ASTM A1038 Hardness Ultrsonic
ASTM A1038 Hardness Ultrsonic
ASTM A1038 Hardness Ultrsonic
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calibrated instrument by pressing a resonating rod with a
2. Referenced Documents defined indenter, for example, a Vickers diamond, with a fixed
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 force against the surface of the part to be tested.
A370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing 3.1.4 UCI methodUltrasonic Contact Impedance, a hard-
of Steel Products ness testing method developed by Dr. Claus Kleesattel in 1961
E10 Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials based on the measurement of the frequency shift of a resonat-
E18 Test Methods for Rockwell Hardness of Metallic Ma- ing rod caused by the essentially elastic nature of the finite area
terials of contact between the indenter and the test piece during the
E140 Hardness Conversion Tables for Metals Relationship penetration.
Among Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Rockwell
3.1.5 verificationchecking or testing the UCI instrument
Hardness, Superficial Hardness, Knoop Hardness, Sclero-
to ensure conformance with this test method.
scope Hardness, and Leeb Hardness
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in
ASTM Test Methods 4. Significance and Use
E384 Test Method for Knoop and Vickers Hardness of 4.1 The hardness of a material is a defined quantity having
Materials many scales and being dependent on the way the test is
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to performed. In order to avoid the creation of a new method
involving a new hardness scale, the UCI method converts into
common hardness values, for example, HV, HRC, etc.
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee 4.2 The UCI hardness test is a superficial determination,
A01.06 on Steel Forgings and Billets. only measuring the hardness condition of the surface con-
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2013. Published March 2014. Originally tacted. The results generated at a specific location do not
approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as A1038 10a. DOI:
10.1520/A1038-13. represent the part at any other surface location and yield no
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or information about the material at subsurface locations.
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page on 4.3 The UCI hardness test may be used on large or small
the ASTM website. components at various locations. It can be used to make
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per Test Method E384 (see Fig. 1), (2) vibration generating Analogously, the frequency shift becomes largest when soft
means, (3) vibration detecting means, (4) electronic means for materials are tested (see Fig. 2).
the numerical evaluation, and (5) a digital display, indicating 5.3.4 The instrument constantly monitors the resonance
the measured hardness number. frequency, calculates the frequency shift when the specified
5.2 UCI ProbesThere are different probes available for test load has been reached either after the internal switch has
UCI hardness testing. They typically cover static loads ranging triggered the corresponding measurement frequency in the case
from 1 N to 98 N. See also Appendix X1. They come also in of handheld probes or after a specific dwell time has been
different sizes with longer and shorter sensor rods for specials elapsed in the case of motor driven probes. The instrument
applications. And they are developed in two versions, that is, carries out the evaluation and calculations, and displays instan-
manually operated or equipped with a servo-motor for auto- taneously the hardness value, for example, HV(UCI).
matic testing. UCI Vickers (1)
5.3 Summary of Test MethodIn conventional workbench
F
hardness testing like Brinell or Vickers testing according to f 5 f ~ E effA ! and HV 5
A
Test Methods E10 and E384, the hardness value is determined
optically by the size of the indentation in the material generated _________________
by a certain test load, after the indenter has been removed. In
the mobile hardness test under applied load according to the 5.3.5 The frequency shift is a function of the indentation
UCI method, however, the size of the produced indents are not size of a defined indenter, for example, a Vickers diamond, at
determined optically. Instead the contact area is derived from a given modulus of elasticity of the measurement system.
the electronically measured shift of an ultrasonic resonance 5.3.6 Eq 1 describes the basic relation in comparison to the
frequency. To carry out the UCI test, a probe containing the rod definition of the Vickers hardness value: f = Frequency shift,
with the indenter is excited into a longitudinal ultrasonic A = indentation area, Eeff = effective elastic modulus (contains
oscillation of about 70 kHz by piezoelectric ceramicsthe the elastic constants of both the indenter and the test piece), HV
so-called zero frequency, which occurs when the indenter is = Vickers hardness value, F = Force applied in the hardness
vibrating in air. test.
5.3.1 A spring inside the probe applies the specified test 5.4 The Influence of the Elastic ConstantsAs can be seen
load, the vibrating tip penetrates into the material creating an in Eq 1, the frequency shift not only depends on the size of the
elastic contact, which results in a positive frequency shift of the contact area but also on the elastic moduli of the materials in
contact. To allow for differences in Youngs modulus, the
Legend:
T = Piezo Transducer
R = Receiver
O = Oscillating rod
V = indenter, for example, Vickers diamond
m = test material FIG. 2 Hardness Value versus Frequency Shift of the Oscillating
FIG. 1 Schematic Description of the UCI Probe Rod
FIG. 3 Vickers Diamond Penetration Depth for Different Test Loads from 1 N to 98 N
10. Procedure 10.4 Spacing IndentationAs per Test Method E384 the
10.1 Test ProcedureTo perform a hardness test, the probe center distance between two adjacent indents in relation to the
is connected to the indicating unit and the instrument is turned mean length of the diagonals must be (1) at least 3 times the
on. The probe is held firmly (using a probe grip if needed) with amount for steel, copper and copper alloys, and (2) at least 6
its axis in a perpendicular position relative to the test piece times the amount for light metals, lead, tin and their alloys. If
surface. Hold the probe with both hands to achieve the best two neighboring indents vary in size then the mean indent
possible result. Carefully exert steady pressure against the test diagonal of the larger indent must be used for calculation of the
piece during the loading phase. Make sure that the vertical minimum distance. No point shall be measured more than
probe position is maintained as long as the load is effective. once.
