ASTM E384-16

Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Hardness tests have been found to be very useful for materials evaluation, quality control of manufacturing processes and research and development efforts. Hardness, although empirical in nature, can be correlated to tensile strength for many metals and alloys, and is also an indicator of machinability, wear resistance, toughness and ductility.  
5.2 Microindentation tests are utilized to evaluate and quantify hardness variations that occur over a small distance. These variations may be intentional, such as produced by localized surface hardening, for example, from shot blasting, cold drawing, flame hardening, induction hardening, etc., or from processes such as carburization, nitriding, carbonitriding, etc.; or, they may be unintentional variations due to problems, such as decarburization, localized softening in service, or from compositional/microstructural segregation problems. Low test forces also extend hardness testing to materials too thin or too small for macroindentation tests. Microindentation tests permit hardness testing of specific phases or constituents and regions or gradients too small for evaluation by macroindentation tests.  
5.3 Because microindentation hardness tests will reveal hardness variations that commonly exist within most materials, a single test value may not be representative of the bulk hardness. Vickers tests at 1000 gf can be utilized for determination of the bulk hardness, but, as for any hardness test, it is recommended that a number of indents are made and the average and standard deviation are calculated, as needed or as required.  
5.4 Microindentation hardness testing is generally performed to quantify variations in hardness that occur over small distances. To determine these differences requires a very small physical indentation. Testers that create indents at very low test forces must be carefully constructed to accurately apply the test forces exactly at the desired location and must have a high-quality optical syste...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microindentation hardness of materials.  
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made with Knoop and Vickers indenters under test forces in the range from 9.8 × 10-3 to 9.8 N (1 to 1000 gf).  
1.3 This test method includes an analysis of the possible sources of errors that can occur during microindentation testing and how these factors affect the precision, bias, repeatability, and reproducibility of test results.  
1.4 Information pertaining to the requirements for direct verification and calibration of the testing machine and the requirements for the manufacture and calibration of Vickers and Knoop reference hardness test blocks are in Test Method E92.
Note 1: While Committee E04 is primarily concerned with metals, the test procedures described are applicable to other materials.  
1.5 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Jan-2016
• ICS: 19.060 - Mechanical testing
• Technical Committee: E04 - Metallography
• Drafting Committee: E04.05 - Microindentation Hardness Testing

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E384 − 16
Standard Test Method for
1
Microindentation Hardness of Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E384; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope* C1326Test Method for Knoop Indentation Hardness of
Advanced Ceramics
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microin-
C1327Test Method for Vickers Indentation Hardness of
dentation hardness of materials.
Advanced Ceramics
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made
E3Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
withKnoopandVickersindentersundertestforcesintherange
E7Terminology Relating to Metallography
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from 9.8 × 10 to 9.8 N (1 to 1000 gf).
E92TestMethodForVickersHardnessofMetallicMaterials
E140Hardness Conversion Tables for Metals Relationship
1.3 This test method includes an analysis of the possible
sourcesoferrorsthatcanoccurduringmicroindentationtesting Among Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Rockwell
Hardness, Superficial Hardness, Knoop Hardness, Sclero-
and how these factors affect the precision, bias, repeatability,
and reproducibility of test results. scope Hardness, and Leeb Hardness
E175Terminology of Microscopy
1.4 Information pertaining to the requirements for direct
E177Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in
verification and calibration of the testing machine and the
ASTM Test Methods
requirements for the manufacture and calibration of Vickers
E691Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
and Knoop reference hardness test blocks are in Test Method
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
E92.
E766Practice for Calibrating the Magnification of a Scan-
NOTE1—WhileCommitteeE04isprimarilyconcernedwithmetals,the
ning Electron Microscope
test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
E2554Practice for Estimating and Monitoring the Uncer-
1.5 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded
tainty of Test Results of a Test Method Using Control
asstandard.Nootherunitsofmeasurementareincludedinthis
Chart Techniques
standard.
E2587Practice for Use of Control Charts in Statistical
Process Control
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
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2.2 ISO Standard:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
ISO/IEC 17025 General Requirements for the Competence
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
of Testing and Calibration Laboratories
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3. Terminology
2. Referenced Documents
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
2
method, see Terminology E7.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 calibrating, v—determining the values of the signifi-
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E04 on cant parameters by comparison with values indicated by a
Metallography and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.05 on Micro-
reference instrument or by a set of reference standards.
indentation Hardness Testing. With this revision the test method was expanded to
3.2.2 Knoop hardness number, HK, n—an expression of
include the requirements previously defined in E28.92, Standard Test Method for
Vickers Hardness Testing of Metallic Material that was under the jurisdiction of
hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to the Knoop
E28.06
indenter by the projected area of the permanent impression
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2016. Published April 2016. Originally
ε1 made by the indenter.
approved in 1969. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as E384–11 . DOI:
10.1520/E0384-16
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
3
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1, ch. de
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on la Voie-Creuse, Case postale 56, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, http://
the ASTM website. www.iso.org.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E384 − 16
3.2.3 Knoop indenter, n—a rhombic-based pyramidal- 3.3.1 For Knoop hardness tests, in practice, test loads are in
shaped diamond indenter with edge angles of/ A = 172° 30' grams-forceandindentat
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation: E384 − 11 E384 − 16
Standard Test Method for
1
Knoop and Vickers Microindentation Hardness of Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E384; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1
ε NOTE—Sections 8.3 and A1.1.4 were editorially corrected in March 2012.
1. Scope*
1.1 This test method covers determination of the Knoop and Vickers hardness of materials, the verification of Knoop and
Vickers hardness testing machines, and the calibration of standardized Knoop and Vickers test blocks. microindentation hardness
of materials.
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made with Knoop and Vickers hardness tests made utilizing indenters under
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test forces in micro (9.807 the range from 9.8 × 10 to 9.807 N ) ( 1 to 1000 gf ) and macro (>9.807 to 1176.80 N) ( >1kg to 120
kgf ) ranges.9.8 N (1 to 1000 gf).
NOTE 1—Previous versions of this standard limited test forces to 9.807 N (1 kgf).
1.3 This test method includes all of the requirements to perform macro Vickers hardness tests as previously defined in Test
Method E92, Standard Test Method for Vickers Hardness Testing.
1.3 This test method includes an analysis of the possible sources of errors that can occur during Knoop and Vickers
microindentation testing and how these factors affect the accuracy, precision, bias, repeatability, and reproducibility of test results.
NOTE 2—While Committee E04 is primarily concerned with metals, the test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
1.4 Information pertaining to the requirements for direct verification and calibration of the testing machine and the requirements
for the manufacture and calibration of Vickers and Knoop reference hardness test blocks are in Test Method E92.
NOTE 1—While Committee E04 is primarily concerned with metals, the test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
1.5 Units—When Knoop and Vickers hardness tests were developed, the force levels were specified in units of grams-force (gf)
and kilograms-force (kgf). This standard specifies the units of force and length in the International System of Units (SI); that is,
force in Newtons (N) and length in mm or μm. However, because of the historical precedent and continued common usage, force
values in gf and kgf units are provided for information and much of the discussion in this standard as well as the method of
reporting the test results refers to these units.The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of
measurement are included in this standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C1326 Test Method for Knoop Indentation Hardness of Advanced Ceramics
C1327 Test Method for Vickers Indentation Hardness of Advanced Ceramics
E3 Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
E7 Terminology Relating to Metallography
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E04 on Metallography and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.05 on Microindentation
Hardness Testing.With . With this revision the test method was expanded to include the requirements previously defined in E28.92, Standard Test Method for Vickers Hardness
Testing of Metallic Material that was under the jurisdiction of E28.06
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2011Feb. 1, 2016. Published August 2011April 2016. Originally approved in 1969. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as
ε2ε1
E384 – 10E384 – 11 . DOI: 10.1520/E0384-11E01.10.1520/E0384-16
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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