D EUTSCHE NORM December 2002

Rockwell hardness testing of carbonaceous {

materials by the steel ball indentation method
51917
ICS 71.060.10 Supersedes
December1997 edition.
Prüfung von Kohlenstoffmaterialien – Härteprüfung nach
Rockwell – Verfahren mit Kugel; Feststoffe

In keeping with current practice in standards published by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO), a comma has been used throughout as the decimal marker.

Foreword
The December 1997 edition of this standard has been revised by Technical Committee Prüfverfahren für
Kohlenstoff und Graphit of the Normenausschuss Materialprüfung (Materials Testing Standards Committee)
taking into account DIN EN ISO 6508-1 (which has superseded DIN EN 10109-1) on which it was based.
Amendments
This standard differs from the December 1997 edition in that the steel ball has been replaced by a hard-metal
ball, details relating to the test pieces have been changed, the text has been editorially revised and refer-
ences have been updated.
Previous editions
DIN 51917: 1987-10, 1997-12.

1 Scope
This standard specifies a method of determining the Rockwell hardness of carbon/graphite materials, which
can also be used to determine the hardness of metal/graphite materials such as those of carbon brushes
for use in electrical machinery.
NOTE: In this standard, the ball indentation method specified in DIN EN ISO 6508-1 has been modified to
be suitable for carbonaceous materials.

2 Normative references
This standard incorporates, by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications. These
normative references are cited at the appropriate place in the text and the titles of the publications are listed
below. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications apply to
this standard only when incorporated into it by amendment or revision. For undated references, the latest
edition of the publication referred to applies.
DIN 1333 Presentation of numerical data
DIN 51200 Design and application of test piece holding devices in hardness testing machines

Continued on pages 2 to 5.

Translation by DIN-Sprachendienst.
In case of doubt, the German-language original should be consulted as the authoritative text.

© No part of this translation may be reproduced without the prior permission of Ref. No. DIN 51917 : 2002-12
DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V., Berlin. Beuth Verlag GmbH, 10772 Berlin, Germany,
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DIN EN ISO 6506-2 Metallic materials – Brinell hardness – Part 2: Verification and calibration of testing
machines (ISO 6506-2 : 1999)
DIN EN ISO 6508-1 Metallic materials – Rockwell hardness test – Part 1: Test method (scales A, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, K, N, T) (ISO 6508-1 : 1999)
DIN EN ISO 6508-2 Metallic materials – Rockwell hardness test – Part 2: Verification and calibration of testing
machines (scales A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, N, T) (ISO 6508-2 : 1999)
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IEC 413 Test procedures for determining the physical properties of brush materials for electrical
machines
ISO 5725-1 : 1994 Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results – Part 1: General
principles and definitions
ISO 5725-2 : 1994 Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results – Part 2: Basic
method for the determination of repeatability and reproducibility of a standard measure-
ment method

3 Principle
A hard-metal ball indenter is forced into a test piece in two stages under the conditions specified in clause 9,
and the permanent depth of the indentation, h, produced by the initial test force is measured after removing
the additional test force. The Rockwell hardness number, HR, is then determined using the following equation
(cf. table 1):

h
Rockwell hardness, HR = N –
S

4 Quantities, symbols and units

See tables 1 and 2 and figure 1.
Table 1: Quantities, symbols and units

Symbol Quantity Unit

F0 Initial test force N

F1 Additional test force N

F Total test force N

S Scale unit mm

N Hardness number specific to the scale –

Permanent indentation depth at F 0

h mm
after removing additional test force

Permanent indentation depth, expressed in

e
multiples of S, i.e. 0,002 mm or 0,001 mm.

HR 10/20, HR 5/20
HR 10/40, HR 5/40
h
HR 10/60, HR 5/60 Rockwell hardness HR = 130 –
0,002
HR 10/100, HR 5/100
HR 10/150, HR 5/150

h
HR 5/7, HR 2,5/7 Rockwell hardness HR = 100 –
0,001

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Table 2: Test forces

Diameter Initial test Additional test

Hardness Scale unit, Total test force,
Hardness of ball force, force,
number, S, F,
symbol indenter, F0, F 1,
N in mm in N
in mm in N in N

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5 Designation
Designation of a Rockwell hardness test 1) (HR) in accordance with this standard, determined with an indenter
of diameter (10 t 0,005) mm (10) and a total test force of 60 daN (60):
Test DIN 51917 – HR 10/60

6 Apparatus
6.1 Testing machine, capable of applying the test forces specified in table 2 and conforming to
DIN EN ISO 6508-2.