Some instruments indicate the end of the measurement by an 10.5 Reading of UCI InstrumentsHardness values can be
acoustic signal and display the hardness value instantaneously. read directly off the electronic display of the instrument. On
10.2 AlignmentTo prevent errors from misalignment some instruments, they can be displayed either as single figure
move the UCI probe with slow and steady speed. The probe showing the actual reading, or as average figure showing the
should be perpendicular with respect to the surface. The average of the hardness readings taken so far. Equivalent
maximum angular deviation from the perpendicular position hardness numbers on other scales can be obtained by using a
should be less than 5 degrees. Avoid twisting of the probe hardness conversion table (see also Section 12) or by calibra-
housing. There should be no lateral forces on the indenter. tion according to Section 6.
Therefore, avoid slip. 10.6 Number of MeasurementsFive measurements taken
in an area of approximately 650 mm2 shall constitute one test.
10.3 Test DirectionHardness testing according to the UCI
If the material being tested is considered to be inhomogeneous,
method generally can be carried out in any direction, without
ten measurements or more shall be made to constitute one test.
the necessity of corrections depending on the loading. There
may be an effect of the measurement direction on the hardness NOTE 1650 mm2 is an area approximately equal to 1 in.2.
measurement depending on the manufacturer and the test load 10.7 ReportingThe numerical hardness value shall be
of an UCI probe. This is due to the mass of the vibrating rod, followed by the symbol for the UCI test, HV(UCI) in the case
which may influence the test load in dependence on the of a Vickers reading with a suffix number denoting the test
direction of measurement; that is, the mass of the rod will force in kgf. Example: 446 HV(UCI) 10 = UCI hardness
increase the load when measuring top to bottom and vice versa. number of 466 under a force of 10 kgf. If numerical hardness
This should be considered especially for test loads below 10 N. values are presented in other scales by calibration according to
In this case the user has to verify the influence of test Section 6, they should analogously be reported as 45 HR-
orientation on the hardness reading depending on test load and C(UCI) or 220 HBW(UCI) etc. Reporting of converted values,
hardness of material. see Section 12.
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14. General Requirements 15.5 The hardness reference block shall be calibrated using
14.1 InstrumentBefore a UCI instrument is verified, the a standard and certified hardness testing device per Test
instrument shall be examined to ensure that: (1) the batteries in Method E10, Test Methods E18, or Test Method E384. Make at
the indicating unit are not discharged, and (2) the indenter is least five randomly distributed hardness measurements on the
clean, that is, free from foreign matter like dust, grit, grease or test surface of the reference block and take the arithmetic mean
oil. of all of the readings as the mean hardness of the block.
15.6 Each block shall be marked with (1) the arithmetic
15. Hardness Reference Block mean of the hardness values found in the standardization test
15.1 In order to avoid perturbing vibrations in the reference suffixed by the scale designation letter (for example HV, HRC,
blocks caused by the ultrasonic sensor, they should be suffi- HRB, HBW, HBS, etc.), and (2) with the name or mark of the
ciently large. Recommended is to use steel blocks with supplier. If edge of block is marked, the lettering shall be
dimensions not less than 80 mm in diameter and 16 mm in upright when the test surface is upward.
thickness.
16. Verification
15.2 Each block shall be specifically prepared and heat-
16.1 Check the UCI hardness-testing instrument by making
treated to give a specific hardness and the necessary
at least two measurements on a standard reference block of the
homogeneity, such as in Test Methods E18, and stability of the
selected hardness scale.
surface hardness distribution.
16.2 The instrument shall be considered verified if each
15.3 The test surface shall be polished or fine ground and
hardness reading falls within 63 % of the reference block
free of scratches and other discontinuities, which would
hardness value. Unverified instruments must not be used for
influence the UCI measurement. The surface finish of the test
testing. They should be repaired, if necessary, and be verified
surface shall not exceed 0.4 m maximum.
subsequently.
15.4 To ensure that no material is subsequently removed
from the test surface of the reference block, an official mark or 17. Keywords
the thickness to an accuracy of 60.025 mm at the time of 17.1 portable hardness testing; superficial hardness; ultra-
calibration shall be marked on the test surface. sonic contact impedance (UCI); vickers diamond indenter
(Nonmandatory Information)
TABLE X1.1
Load Model Features Typical Applications
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98 N standard length (manual) relatively large indentation; requires minimal surface small forgings, cast material, weld inspection, HAZ
preparation
49 N standard length (manual) for general use induction hardened or carburized machine parts, for
example, camshafts, turbine weld inspection, HAZ
extended length (manual) 30 mm extended length measurement in grooves, on gear tooth flanks and roots
short probe (manual) reduced length (90 mm); electronics in separate housing turbine blades, inside wall of pipes with >90 mm
9.8 N standard length (manual) load is easy to apply and provides control to test on ion-nitrided stamping dies and molds, forms, presses,
sharp radii thin walled parts
short probe (manual) reduced length (90 mm); electronics in separate housing turbine blades, inside wall of pipes with >90 mm
7.8 N motor probe style load is applied by servomotor finished precision parts, gears, bearing raceways
3N motor probe style load is applied by servomotor; rather small indentations thin layers, for example, copper or chromium on steel
cylinders;
copper rotogravure cylinders;
coatings, case hardened parts
1N motor probe style load is applied by servomotor; rather small indentations thin layers and coatings
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue
(A1038 10a) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved Nov. 1, 2013.)
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