ASTM E384-07

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.
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: 30-Jun-2007
• ICS: 19.060 - Mechanical testing
• Technical Committee: E04 - Metallography
• Drafting Committee: E04.05 - Microindentation Hardness Testing

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E384-06 - Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Replaced By: ASTM E384-07a - Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM F3055-14a(2021) - Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Nickel Alloy (UNS N07718) with Powder Bed Fusion
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B613-17(2023) - Standard Guide for Preparing Specifications for Miniature Brushes of Composite Materials for Sliding Electric Contacts
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM E2546-15(2023) - Standard Practice for Instrumented Indentation Testing
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B388-06(2018) - Standard Specification for Thermostat Metal Sheet and Strip
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM A1086-20 - Standard Specification for Thin-Gauge Nonoriented Electrical Steel Fully Processed Types
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM F3184-16 - Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Stainless Steel Alloy (UNS S31603) with Powder Bed Fusion
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B578-21 - Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Electroplated Coatings
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B684/B684M-22 - Standard Specification for Platinum-Iridium Electrical Contact Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B477-21 - Standard Specification for Gold-Silver-Nickel Electrical Contact Alloy
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM F2328-17(2022) - Standard Test Method for Determining Decarburization and Carburization in Hardened and Tempered Threaded Steel Bolts, Screws, Studs, and Nuts
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B386/B386M-19e1 - Standard Specification for Molybdenum and Molybdenum Alloy Plate,<brk/>Sheet, Strip, Foil, and Ribbon
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM E3246-22 - Standard Test Methods for Differential Indentation Depth Hardness of Metallic Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM F364-96(2019) - Standard Specification for Molybdenum Flattened Wire for Electron Tubes&#x2009;
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007

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: E 384 – 07
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 (e) 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. Scope* E 140 Hardness ConversionTables for Metals Relationship
Among Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Rockwell
1.1 This test method covers determination of the microin-
Hardness, Superficial Hardness, Knoop Hardness, and
dentation hardness of materials, the verification of microinden-
Scleroscope Hardness
tation hardness testing machines, and the calibration of stan-
E 175 Terminology of Microscopy
dardized test blocks.
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
1.2 This test method covers microindentation tests made
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
withKnoopandVickersindentersundertestforcesintherange
-3
E 766 Practice for Calibrating the Magnification of a Scan-
from 9.8 3 10 to9.8N(1to 1000 gf ).
ning Electron Microscope
1.3 This test method includes an analysis of the possible
sourcesoferrorsthatcanoccurduringmicroindentationtesting
3. Terminology
and how these factors affect the accuracy, repeatability, and
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
reproducibility of test results.
method, see TerminologyE7.
NOTE 1—WhileCommitteeE04isprimarilyconcernedwithmetals,the
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
test procedures described are applicable to other materials.
3.2.1 calibrating, v—determining the values of the signifi-
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
cant parameters by comparison with values indicated by a
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
reference instrument or by a set of reference standards.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.2.2 Knoop hardness number, HK, n—an expression of
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to the Knoop
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
indenter by the projected area of the permanent impression
made by the indenter.
2. Referenced Documents
3.2.3 Knoop indenter, n—a rhombic-based pyramidal-
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
shaped diamond indenter with edge angles of/ A = 172° 308
C 1326 Test Method for Knoop Indentation Hardness of
and/ B = 130° 08 (see Fig. 1).
Advanced Ceramics
3.2.4 microindentation hardness test, n—a hardness test
C 1327 Test Method for Vickers Indentation Hardness of
using a calibrated machine to force a diamond indenter of
Advanced Ceramics
specific geometry into the surface of the material being
E3 Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
evaluated, in which the test forces range from 1 to 1000 gf (9.8
–3
E7 Terminology Relating to Metallography
310 to9.8N),andtheindentationdiagonal,ordiagonalsare
E 122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate,
measured with a light microscope after load removal; for any
With a Specified Tolerable Error, the Average for a
microindentation hardness test, it is assumed that the indenta-
Characteristic of a Lot or Process
tion does not undergo elastic recovery after force removal.
NOTE 2—Use of the term microhardness should be avoided because it
implies that the hardness, rather than the force or the indentation size, is
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E04 on very low.
Metallography and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.05 on Micro-
3.2.5 verifying, v—checking or testing the instrument to
indentation Hardness Testing.
assure conformance with the specification.
Current edition approved July 1, 2007. Published July 2007. Originally approved
in 1969. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as E 384 – 06.
3.2.6 Vickers hardness number, HV, n—an expression of
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
hardness obtained by dividing the force applied to a Vickers
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
indenter by the surface area of the permanent impression made
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. by the indenter.
*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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E384–07
FIG. 1 Knoop Indenter
3.2.7 Vickersindenter,n—asquare-basedpyramidal-shaped 3.3.1 For Knoop hardnes
...