Rockwell Hardness and Brinell Hardness Testing of Stamping Dies

Introduction to stamping dies 

Stamping dies are a special process in cold stamping processing that processes materials (metal or non-metal) into parts (or semi-finished products). Since the eighties, with the rapid development of the national economy due to reform and opening up, the market demand for molds has been continuously increasing. The mold industry has been developing rapidly at a growth rate of about 15%. To some extent, the technical content and quality of molds indirectly reflect the overall industrial and technological strength of the country. Currently, domestic hardness testing of stamping dies mainly uses Leeb, Rockwell, and Brinell testing methods. However, in terms of the reliability of the testing results, Leeb hardness testing is far inferior to Rockwell and Brinell hardness testing.

For domestic Rockwell and Brinell hardness testing of molds, there are already quite mature equipment options available, such as the PHR-200 magnetic digital Rockwell hardness tester, PHR-100 magnetic Rockwell hardness tester, and PHB-3000 hydraulic Brinell hardness tester from Shenyang TX Testing Instruments Inc. All these are highly reliable hardness testing devices. Below is an introduction on how to use these three instruments to test the hardness of stamping dies.

PHR-200 magnetic digital Rockwell hardness tester testing the hardness of stamping dies

Specific method for testing the hardness of stamping dies using the PHR-200 magnetic digital Rockwell hardness tester

This instrument simplifies the traditional Rockwell hardness testing operation steps. The operator can ignore the related operation of the initial test force of 10 kg and directly apply the total test force. After maintaining the test force, directly release all the test force to complete the test, greatly improving the testing efficiency.

Preparation before the test

Grind the rough parts to be tested to smooth and flat. The parts should not have oxide scales, decarburized layers, pits, or dirt.

Adsorption of the hardness tester

Place the hardness tester steadily on the tested mold. Keep the tested surface perpendicular to the axis of the hardness tester indenter, and then turn the magnetic switch to the "on" position to adsorb the hardness tester to the tested mold (if it is not a flat surface, use an adapter to solve the adsorption problem).

Power on and select the correct scale

Press the "power" button of the instrument to enter the measurement state. At this time, select the appropriate scale, test force, and indenter according to the mold material being tested.

Apply test force to measure Rockwell hardness

After replacing with a suitable indenter, turn the handwheel at the top of the instrument to apply the test force. When the specified test force is applied, the right side of the instrument screen will show a countdown. After the countdown, reverse the handwheel to release the test force, and the Rockwell hardness value of the tested mold will appear on the screen. Generally, three to five points on the same mold need to be selected for measurement, and the average value obtained can represent the Rockwell hardness of the mold.

Joanna Zhao

Hi, I'm Joanna Zhao, the Import & Export Manager of Shenyang TX Testing Instruments Inc. I've been with TX Testing for 15 years, gaining hands-on experience by closely observing the production process and personally assembling and testing our portable hardness testers. This has deepened my technical understanding and strengthened my confidence in the industry's development. With this foundation, I provide professional support, feasibility analyses, and customized solutions to meet diverse customer needs, offering one-stop services that ensure efficiency and satisfaction.