Short course description
Short course description
Content of the short-term learning experience
Hardness measurement is one of the basic tests used in various branches of industry to obtain basic information on the mechanical properties of materials in a relatively simple way.
Hardness is generally defined as the resistance of a material to the penetration of another body through its surface. In the case of metallic materials, it is rather defined as the resistance of the material to local plastic deformation.
The most common methods of measuring hardness are the Brinell, Vickers and Rockwell hardness measurements. In these methods, indenters of various shapes are pressed into the surface of materials with certain forces and the hardness is evaluated on the basis of the area or depth of the indentations produced by plastic deformation.
The training will provide theoretical and practical insight into how to correctly perform the measurements and evaluate the results. Attention will be paid both to the theoretical basics of the embossing of different indentations in the surface of materials and to an overview of the standards in this field.
The lectures will focus on three strands:
1. Macrohardness measurement
- Brinell, carbide ball
- Vickers, the regular four-sided diamond pyramid
- Rockwell, the diamond cone.
2. Microhardness measurement
- Vickers, regular four-sided diamond pyramid
- Knoop, asymmetric four-sided pyramid
3. Micro- and nano-identity measurement
- Berkovich's three-sided pyramid
- Hardness measurement,
- measurement of the modulus of elasticity
- measurement of local yield stress
- surface scratching
- friction measurement
The practical work will focus on the correct sampling and preparation of the surface for hardness measurement. Hardness will be measured using macro-hardness, micro-hardness and indentation testers. Samples will be examined before and after measurement on light and scanning electron microscopes. The application of hardness measurement to the determination of surface hardness of steels after quenching, the hardenability, the depth of cemented and nitrided layers, and after heat treatments of non-ferrous metals and alloys will be discussed.
Coordinator of the short-term learning experience
Coordinator of the short-term learning experience
Prof. Dr. Franc Zupanič
Prof. Dr. Franc Zupanič studies the technologies of synthesis, processing, treatment and joining of various alloys, with the focus of his research being on the relationship between the manufacturing parameters, the resulting microstructure and the final properties, which is the core of materials science.
The development and characterisation of new aluminium alloys is a priority area of research. The focus is on high-strength aluminium alloys based on Al-Mg-Si and on patented heat-resistant aluminium alloys hardened by crystalline and quasicrystalline precipitates.
The characterisation uses light and electron microscopy, microchemical analysis, X-ray phase analysis and atomic tomography, as well as various types of mechanical tests such as tensile and impact tests, permanent dynamic strength and creep tests, and hardness measurements. In this context, the company cooperates extensively with research institutions in Germany, Austria and Italy, as well as with Slovenian institutes and universities.
In the framework of the project RIUM, the Materials Laboratory has acquired hardness, microhardness and indentation measuring devices, which are of great importance in current research, as they allow the characterisation of the mechanical properties of materials in the micro- and nano-range.
Although his core area is metallic materials, he also researches polymeric, ceramic and composite materials.
Other instructors
Other instructors
Assist. Prof. Dr. Tonica Bončina
The lecturer, doc. dr Tonica Bončina, Senior Research Fellow, has more than thirty years of experience in the field of research on metals and other materials. She is a specialist in metallography and light and electron scanning microscopy. She holds the professional title of Habilitation Specialist, the scientific title of Senior Research Fellow, and the teaching title of Assistant Professor in the field of Materials. She is a lecturer in the Doctoral School of Mechanical Engineering in course Materialography.
She is the author or co-author of several scientific papers, e.g. (1,2), technical papers, e.g. (3,4) and a European patent (5) covering metallographic analysis and characterisation of materials.
Objectives and competences
Objectives and competences
The aim is to provide an in-depth introduction to the measurement of hardness, microhardness and indentation, with practical demonstrations and independent measurements by students. This will give the participants a comprehensive overview of the theoretical basics and train them to perform the measurements in practice.
Competences
On completion of the training, students will be able to
- correctly prepare a sample for hardness measurement
- select the most appropriate hardness measurement method for the chosen problem
- perform hardness measurements independently in accordance with the relevant standards
- prepare a sample for micro-hardness measurement in an appropriate way
- statistically evaluate the results of the measurement
- evaluate the results of indentation.
Prerequisites for enrolling
Prerequisites for enrolling
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Preliminary agenda
Preliminary agenda
Preliminary agenda:
| Date | Time | Activity |
| 10:00-16:00 | Definition of hardness
Practical measurement of hardness using the methods according to
|
| 10:00-16:00 | Characteristics of micro-hardness measurement
Practical measurement with an indentation tester |
| 13:00-16:00 | Presentation of the project task |
Course date
Autumn 2024
Certificate
CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION