Definitions for "ROCKWELL HARDNESS TEST"
A test for resistance to indentation, using a diamond or steel ball, under pressure, to pierce the test specimen. The degree of penetration under varying kilograms of pressure-loading is carefully measured. First a "minor load" of 10 kilograms is applied, then a "major load" (60 to 150 kg, depending on the test method and scale being used). The scale used here employs a 100kg major load. The higher the number, the greater the surface hardness. This gives engineers a set of comparable ratings with which to describe the relative hardness of any plastics material.
an arbitrarily defined measure of resistance of a material to indentation under static or dynamic load
A measure of hardness by determining the depth of penetration of a penetrator into the specimen under certain fixed conditions of test. The penetrator may be either a steel ball or a diamond sphero-conical penetrator. The hardness number is related to the depth of the indentation and the higher the number the harder the material.