The common types of hardness testers mainly include the following:
- brinell hardness tester: The hardness is determined by measuring the diameter of the indentation and is suitable for measuring metal materials with lower hardness, such as cast iron and non-ferrous metals.
- For example, it is often used in the hardness testing of large cast steel parts.
- rockwell hardness tester: The hardness value is calculated based on the depth of the indentation and has a wide range of applications.
- It is commonly used when measuring materials with higher hardness, such as quenched steel and tempered steel.
- vickers hardness tester: It uses a diamond pyramid indenter to press into the material surface, and the hardness is calculated by measuring the diagonal length of the indentation. It can measure very thin materials and surface hardness.
- For instance, it plays a role when detecting the hardness of metal coatings and thin sheet metals.
- Leeb Hardness Tester: It is a portable hardness tester that calculates the hardness based on the ratio of the rebound speed to the impact speed after the impact body strikes the metal surface, which is convenient for on-site testing of large workpieces and components that are not easy to disassemble.
- It is often used in the hardness testing of large cast and forged parts, steel structures, etc.
- Knoop Hardness Tester: It is suitable for measuring materials with higher hardness, such as brittle materials like glass and ceramics.
- Microhardness Tester: It combines a microscope and a hardness tester and can measure the hardness of tiny areas.
- For example, it is used when studying the microstructure and hardness distribution of metal materials.
In the mechanical manufacturing industry, different types of hardness testers may be selected according to different parts and process requirements. For large rough parts, the Brinell hardness tester may be used for initial testing first, while for precision parts that have undergone heat treatment, the Vickers hardness tester or microhardness tester may be used for accurate measurement.
