Heat Treating Operator how-to

How to Run a Rockwell Hardness Test

Hardness proves the treatment worked.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Hardness proves the treatment worked. In short: clean; pick; set, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Clean the surface.

  2. Pick the scale.

  3. Set the indenter.

  4. Apply the load.

  5. Read the result.

  6. Record.

Safety reminders for heat treating operators

  • Watch quench oil fire risk
  • Wear heat PPE
  • Monitor furnace gases
  • Follow lockout/tagout

Hardening · Tempering · Annealing · Quench · Rockwell · Case hardening: see the full heat treating operator glossary.

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