Vickers and Knoop Hardness Testers
Description
Vickers and Knoop hardness testers are devices used to measure the hardness of materials. They achieve this by pressing an indenter into the material's surface and measuring the resulting indentation. These testers are capable of performing both micro and macro hardness testing, making them versatile tools for assessing the hardness of a wide range of materials, including metals, ceramics, and composites.
Working Principle
The Vickers hardness test uses a square-based pyramid-shaped diamond indenter, while the Knoop test employs a narrow rhombus-shaped indenter. The principle behind these tests involves applying a known load to the indenter, which then penetrates the material. The size of the indentation is measured, and the hardness value is calculated based on this measurement. These tests are particularly useful because they can be performed on very small samples with minimal preparation, allowing for precise hardness measurements even on thin coatings or small material zones.
Applications
Vickers and Knoop hardness testers are used in various applications, such as testing the hardness of metals, ceramics, and composites. They are particularly useful in evaluating the success of surface treatments, the quality of surface coatings, and the hardness of small zones affected by processes like welding. These testers are also employed in industries where precise hardness measurements are critical, such as in the manufacturing of medical implants and other high-precision components.
Advantages over other Hardness Testers
One significant advantage of Vickers and Knoop hardness testers over other methods, such as the Brinell test, is the ability to produce more defined and measurable indentations. This precision allows for more accurate hardness measurements, especially on small or thin samples. Additionally, these testers can be used on a wide variety of materials, including those that are difficult to test with other methods.
Limitations
A limitation of traditional Vickers testers is that they often produce a composite hardness measurement of both the coating and the substrate, which can affect accuracy. Operator influence can also impact the results, as the indentation measurements must be carefully taken under a microscope. Furthermore, the loads used in these tests can sometimes be too high for certain applications, leading to less accurate results.
Considerations
When considering the use of Vickers and Knoop hardness testers, it is important to factor in initial costs, operating expenses, and maintenance requirements. These testers require careful calibration and regular maintenance to ensure accuracy. The durability of the indenter and the precision of the measurement system are critical for reliable results. Additionally, the cost of replacement parts and the need for skilled operators to perform the tests and interpret the results should be considered in the overall cost of ownership.
from Tinius Olsen, Inc.
The model Evotech 2030 Micro Vickers, Vickers, Knoop Hardness testing machines is a new generation of instrument, improving conventional hardness testing methods and focused on eliminating user influence on the test results. The unique force actuator system utilizes an electronically controlled... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Test Method: Micro
from PCE Instruments / PCE Americas Inc.
PCE-1000N is a portable handheld Barcol hardness testing durometer used to measure the hardness of pure aluminum, soft aluminum, thick aluminum alloy and aluminum sheets, strips, rods, castings and forgings. The hardness of fiber-reinforced (FRP) plastics, glass-reinforced (GRP) plastics, hard... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Durometers; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Barcol (HBA), Webster (HW)
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from Tinius Olsen, Inc.
The model Evotech 2050 Micro-Vickers, Vickers Hardness testing machines are a new generation that use a unique, electronically controlled, closed loop system and advanced force sensor technology to achieve absolute accuracy, reliability and repeatability, on each of the forces used for a test. The... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Vickers / Knoop
- Test Method: Micro
from PCE Instruments / PCE Americas Inc.
Durometer for metallic materials with printer, memory and software which shows breaking strength directly in the display. PCE-2800 Durometer is a portable instrument to show and print hardness value on-site. Backlight in the display is adjustable and can be used easily even for inexperienced people... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Durometers; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Shore (HS), Leeb (HL)
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from Tinius Olsen, Inc.
The model Evotech 4010 is a quality Brinell testing system in a robust, rigid frame. It integrates a precision optical system with high quality objectives and a digital display and offers conversion to other hardness scales and online statistics, as well as USB, LAN, W-LAN, RS232 data output. The... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
from PCE Instruments / PCE Americas Inc.
