness testing, refer to ASTM E110.

 

[Carburize]

I searched E 10 but can find no reference to test temperature - logic says ambient

 

[yates]

Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw it (maybe in NASM 1312) but I seem to remember the recommended ambient temp. for hardness testing is 10 to 35degC (50 - 95degF)

 

[kenvlach]

ASTM E10 only requires that the manufacturer of calibration blocks perform the calibration at 23+5^oC.

As long as the calibration blocks & material being tested are similar material & at the same temperature, any ambient temperature comfortable to the operator should be OK. However, if not using calibration blocks, some of the force calibration methods as given in ASTM E4 require ~constant temperature (+2^oF or +1^oC).

The testing temperature range mentioned by yates is also found in ASTM E18 (Rockwell hardness testing).

 

[TVP]

I recommend reviewing the NIST Special Report on hardness testing (960-5), which is available for download using the following link:

http://www.metallurgy.nist.gov/reports/recommendedpractice/SP960_5.pdf

Section 3.4.9.1 has a good discussion of temperature.