Scale factor in determining the hardness of metal materials

The method and the results of investigations into the effect of the scale factor on the hardness characteristics measured by the Vickers and Brinell methods at the macro- and microlevels of indentation of standard steel plates with different hardness values are described. The forcing-in load and the indenter diameter at which the hardness values increase abruptly are determined. Dependences are proposed for converting the Vickers hardness values at different forcing-in loads and the Brinell hardness values at different diameters of the indenter on condition of an equal degree of loading or an equal ratio between the diameters of the indentation and the indenter.