IS 1501 specifies the Vickers hardness test using a diamond pyramid indenter. Unlike Brinell (IS 1500) which uses a ball, Vickers uses one indenter type for all hardness ranges — from very soft to very hard materials. Also used for micro-hardness of thin coatings and case-hardened layers.
Method for determining Vickers hardness (HV) of metallic materials using diamond pyramid indenter, covering test forces from micro (HV0.01) to macro (HV100) range.
Key Values
IndenterDiamond pyramid, 136° included angle
Common macro forcesHV5, HV10, HV30
Micro hardness forcesHV0.01 to HV0.2
Practical Notes
! Vickers is the most versatile hardness test — same indenter works for soft aluminium (30 HV) to hard tungsten carbide (2000 HV).
! For thin coatings and case-hardened layers, use micro-Vickers (HV0.05 or HV0.1) — Brinell indentation would penetrate through.
! Surface finish matters more for Vickers than Brinell — polish the surface before testing for accurate results.
! Always report the test force: HV10 (10 kgf force) gives different values than HV30 (30 kgf) on work-hardened materials.