V.S. Heat Treatment
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V.S. Heat Treatment
Heat treatment & metal finishing experts
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Calculator + full steel hardness chart per ASTM E140 / ISO 18265 — enter one value, see every scale.
Supported range: 20.3 – 68 (Rockwell C (HRC))
Conversions are approximations per ASTM E140 / ISO 18265 for non-austenitic steel. Cross-scale conversion carries inherent tolerance; when a spec calls out a scale, measure in that scale directly.
Steel hardness is measured on several scales. Rockwell C (HRC) is the workhorse for hardened parts — fast and easy to read. Vickers (HV) works at low loads, so it suits small or thin parts and carburized case layers (micro-Vickers). Brinell (HB) suits coarse structures, and Rockwell B (HRB) covers soft, unhardened steel.
This chart uses the published ASTM E140 and ISO 18265 correlations for non-austenitic steel. Values are approximate because each scale measures a different physical response (indent depth vs indent size); ±1–2 units of tolerance is normal for any cross-scale conversion.
At V.S. Heat Treatment we measure every lot in our in-house lab (Rockwell and micro-Vickers) and ship the readings with the parts. This is the same chart we use when a customer's spec arrives in HV or HB.
HV → HRC / HRB / HB / approximate tensile strength for steel. A dash marks ranges the standards do not correlate.
| Vickers (HV) | Rockwell C (HRC) | Rockwell B (HRB) | Brinell (HB) | Tensile (MPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | — | 56.2 | 95 | 320 |
| 110 | — | 62.3 | 105 | 350 |
| 120 | — | 66.7 | 114 | 385 |
| 130 | — | 71.2 | 124 | 415 |
| 140 | — | 75 | 133 | 450 |
| 150 | — | 78.7 | 143 | 480 |
| 160 | — | 81.7 | 152 | 510 |
| 170 | — | 85 | 162 | 545 |
| 180 | — | 87.1 | 171 | 575 |
| 190 | — | 89.5 | 181 | 610 |
| 200 | — | 91.5 | 190 | 640 |
| 210 | — | 93.4 | 200 | 675 |
| 220 | — | 95 | 209 | 705 |
| 230 | — | 96.7 | 219 | 740 |
| 238 | 20.3 | 98 | 226 | 760 |
| 243 | 21 | 98.5 | 231 | 780 |
| 248 | 22 | 99 | 237 | 795 |
| 254 | 23 | 99.5 | 243 | 815 |
| 260 | 24 | 100 | 247 | 835 |
| 266 | 25 | — | 253 | 850 |
| 272 | 26 | — | 258 | 870 |
| 279 | 27 | — | 264 | 895 |
| 286 | 28 | — | 271 | 915 |
| 294 | 29 | — | 279 | 940 |
| 302 | 30 | — | 286 | 965 |
| 310 | 31 | — | 294 | 995 |
| 318 | 32 | — | 301 | 1,030 |
| 327 | 33 | — | 311 | 1,060 |
| 336 | 34 | — | 319 | 1,095 |
| 345 | 35 | — | 327 | 1,125 |
| 354 | 36 | — | 336 | 1,155 |
| 363 | 37 | — | 344 | 1,190 |
| 372 | 38 | — | 353 | 1,220 |
| 382 | 39 | — | 362 | 1,255 |
| 392 | 40 | — | 371 | 1,290 |
| 402 | 41 | — | 381 | 1,320 |
| 412 | 42 | — | 390 | 1,350 |
| 423 | 43 | — | 400 | 1,385 |
| 434 | 44 | — | 409 | 1,420 |
| 446 | 45 | — | 421 | 1,455 |
| 458 | 46 | — | 432 | 1,485 |
| 471 | 47 | — | 443 | 1,520 |
| 484 | 48 | — | 455 | 1,555 |
| 498 | 49 | — | 469 | 1,595 |
| 513 | 50 | — | 481 | 1,630 |
| 528 | 51 | — | 496 | 1,665 |
| 544 | 52 | — | 512 | 1,700 |
| 560 | 53 | — | 525 | 1,740 |
| 577 | 54 | — | 543 | 1,775 |
| 595 | 55 | — | 560 | 1,810 |
| 613 | 56 | — | 577 | 1,845 |
| 633 | 57 | — | 595 | 1,880 |
| 653 | 58 | — | 615 | — |
| 674 | 59 | — | 634 | — |
| 697 | 60 | — | 654 | — |
| 720 | 61 | — | 670 | — |
| 746 | 62 | — | 688 | — |
| 772 | 63 | — | 705 | — |
| 800 | 64 | — | 722 | — |
| 832 | 65 | — | 739 | — |
| 865 | 66 | — | — | — |
| 900 | 67 | — | — | — |
| 940 | 68 | — | — | — |
Conversions are approximations per ASTM E140 / ISO 18265 for non-austenitic steel. Cross-scale conversion carries inherent tolerance; when a spec calls out a scale, measure in that scale directly.
HRC (Rockwell C) derives hardness from the depth of a conical diamond indent — fast, ideal for routine checks of hardened parts. HV (Vickers) derives it from the size of a pyramidal diamond indent and works at very low loads, so it measures small parts, thin sections and carburized case layers more precisely.
Each scale measures a different physical response. The ASTM E140 / ISO 18265 tables are statistical correlations from test batches of steel, valid for non-austenitic grades with roughly ±1–2 units of tolerance. When you need an exact number, measure in the specified scale directly.
Routine hardened parts: HRC. Very thin parts or carburized case layers: micro-Vickers (HV). Soft steel before hardening: HRB or HB. Our in-house lab runs both Rockwell and Vickers and reports readings with every lot.
It is an ISO 18265 estimate — good for screening and rough spec checks only. Design against actual tensile test results, and note the standards stop correlating tensile above roughly 650 HV.