Hardness Testing
Hardness testing is a basic mechanical test used to verify that metallic raw materials meet specifications, or it can be used as a quick check for materials that aren't performing as expected. The determination of whether a material is suitable for a given application or to the particular treatment to which it will be subjected is a key component of product development.
Rockwell Hardness Test
Rockwell hardness tests quantify the resistance of a material to plastic deformation, measure the indentation area, and are available as micro-indentation or macro-indentation.
Rockwell Hardness Tests (A, B, C, F, L, 15N, 30N, 45N, 15T, 30T, 45T, E, 15Y)
Brinell Hardness Test
Similar to the Rockwell hardness test, a Brinell hardness test uses a heavier test metal and creates a larger indentation in the sample material, and measures only the indentation.
Brinell Hardness (500, 1000, 1500, 3000Kgf)
Additional Hardness Tests
Microhardness:
- Macro Vickers - additional factor of relationship to distance is measured
- Macro-Vickers Microhardness (1-10kg)
- Vickers - measures largest scale of all hardness tests
- Vickers Microhardness (10-1000gf)
- Knoop - for fragile materials, less indentation to the sample material
- Knoop Microhardness (10-1000gf)
Non-Metallic Hardness Tests
- Macro Vickers - additional factor of relationship to distance is measured
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- Macro-Vickers Microhardness (1-10kg)
- Vickers - measures largest scale of all hardness tests
- Vickers Microhardness (10-1000gf)
- Knoop - for fragile materials, less indentation to the sample material
- Knoop Microhardness (10-1000gf)
MECHANICAL TESTING METHODS
- Abrasion (Taber)
- Adhesion (Peel) Testing
- Bend Testing
- Bond Strength Testing
- Charpy Impact Testing (-320°F to 450°F)
- Climbing Drum Adhesion of Sandwich Composites
- Coating Adhesion
- Coating Shear Fatigue
- Coefficient of Thermal Expansion by TMA
- Composite Testing (Fiber Reinforced)
- Compression Set
- Compressive Properties
- Core Shear Properties of Sandwich Construction by Beam Flexure
- Creep and Stress Rupture Testing
- DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer)
- Ductility
- Elastic Modulus
- Fatigue Testing
- Filled Hole Tension & Compression
- Flattening
- Flat-wise Tensile Testing
- Flexural Properties
- Floating Roller Peel Strength
- Fracture Mechanics
- Gel Time
- Hardness (Rockwell, Brinell, Durometer, Shore, Barcol, Knoop, Vickers, Macro Vickers)
- Heat Aging
- Heat Deflection by TMA
- Heat Treatment (furnace to 2100°F)
- Hydrogen Embrittlement
- Hydrostatic Pressure
- Indentation Toughness
- Interlaminar Shear
- Jominy Hardenability
- Lap Shear Testing
- Machining & Specimen Preparation
- Materialography
- Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
- n-Value (Strain Hardening Exponent)
- Open Hole Tension and Compression
- Pipeline Integrity Testing
- r-Value (Plastic Strain Ratio)
- Residual Strength of Composites After Impact
- Rotating Beam Fatigue
- Shear Testing of Rivets to ASTM B565, Single/Double
- Short Beam Strength
- Shot Peen Qualification
- Single-Edged Notched beams (SENB)
- Slow Strain Rate (G129)
- Specimen Conditioning
- Strain Gaging
- Surface Roughness (ANSI/ASME B46.1)
- T Peel Strength
- Tear Resistance of Films & Sheeting
- Tear - Rubbers & Elastomers
- Tensile Testing
- Torsional and Axial Fatigue (200 lb)
- Tube Testing (Tensile, Flare, Hydrostatic)
- Welder & Procedure Qualification
- Wire/Spring Testing (Wrap, Coil, Bend)
- Young's, Tangent and Chord Modulus (Room Temperature)
