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Hardness Testing

The hardness testing of materials, particularly metals, alloys and to some extent ceramics, is one of the most direct ways of obtaining a measure of mechanical properties.

In a heat treatment shop the rapid measurement with a Rockwell hardness tester will provide a simple and accurate means of product quality control.

 

When a precise measurement of hardness is required on small areas such as sealing surfaces, or the grains revealed in polished and etched metallographic sections, then a microhardness test is warranted. This test, often using a small diamond indenter and a load as low as 100grams, can provide crucial information not accessible by conventional Rockwell, Brinell or Vickers hardness testers.

Micro hardness tester. This is the indenter with the diamond tip. An example of testing the sealing surface of a gland. This gland has lacquer from corrosion testing. 

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