scope:

This Standard specifies the method for Rockwell regular and Rockwell superficial hardness tests for metallic materials and is applicable to stationary and portable hardness testing machines

For specific materials and/or products like hardmetals, other specific standards apply (for instance, ISO 3738-1 and ISO 4498).

NOTE 1 Attention is drawn to the fact that, in ISO 6508-1, the use of tungsten carbide composite for ball indenters (hereafter--refe-rred to as "hardmetal ball") is considered to be the standard type of Rockwell and Rockwell superficial indenter balls. Steel indenter balls are allowed to continue to be used only when complying with Annex A. This Standard will adopt hardmetal balls as the standard indenter at the time of next revision.

NOTE 2 Attention is drawn to the fact that the result obtained with hardmetal ball may be significantly different from the result obtained with a steel balls

NOTE 3 (Editor's note: this note is unrelated to English translation therefore omitted.) NOTE 4 The International Standard corresponding to this Standard and the symbol of degree of correspondence are as follows.

ISO 6508-1: 2015 Metallic materials-Rockwell hardness test-Part 1: Test method (MOD)

In addition, symbols which denote the degree of correspondence in the contents between the relevant International Standard and JIS are IDT (identical), MOD (modified), and NEQ (not equivalent) according to ISO/IEC Guide 21-1.

WARNING Persons carrying out tests based on this Standard should be familiar with normal laboratory practice. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety probleams, if any associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this Standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices.