ASTM E384-08ae1

Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
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 is an indicator of wear resistance and ductility.
Microindentation tests extend hardness testing to materials too thin or too small for macroindentation tests. Microindentation tests allow specific phases or constituents and regions or gradients too small for macroindentation testing to be evaluated.
Because the microindentation hardness will reveal hardness variations that may exist within a material, a single test value may not be representative of the bulk hardness.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microindentation hardness of materials, the verification of microindentation hardness testing machines, and the calibration of standardized test blocks.
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 accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility of test results.
Note 1—While Committee E04 is primarily concerned with metals, the test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
1.4 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: 14-Mar-2008
• ICS: 19.060 - Mechanical testing
• Technical Committee: E04 - Metallography
• Drafting Committee: E04.05 - Microindentation Hardness Testing

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E384-08a - Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Replaced By: ASTM E384-09 - Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials
• Effective Date: 01-May-2009
• Referred By: ASTM F879M-16 - Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Socket Button and Flat Countersunk Head Cap Screws (Metric) (Withdrawn 2023)
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F3055-14a(2021) - Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Nickel Alloy (UNS N07718) with Powder Bed Fusion
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F2511-05(2022) - Standard Specification for Rollers, Bearing, Needle, Ferrous, Solid
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM B563-01(2022) - Standard Specification for Palladium-Silver-Copper Electrical Contact Alloy
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E2546-15(2023) - Standard Practice for Instrumented Indentation Testing
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E3246-22 - Standard Test Methods for Differential Indentation Depth Hardness of Metallic Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F606/F606M-21 - Standard Test Methods for Determining the Mechanical Properties of Externally and Internally Threaded Fasteners, Washers, Direct Tension Indicators, and Rivets
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E92-23 - Standard Test Methods for Vickers Hardness and Knoop Hardness of Metallic Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F2215-15 - Standard Specification for Balls, Bearings, Ferrous and Nonferrous for Use in Bearings, Valves, and Bearing Applications
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM B693-17(2022) - Standard Specification for Silver-Nickel Electrical Contact Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F3056-14(2021) - Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Nickel Alloy (UNS N06625) with Powder Bed Fusion
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM F2162-01(2016) - Standard Specification for Bearing, Roller, Needle: Drawn Outer Ring, Full Complement, Without Inner Ring, Open and Closed End, Standard Type
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM B684/B684M-22 - Standard Specification for Platinum-Iridium Electrical Contact Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2008

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
e1
Designation: E 384 – 08a
Standard Test Method for
1
Microindentation Hardness of Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 384; 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 Department of Defense.
1
e NOTE—Sections X5.5.1, X5.5.4, and Table A1.5 were editorially corrected in July 2008.
1. Scope* With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic
of a Lot or Process
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microin-
E 140 Hardness ConversionTables for Metals Relationship
dentation hardness of materials, the verification of microinden-
Among Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Rockwell
tation hardness testing machines, and the calibration of stan-
Hardness, Superficial Hardness, Knoop Hardness, and
dardized test blocks.
Scleroscope Hardness
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made
E 175 Terminology of Microscopy
withKnoopandVickersindentersundertestforcesintherange
-3
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
from 9.8 3 10 to9.8N(1to 1000 gf ).
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
1.3 This test method includes an analysis of the possible
E 766 Practice for Calibrating the Magnification of a Scan-
sourcesoferrorsthatcanoccurduringmicroindentationtesting
ning Electron Microscope
and how these factors affect the accuracy, repeatability, and
reproducibility of test results.
3. Terminology
NOTE 1—WhileCommitteeE04isprimarilyconcernedwithmetals,the
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
method, see TerminologyE7.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.2.1 calibrating, v—determining the values of the signifi-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
cant parameters by comparison with values indicated by a
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
reference instrument or by a set of reference standards.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.2.2 Knoop hardness number, HK, n—an expression of
hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to the Knoop
2. Referenced Documents
indenter by the projected area of the permanent impression
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
made by the indenter.
C 1326 Test Method for Knoop Indentation Hardness of
3.2.3 Knoop indenter, n—a rhombic-based pyramidal-
Advanced Ceramics
shaped diamond indenter with edge angles of/ A = 172° 308
C 1327 Test Method for Vickers Indentation Hardness of
and/ B = 130° 08 (see Fig. 1).
Advanced Ceramics
3.2.4 microindentation hardness test, n—a hardness test
E3 Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
using a calibrated machine to force a diamond indenter of
E7 Terminology Relating to Metallography
specific geometry into the surface of the material being
E 122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate,
evaluated, in which the test forces range from 1 to 1000 gf (9.8
–3
310 to9.8N),andtheindentationdiagonal,ordiagonalsare
measured with a light microscope after load removal; for any
1
microindentation hardness test, it is assumed that the indenta-
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E04 on
Metallography and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.05 on Micro- tion does not undergo elastic recovery after force removal.
indentation Hardness Testing.
NOTE 2—Use of the term microhardness should be avoided because it
Current edition approved March 15, 2008. Published April 2008. Originally
approved in 1969. Last previous edition approved in 2008as E 384 – 08. implies that the hardness, rather than the force or the indentation size, is
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
very low.
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3.2.5 verifying, v—checking or testing the instrument to
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. assure conformance with the specification.
*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.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
e1
E 384 – 08a
FIG. 1 Knoop Indenter
3.2.6 Vickers hardness number, HV, n—an expression of indentation lengths can affect the calculated material hardness.
hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to a Vick
...

