Johan August Brinell
Encyclopedia
August Brinell was a Swedish
Mechanical Engineer
.
Brinell is noted as the creator of a method for quantifying the surface hardness of materials, now known as the Brinell hardness test. His name is also commemorated in the description of a failure mechanism of material surfaces known as Brinelling
.
. He began his career as an Engineer at the Lesjöfors
Ironworks and in 1882 became chief engineer at the Fagersta
Ironworks. In 1903 he became Chief Engineer at Jernkontoret, the Swedish Iron Industry's Trade Association. He remained at that post until 1914. Brinell was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in 1902, and of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
in 1919. He died in 1925 in Stockholm
.
BHN = load in kilograms divided by the spherical area of the indentation in square
millimetres (refer to Brinell scale
for method of calculation)
It is a rapid, non-destructive (except at the surface being tested) means of determining the hardness of metals. This area is a function of the ball diameter and the depth of the indentation. With minor variations, his test still remains in wide use.
This method is best for achieving the macro-hardness of material, particularly those materials with hetrogenous structure.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
.
Brinell is noted as the creator of a method for quantifying the surface hardness of materials, now known as the Brinell hardness test. His name is also commemorated in the description of a failure mechanism of material surfaces known as Brinelling
Brinelling
Brinelling is a material surface failure caused by contact stress that exceeds the material limit. This failure is caused by just one application of a load great enough to exceed the material limit. The result is a permanent dent or "brinell" mark. It is a common cause of roller bearing failures,...
.
Biography
Brinell was born in Bringetofta, Nässjö Kommun, SwedenNässjö Municipality
Nässjö Municipality is a municipality in Jönköping County, southern Sweden where the town Nässjö is situated.The present municipality was created in 1971 when the City of Nässjö was amalgamated with five surrounding municipalities.-Localities:There are 11 urban areas in Nässjö Municipality.In...
. He began his career as an Engineer at the Lesjöfors
Lesjöfors
Lesjöfors is a locality situated in Filipstad Municipality, Värmland County, Sweden with 1,117 inhabitants in 2005.Located in the Bergslagen area, where mining and metal preparation historically was the leading industry, the town grew up around the local industry founded there in 1642.Lesjöfors...
Ironworks and in 1882 became chief engineer at the Fagersta
Fagersta
Fagersta is a locality and the seat of Fagersta Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden, with 10,890 inhabitants in 2005.- Geography :The city is located at the junction of two railways between Ludvika-Västerås and Avesta -Örebro, in the heart of the historic Bergslagen region which is rich in...
Ironworks. In 1903 he became Chief Engineer at Jernkontoret, the Swedish Iron Industry's Trade Association. He remained at that post until 1914. Brinell was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
in 1902, and of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien , founded in 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
in 1919. He died in 1925 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Legacy
Brinell is best known today for the Brinell hardness test, which he proposed in 1900. In this test a 10-millimetre diameter hardened steel or carbide ball is pushed into the surface of the material being tested, with a 3000 kg imposed load. The depth to which the ball penetrates the material surface is an indication of the Brinell Hardness Number, which is calculated as follows:BHN = load in kilograms divided by the spherical area of the indentation in square
millimetres (refer to Brinell scale
Brinell scale
The Brinell scale characterizes the indentation hardness of materials through the scale of penetration of an indenter, loaded on a material test-piece. It is one of several definitions of hardness in materials science....
for method of calculation)
It is a rapid, non-destructive (except at the surface being tested) means of determining the hardness of metals. This area is a function of the ball diameter and the depth of the indentation. With minor variations, his test still remains in wide use.
This method is best for achieving the macro-hardness of material, particularly those materials with hetrogenous structure.