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Glossary
Brinell Hardness Test
Brinell Hardness is a method of measuring how resistant a material is to indentation, giving an indication of its hardness. In the Brinell hardness test (BHN), a hard steel or tungsten carbide ball is pressed into the surface of a material under a specific load. The diameter of the indentation left behind is measured, and the Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) is calculated by dividing the load by the surface area of the indentation.
Brinell hardness testing is commonly used for metals and alloys, especially when testing large, coarse-grained materials like castings and forgings. Because it produces a relatively large indentation, it averages out hardness over a bigger area, making it especially useful for non-uniform materials.