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM 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.
e1
Designation:E384–08 Designation: E 384 – 08a
Standard Test Method for
1
Microindentation Hardness of Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 384; 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 Department of Defense.
1
e NOTE—Sections X5.5.1, X5.5.4, and Table A1.5 were editorially corrected in July 2008.
1. Scope*
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microindentation hardness of materials, the verification of microindentation
hardness testing machines, and the calibration of standardized test blocks.
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made with Knoop and Vickers indenters under test forces in the range from
-3
9.8 3 10 to9.8N(1to 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 accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility of test results.
NOTE 1—While Committee E04 is primarily concerned with metals, the test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
1.4 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:
C 1326 Test Method for Knoop Indentation Hardness of Advanced Ceramics
C 1327 Test Method for Vickers Indentation Hardness of Advanced Ceramics
E 3 Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
E 7 Terminology Relating to Metallography
E 122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a Lot or
Process
E 140 Hardness Conversion Tables for Metals Relationship Among Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Rockwell Hardness,
Superficial Hardness, Knoop Hardness, and Scleroscope Hardness
E 175 Terminology of Microscopy
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
E 766 Practice for Calibrating the Magnification of a Scanning Electron Microscope
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions— For definitions of terms used in this test method, see Terminology E 7.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 calibrating, v—determining the values of the significant parameters by comparison with values indicated by a reference
instrument or by a set of reference standards.
3.2.2 Knoop hardness number, HK, n—an expression of hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to the Knoop indenter
by the projected area of the permanent impression made by the indenter.
3.2.3 Knoop indenter, n—a rhombic-based pyramidal-shaped diamond indenter with edge angles of/ A = 172° 308 and/ B
= 130° 08 (see Fig. 1).
3.2.4 microindentation hardness test, n— a hardness test using a calibrated machine to force a diamond indenter of specific
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.
Current edition approved Jan. 1,March 15, 2008. Published JanuaryApril 2008. Originally approved in 1969. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as E384–07a.2008as
E 384 – 08.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM 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.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
e1
E 384 – 08a
FIG. 1 Knoop Indenter
–3
geometry into the surface of the material being evaluated, in which the test forces range from 1 to 1000 gf (9.8 3 10 to 9.8 N),
and the indentation diagonal, or diagonals are measured with a light microscope after load removal; for any microindentation
hardness test, it is assumed that the indentation does not undergo elastic recovery after force removal.
NOTE 2—Use of the term microhardness should be avoided because it implies that
...