AJR Product Page
Test TypeTest Method
Test Force Range
Indenter Type
ASTM Reference
Measure Method
RockwellRegular
60, 100, 150 kgf
Conical Diamond & Small Ball
E 18
Depth
Rockwell
Superficial
15, 30, 45 kgf
Conical Diamond & Small Ball
E 18
Depth
Rockwell
Light Load
3, 5, 7 kgf
Truncated Cone Diamond
Informal
Depth
Rockwell
Micro
500, gf
Small Truncated Cone Diamond
Informal
Depth
Rockwell
Macro
500 to kgf
5, 10mm Ball
E103
Depth
Microhardness
Vickers
5 to gf
136° Pyramid Diamond
E 384
Area
Microhardness
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Magnetic Particle Inspection.
Knoop
5 to gf
130° x 172° Diamond
E 384
Area
Microhardness
Rockwell
500 gf to 30 kgf
Truncated Cone Diamond
Informal
Depth
Brinell
Optical
62.5 to kgf
5, 10mm Ball
E 10
Area
Brinell
Depth
500 to kgf
5, 10mm Ball
E103
Depth
When selecting a hardness tester for your application, it is important for you to consider the following:Plan to use the highest test force and largest indenter possible. Consider the effects of the shape and dimensions of your test sample.1. Does your test prescribe a specific hardness scale to be used?2. What is the material to be tested, and is this material suitable to the type of test method you are considering?3. How large is the part, component or specimen to be tested?4. Is the test point difficult to reach?5. What is the volume of testing that will be done?6. How accurate does your test result need to be?7. What is your budget?8. What is the required return on investment and do you have ways to measure reductions in costs- yields, throughput, operator efficiency?9. What testing problems have you experienced in your current method?10. How knowledgeable are the users of the tester?Consider performing a Gage R&R to gather quantifiable data on how much error is attributed to the operator and the measurement system employed.There are significant differences between levels of performance within each classification of tester. A difficult job on one tester could be very simple and fast on another. So, although hardness testers within a test method and classification look alike, there are many features that can significantly affect productivity and accuracy. A good example of features affecting performance is demonstrated in bench Rockwell hardness testing systems. All can handle moderately long parts using larger anvils or jack rests, however the Versitron Series can usually test large parts more quickly and accurately, when compared to other bench testers, which require external support stands or fixtures. The Indentron Series , on the other hand, is much easier to use on small, awkward parts.
When selecting a material with hardness in mind there are many things to consider.
What are the advantages of hard materials?
Hard materials resist deformation, indentation or scratches making them harder wearing, longer lasting and often easier to clean and maintain.
What are the disadvantages of hard materials?
Hardness and toughness are normally inversely proportional to each other e.g. glass is hard, but it&#;s low toughness makes it very fragile. Plastics are often tough, but not as resistant to surface and impact damage as metals.
What options are there for making my low-hardness metal harder?
Plating, coating or surface heat treatment often aim to provide the hard and/or hard-wearing surfaces required, whilst maintaining the materials&#; inherent toughness.
Hard anodising is available at Protolabs, our digital network, also offer heat treatment and painting, learn more here.
What heat treatments can be used to harden CNC metal materials?
There are many methods of heat treating a part to potentially make it harder. These include quenching, precipitation hardening (ageing), case hardening and carburising, which are offered through our digital network.
What is case hardening?
Also known as surface hardening. This heat treatment is used to improve the hardness and wear resistance of the metal&#;s surface, whilst retaining the toughness of its inner core. This method is particularly useful for components that need to withstand abrasive wear, impact, and other forms of mechanical stress. The metal&#;s surface layer composition is altered through diffusion.
What are the different types of case hardening?
There are several different methods of case hardening, they include, carburising, nitriding, carbonitriding, induction hardening and flame hardening. Out digital network offers carburising.
Carburising &#; the most common of the methods. The metal part is heated in an environment that is rich in carbon, which causes the carbon atoms to diffuse into the surface layer. The result is a surface layer high in carbon, which can be hardened through subsequent quenching (rapid cooling).
Heat Treatment Purpose Compatible Materials Case Hardenining & Carburising To increase the surface hardness of the metal part, while keeping the core soft. Mild Steels (, A36)Nitriding &#; Like carburising the metal part is heated in an environment, but this time rich in not just carbon, but also nitrogen. Nitrogen atoms diffuse into the surface, forming nitrides, which increases the hardness and wear resistance. Particularly effective for use on stainless steel and other alloyed steels.
Carbonitriding &#; A combination of carburising and nitriding. The part is exposed to an atmosphere containing both carbon and nitrogen. This creates a surface layer rich in both carbon and nitrogen compounds.
Induction Hardening &#; the surface layer of the metal part is heated using high-frequency induction heating, and then the part is quenched. The localised heating and quenching result in a hardened surface, whilst retaining core properties.
Flame Hardening &#; a high-temperature flame is directed onto the surface of the metal part, followed by quenching. Similar to induction hardening this method only hardens the surface layer.