Metallskalor

Metallskalor is a Swedish term used to refer to the measurement and ranking systems that characterize metallic materials. The concept covers a range of scales that translate material properties into numerical values or grades, enabling comparison, specification, and selection in engineering and manufacturing. Metallskalor can be understood as an umbrella for both established hardness scales and other property-based rankings used for metals.

Common examples of metallskalor are hardness scales. The Rockwell scales (HRA, HRB, HRC and equivalents), the Brinell scale (HB), and the Vickers scale (HV) are widely used to assess a metal’s resistance to deformation. Each system relies on a different indenter and load, and the resulting numbers are standardized by organizations such as ISO and ASTM to ensure comparability across laboratories and industries.

Beyond hardness, metallskalor also encompasses scales or rating schemes for other properties that are important in metal applications, such as yield strength (often expressed in megapascals), ultimate tensile strength, ductility, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Some specialized evaluations exist for corrosion behavior or wear resistance, but these are typically reported as specific property values or qualitative grades rather than universal scales.

In practice, metallskalor support material selection, quality control, and research. Engineers consult relevant standards to choose appropriate hardness or strength scales for a given metal and service condition. The term metallskalor is described in Swedish-language reference works as a broad category rather than a single standardized system, reflecting the diversity of scales developed for different metals and applications.