Maynier and others (Ref. 16) have proposed a method for estimating the Vickers hardness (HV) based on the chemical composition of a steel, together with the final phase composition and the cooling rate during quenching. The Vickers hardness is calculated as a dimensionless number, although in its original definition, the unit is kgf/mm
2. The hardness number is given by a phase fraction weighted sum of the hardnesses of the individual metallurgical phases.
where the hardnesses of ferrite and pearlite are taken to be equal. In the expressions above, the term Vr is the cooling rate, expressed in K/h, as the temperature passes 700 degrees Celsius during cooling, and C, Si, Ni, and so forth, are the weight percentages of the respective alloying elements.
