BRINEL HARDNESS TESTING OF ALUMINUM MATERIAL

ИСПЫТАНИЕ АЛЮМИНИЕВОГО МАТЕРИАЛА НА ТВЕРДОСТЬ ПО БРИНЕЛЛЮ

Khadjieva S.S.

28.01.2026 62

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Khadjieva S.S. BRINEL HARDNESS TESTING OF ALUMINUM MATERIAL // Universum: технические науки : электрон. научн. журн. 2026. 1(142). URL: https://7universum.com/ru/tech/archive/item/21759 (дата обращения: 16.02.2026).

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ABSTRACT

This article describes the process of determining hardness, one of the mechanical properties of aluminum materials, using the Brinell hardness test. During the study, pressure was applied to an aluminum sample under a specific load using a ball, and the Brinell hardness number was calculated based on the diameter of the resulting indentation. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Brinell hardness test for assessing the mechanical properties of aluminum. A sequence of experiments for determining Brinell hardness using modern WP300 testing equipment is described.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В данной статье описывается процесс определения твердости, одного из механических свойств алюминиевых материалов, с помощью метода Бринелля. В ходе исследования к образцу алюминия прикладывалось давление под определенной нагрузкой с помощью шарика, а число твердости по Бринеллю рассчитывалось на основе диаметра образовавшегося отпечатка. Полученные результаты демонстрируют эффективность метода Бринелля при оценке механических свойств алюминия. Описана последовательность экспериментов по определению твердости по Бринеллю с использованием современного испытательного оборудования WP300.

Keywords: Brinell, WP300 testing equipment, ISO 6506 sample, hardness, laboratory, aluminum, testing, HBW, modern equipment, indentation, diameter

Ключевые слова: Бринелль, испытательное оборудование WP300, образец по стандарту ISO 6506, твердость, лаборатория, алюминий, испытания, HBW, современное оборудование, отпечаток, диаметр

Introduction. In calculating the strength of structural elements and determining their deformations, the mechanical characteristics of the material - the values of the allowable stress and the modulus of elasticity - are used. These characteristics are obtained by experimentally testing samples taken from the material under study and analyzing the results obtained. Currently, when testing samples, the hardness of materials is determined by their ability to resist wear, deformation, and mechanical loads. Hardness is one of the important indicators in the selection of materials in the fields of mechanical engineering, metallurgy and construction. There are various methods for determining hardness, the most common of which is the Brinell method. This method is especially effective for soft and medium-hard metals.

The hardness of materials is one of the important indicators that determine their mechanical properties. Hardness represents the ability of a material to resist deformation under the influence of external forces. Aluminum is a lightweight and corrosion-resistant metal widely used in the industry, and determining its hardness properties is important in engineering calculations. The Brinell method is one of the most common testing methods for determining the hardness of metals.

The Brinell method is a common method for determining the hardness of a material, in which a hard steel ball is immersed in the metal surface with a certain force; the deeper the ball is immersed and the smaller the indentation, the harder the material.

The wear resistance of a material depends, among other things, on its hardness. The harder the material, the stronger its wear resistance. Hardness refers to the mechanical resistance with which a body resists the attack of another object. Accordingly, in the process of standard hardness testing, the surface of the sample is subjected to vertical pressure from the solid object being tested. Triaxial stress is generated in the specimen under the object being compressed. This allows a constant level of compression to be achieved without material damage, even in very hard and brittle materials.

Research methodology

The purpose of testing materials for hardness is to determine the resistance of materials to abrasion. The ability of a material to resist the penetration of another body into it is called hardness. The abrasion resistance of a material depends, among other things, on its hardness. The harder the material, the stronger its abrasion resistance. Hardness is measured in various ways, the most common of which are the Brinell and Rockwell hardness tests. The Brinell hardness test method is carried out by pressing a ball made of steel or hard alloy onto the surface of the test sample with a certain force. The diameter of the indentation (indentation) formed under pressure is measured and the Brinell hardness number (HB) is calculated using a special formula. In Brinell tests, a ball made of carborundum or a hardened steel ball in accordance with the ISO 6506 standard is used as a test sample.

Results and Discussion. Currently, experiments are being conducted using modern equipment for Brinell hardness testing. Our Department of General Engineering Sciences has a WP300 testing machine, with the help of which we test steel samples for Brinell hardness. To conduct the experiment, a sample with the required dimensions of 30 x 30 x 10 mm (Figure 2) is first prepared and installed in a universal WP300 testing machine (Figure 1)

Figure 1. WP300 unit

The WP 300 Universal Material Testing Machine (Figure 1) uses a hardened steel ball. ISO 6506 recommends the use of a ball made of carborundum, therefore the determination of Brinell hardness using the WP 300 Universal Material Testing Machine is carried out in accordance with ISO 6506. The abbreviation HBS is added to the hardness value of hardened steel balls or the abbreviation HBW to the hardness value of balls made of carborundum.

