Tag: Rockwell C scale

Ames How To

Using your Ames Rockwell – Brinell Conversion table

Jul 15, 2022 by Carrin Harris 2 Comments #brinell, #measuring rockwell hardness, #Rockwell A scale, #Rockwell B Scale, #Rockwell C scale, #rockwell hardness, #rockwell hardness test, #rockwell testers
Please note the contact information in these charts is not up to date

Ames Portable Hardness testers read in the Rockwell scale. The Rockwell scale uses indentation and measures the depth of that indentation with a major and minor load to determine the hardness of a metal. The scale used depends of the metal being tested and the portable hardness tester used.

Ames developed a conversion chart for use in converting Rockwell scale readings into the Brinell scale. This allows you to easily determine the equal Brinnell reading. This conversion chart is broken down into categories to help you determine the converted value.

Hardened Steel and Hard Alloys, locate the type of penetrator you used and the scale you used in the top column for the scale. In this case you will only see C, A, D, 15N, 30N and 45N scales which can then be converted into the Brinell scale. Follow the appropriate line across to locate the corresponding reading in the middle column marked ‘Brinell’.

The next section is Soft Steel, non-ferrous metal, grey and malleable iron casting, this section covers the B, E, F, G, 15T, 30T and 45T scales. You will need to find the appropriate load in order to find the correct conversion. The bottom of this conversion chart includes corrections which cover any readings that were not included in the original chart.

The right-hand side of the chart gives you a guide to choosing the appropriate penetrator and hardness scale for your metal.

Download Ames’ Rockwell-Brinell Conversion Chart
Rockwell Hardness Testers

The Rockwell Metal Hardness Scales Explained

Jan 7, 2019 by Ames Portable hardness testers 1 Comments #Rockwell A scale, #Rockwell B Scale, #Rockwell C scale, #rockwell hardness test, #rockwell test

You can use the Rockwell hardness test to test the hardness of materials. You will use the Rockwell test to perform tests on metals ranging from thin steel all the way to harder metals like Titanium. However, there are multiple scales to test in and these are identified by a letter ranging from A-V  Each scale uses a different indenter and load to perform the test.

When you perform a hardness test using the Rockewell scale, you can determine the hardness of metals and alloys of all kinds.  You will use a sphero-conical diamond penetrator or a hard steel penetrator which is forced into the part being tested with a predetermined pressure load and the readings represent the hardness numbers.

You can avoid errors in measurement due to surface imperfections or distortions at the periphery of the indentation with both minor and major loads.  The minor load of 10 KGS is applied first.  Remove the major load turning the handwheel back until the indicator hand is in position “set” on the dial.  The reading is taken from the barrel dial, which completes the whole operation in a few seconds.

The equation for the Rockwell hardness test for metals is below:  d=depth from zero load point.  N and s = various scale factors that can be found in the chart below.

Rockwell A scale

Used to test: Tungsten carbide.

Rockwell B Scale

Used to test: aluminum, brass, and softer steels

Rockwell C Scale

Used to test: harder steels.

There are other scales that are associated with a Rockwell superficial test. These scales use a lighter loads and shallow impressions to perform the test. These are used on testing very thin metals.

Ames Superficial Hardness Tester
Note: There is only one row of dial numbers for the Ames superficial tester.