Microhardness Tester

Microhardness Tester

One of three interconnected mechanical qualities that affect how materials behave under dynamic situations is hardness. Although it’s sometimes misused to mean the same thing as the other characteristics (strength, toughness, etc.), it is defined as a material’s capacity to endure applied loads. Hence, scientists can evaluate the hardness of a material in relation to abrasion, bending, or indentation. The latter is the approach to the material characterization that is most frequently utilized, and representations of indentation hardness are typically subdivided into either the macro or microhardness regimes.

Using only a physical probe called an indenter, microhardness testers describe how materials behave to applied loads as high as 1,000 g (10 N). Each of these characteristics could be pre-programmed and executed automatically using an automatic microhardness tester to eliminate the possibility of human mistakes and ensure total reproducibility across your testing chain. The standard utilized and, consequently, the corresponding probe tip shape, are two other important factors that distinguish one type of microhardness test from another. Vickers hardness testing, for instance, uses a pyramidal probe in accordance with ASTM and ISO standards, but Knoop hardness testing employs a distinctive expanded pyramid with a greater length-to-width ratio.

Video 01: Microhardness tester training demo

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