Figure 2. Samples

The following necessary equipment is used to conduct the experiment. Tests are performed on samples made of aluminum, copper, brass, and steel:

Figure 3. Window

We select the necessary glass for Brinell hardness testing.

Figure 4. Window ready for hardness testing

When the window is opened, the weight wheel (flywheel) is used to apply the relevant F = 9.8 kN pressure (loading) in the F = 9,800H test, slowly and continuously, and the pressure (loading) should not be applied too quickly, it takes about 5 seconds to reach the maximum size.

Figure 5. Hardness test configuration.

Figure 6. After the experiment

The sample is mounted as follows. The mechanism for measuring Brinell hardness is the main block part. The hardness is tested using a hardened steel ball with a diameter of 10 mm. Metal plates of 10 mm x 30 mm x 30 mm made of aluminum, copper, brass and steel are used as samples. A distance of at least 15 mm must be left between the test ball and the clamp. Close the weight wheel (flywheel) completely and lower the pressure frame to the bottom.

WP 300.20 Start the data acquisition program. Set all displays in the software to zero. Start the stopwatch when the target pressure (load) is reached. Remove the load from the sample after the stopwatch changes from red to green when the pressure (load) duration exceeds 10 seconds.

Figure 7. Appearance of the aluminum sample after the experiment

Maintain the pressure (load) for approximately 15 seconds during the test (approximately 30 seconds for aluminum and copper)

Figure 8 -Calculation of Brinell hardness data.

Figure 9. Sample depth measurement after testing

- The measured diameters d₁ and d₂are entered into the software, which calculates the average diameter.

Figure 10. Enter values into the window and obtain the

hardness result.

When the “Evaluation” button is pressed, the HB Brinell hardness is determined.

- During the test, hold the pressure (load) for about 15 seconds (about 30 seconds for aluminum and copper), then remove the load and enter the results in the table. We held the sample for 30 seconds because we tested aluminum material

For testing materials. This device is designed for students to experience the ability to determine the strength of a material by immersing a steel ball into a sample. In Brinell hardness tests, a ball of a certain diameter D is placed vertically on the workpiece to be tested with a control pressure (load) F, with a gradually increasing pressure (load), and is held for a certain time at a specific test pressure (load). This process compresses the ball, after which the diameter D of the resulting spherical segment is measured after the test pressure (load) is removed. The sample should not move during this process. The Brinell hardness level is calculated based on the test pressure (load) F and the area of effect of the spherical segment A_V.

here HB- Brinell hardness value

F- Test pressure (load) – in N

A_V - area of impact – in mm²

The coefficient 0.102 is used for historical reasons, taking into account the change (conversion) from kp/mm² to kN/mm².

Using a sphere of diameter D, we get:

here HB- Brinell hardness value

F-Test stress – in N.

D- Ball diameter – in mm.

d- Average diameter of the impact area – in mm.

If we substitute the results obtained into formula (2), the Brinell hardness of aluminum will be as follows:

Based on the results obtained from the above formulas, we present the following results for steel and aluminum in Tables 1-2, and compare them with the results given in the literature.

Table 1.

Result obtained for the aluminum sample

Brinell hardness for different samples

Sample number

Material

Test time, seconds

Track diameter, mm

HBS Brinell hardness

d₁

d₂

(average)

Calculated

Taken from the literature

EN AW-6082

32.5

4,2

4,3

4,25

Table 2.

Result obtained on steel sample

Brinell hardness for different samples

Sample number

Material

Test time, seconds

Track diameter, mm

HBS Brinell hardness

d₁

d₂

(average)

Calculated

Taken from the literature

S235JRC+C

15.5

2.8

159

108-140

The results obtained are consistent with the aluminum hardness values reported in the literature. The Brinell method is convenient for relatively soft metals such as aluminum, and the accuracy of the test results depends on the correct selection of the load and the diameter of the ball. The smoothness and cleanliness of the test surface also have a significant effect on the result.

Conclusion

The experiment conducted using the WP300 testing machine concluded that

Brinell hardness testing is a reliable and convenient method for assessing the mechanical properties of materials.

As a result of the tests conducted using the Brinell method, the hardness properties of steel and aluminum materials were determined. Steel has high hardness and is proven to be suitable for operation under high mechanical loads. Aluminum, although relatively soft, is widely used in other industries due to its lightness and corrosion resistance. The Brinell method was confirmed to be a reliable and convenient method for determining the hardness of metals.

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