Surface hardness - Vickers

Symbol HV
Unit HV
Attribute-ID surface_hardness_vickers
Numeric ID 5767
Value Type PMTechValue

The Vickers hardness HV is a universally applicable hardness value that describes the resistance of a material to penetration by a pyramid-shaped diamond body. It is particularly suitable for very hard materials and thin layers, but also for small test areas or filigree components.

In the Vickers test, a diamond in the form of a four-sided pyramid is pressed into the material surface with a defined test force (in N) for a certain period of time. The two diagonals of the permanent indentation are then measured optically. The Vickers hardness value in HV is calculated from the mean value of the diagonals and the test force.

A complete hardness value is given as follows:
HV 10/15
→ 10 kp test force, 15 s load duration.

The following approximation can be used between the Vickers hardness and the tensile strength R_m:
HV = R_m / 3.3