6.2 Hard-metal ball indenter, having a diameter of (10 t 0,005) mm, (5 t 0,004) mm or (2,5 t 0,003) mm and
meeting the requirements specified in DIN EN ISO 6506-2.

6.3 Depth-measuring device, conforming to DIN EN ISO 6508-2.

7 Sampling
Sampling shall be subject to agreement.

8 Test pieces
Test pieces of any size may be used, provided that they meet the following requirements.
a) The thickness is such that no deformation is visible on the back of the test piece after testing. (The
minimum thickness will depend on the material of the test piece and may need to be determined by experi-
ment.
b) The surfaces of test pieces are flat and the arithmetical mean deviation of the profile, Ra, is no greater
than 5 µm.

1) Cf. section 303.2 of IEC 413.

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9 Procedure
Testing shall be carried out at an ambient temperature of between 10 °C and 35 °C.
Place the test piece on a supporting surface or in a holder so that the surface to be indented is normal to the
direction of the indenting force.
Since any permanent change in the position of the test piece caused by the applied test force affects the
measured indentation depth, the contact surfaces of the test piece and support or holder shall be free of foreign
matter, such as grease or dust. If its shape allows, the test piece shall be clamped in the machine (cf. DIN 51200).
Press the test piece against the steel ball indenter until the initial force, F0, is reached and then set the datum
position of the measuring device at the hardness number, N.
Avoiding shock and vibration as far as possible, slowly apply the additional force, F1, for five to eight seconds
until the total force, F, is reached. Maintain this force until the reading is steady (which normally takes ten to
twenty seconds).
Now remove the additional force, avoiding shock and vibration as far as possible. The Rockwell hardness can
usually be read directly from the measuring device, but if necessary, determine it from the permanent inden-
tation depth, h (see figure 1).

1 Initial test force d

2 Surface of test piece
b
3 Datum line
a Indentation depth due to initial test force, F 0
b Indentation depth due to additional test force, F 1 c
c Recovery after removal of additional test force
d Permanent indentation depth, h

Figure 1: Principle of Rockwell hardness test

The distance between the centres of two adjacent indentations and that from the centre of each indentation to
the edge of the test piece shall be at least equal to the ball diameter or 2,5 times the diameter of the indentation,
unless otherwise agreed.
If the mean value obtained is greater than 110 or less than 30, repeat the measurement after selecting a more
suitable indenter diameter and test forces from table 2.

10 Evaluation
Most testing machines give a direct reading of the Rockwell hardness; where this is not the case, calculate the
Rockwell hardness, HR ../.. (ball diameter/total test force), using the following equations:

h
e=
S

HR ../.. = N – e

Rounding of results shall be in accordance with DIN 1333.

11 Test report
The test report shall refer to this standard and include the following information:
a) type, position, orientation and identification of test pieces;
b) number of test pieces;
c) ball diameter and total test force;

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d) Rockwell hardness obtained and the mean of all results, both rounded to the nearest integer;
e) any agreed deviations from this standard;
f) date of testing.

12 Precision
(cf. ISO 5725-1 and ISO 5725-2)
The following characteristics shall be used to assess the reliability of results.
Repeatability limit
(same observer, same equipment)
If two results are obtained under repeatability conditions, both results shall be considered acceptable and in
conformity with this standard if they differ by no more than the value shown in table 3.
Reproducibility limit
(different observers, different equipment)
If two laboratories each obtain a result under reproducibility conditions, both results shall be considered
acceptable and in conformity with this standard if they differ by no more than the value shown in table 3.

Table 3: Repeatability and reproducibility

Carbon/graphite materials Metal/graphite materials

HR 10/40 HR 5/40 HR 10/40 HR 5/40

Repeatability limit 3 5 4 7

Reproducibility limit 4 8 6 9

Other relevant standard

ASTM C 748-83 Test method for Rockwell hardness of fine-grained graphite materials (1993 revision) 2)

2) Obtainable from Beuth Verlag GmbH, 10772 Berlin, Germany.

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