I may be completely off base here, but if I understand the question correctly...
To my knowledge Brinnel and rockwell tests are an engineering material measure, not a scientific measure. AS such they are a standard onto themselves and don't represent anything like force/area etc etc. I remember specifically that there's 2 types of tests and standards those that can be extrapolated to common units (like a tensile pull test) and those that cannot be extrapolated to standard units, like hardness tests.
please forgive me if I'm completely off base.
You're perfectly right, Metarinka.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil
It is just a number - B U T - If you take about half of the 3000 kg Brinnel load on your ball penetrator
you have the approximate tensile strength -
For example T - l steel plate is about 200 BHN ( Brinnell Hardness Number ) runs approxamately ~ 100 ksi while 400 BHN Abrasion
Resisting Plate runs approxamately 200 ksi -
You used the term HB ' s - you didn't mean Hardness Rockwell B did you ?
By G.S.Crisi 
Date 05-28-2008 22:46
Edited 05-29-2008 00:03
You've been wise, ravi, in warning the reader that conversion of hardness numbers to tensile strength is only approximate and must be used for rough estimates only.
To my understanding, Kix is speaking of Brinell.
Giovanni S. Crisi
HB is the correct unit indictor for Brinnell hardness
Rockwell "B" would be HRB
From Machinery's Handbook: Brinell # = load on indenting tool in kilograms / surface area of indentationin square millimeters. A standard ball of 10 mm diameter and a load of 3000 Kg for hard metals is standard practice.
Thanks dave! That is what I was looking for and I'm sorry to the rest of you for not asking the question properly. All of this information was very informative and helpful. I appreciate all of the help!!