PCE-950 is a handheld metal hardness durometer used to determine the hardness of 10 different types of metal (i.e., cast steel, hammered steel, cold-rolled steel, stainless steel, cast iron, ductile iron, aluminum alloy, brass, bronze and forged copper alloy) according to the Leeb rebound method. In... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Durometers; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Shore
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from Tinius Olsen, Inc.
The model Evotech 4030 is a fully automatic Brinell testing system in a robust, rigid frame. It is equipped with a 6 position motorized turret, with 3 indenter positions, a laser positioning system and 2 objectives with ring lights and offers conversion to other Hardness scales and online... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
from PCE Instruments / PCE Americas Inc.
The PCE-900 portable metal hardness tester features 9 common material presets including: - (Cast) steel. - Cold work tool steel. - Stainless steel. - Grey cast iron. - Spheroidal graphite iron. - Cast aluminum alloys. - Brass. - Bronze. - Copper [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Durometers; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Shore (HSD)
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from Tinius Olsen, Inc.
The model Evotech 700*, test heads can be supplied with integrated or external (table or floor mounted) operating console. The test heads can be fully integrated in product manufacturing lines. The closed loop system based on a load cell and Rockwell, Vickers, Knoop, Brinell, Ball indentation, HVT... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
- Test Load: 200 to 3000
from PCE Instruments / PCE Americas Inc.
Featuring a quick 2-second measurement time, this UCI hardness tester is the ideal tool for weld inspection, hardness control of metal coatings and hardness measurement of fine-grained metals, small forgings, cast materials, heat-affected zones, ion-nitrided stamping dies and molds, forms, presses,... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Durometers; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.
The DUH series uses low electromagnetic force to press an indenter into a specimen and measure the depth during indentation up to 10 µm. A triangular pyramid indenter with a tip angle of 115° is used as standard. This process determines dynamic changes that occur in the specimen's resistance to... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
from Johnson and Allen, Ltd.
The ET3 (Equotip-3) is Proceq's flagship hardness testing unit built to include all the features needed for in-depth analysis of the material properties that influence hardness. Depending on the application, additional impactors can be equipped to tailor the ET3 to best suit the test material. [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
from LECO Corporation
The AMH Series supports both microindentation and Macro/Vickers hardness testing in fully automatic and semi-automatic configurations for greater precision, accuracy, and efficiency. A patented method allows you to create a path for indentation patterns directly on an overview image of the part,... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro; Macro
from Fischer Technology, Inc.
FISCHERSCOPE HM2000 is a professional microhardness measurement instrument for the analysis of mechanical and elastic properties of materials by means of nanoindentation. Its very rigid and dimensionally stable construction reduces the influence of vibrations and fluctuations in temperature. [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop; Berkovich or Spherical Indentors
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
from ZwickRoell LP
The DuraScan micro hardness tester is ideal for solving a wide variety of test tasks providing you with an efficient laboratory companion for hardness testing. A wide variety of applications are covered through the use of templates and help settings according to the current specifications of the... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
from Haida International Equipment Co., Ltd.
The hardness tester for fast hardness testing of metallic materials, high precision, stable performance, simple operation, easy to carry. Can be measured in different directions Leeb hardness converted into Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers, Shore hardness, etc., and can be automatically converted to print... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.
The MCT series testers are designed for strength evaluation of micro components, micro particles, and fine fibers under compression. Test forces from 9.8 mN (1 gf) to 1,961 mN (200 gf) or 4,903 mN (500 gf), 10x and 50x objective lenses as standard, and the ability to measure displacements up to 100... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
- Test Load: 9.99E-4 to 0.1999
from Johnson and Allen, Ltd.
Johnson and Allen supply Proceq's EQ1000-B2 (Proceq Bambino) and EQ1000-P2 (Proceq Piccolo) portable pen type hardness testers. These instruments are ideal for quick verification of material hardness. For customers requiring hardness results from components under 5kg and with sections thinner than... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Dynamic Rebound; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable (optional feature); Fixtured or Permanent (optional feature)
from LECO Corporation
Perfect for a production facility or a research lab, LECO's LM Series Microindentation Hardness Testing Systems offer a variety of models (including analog and digital) with the advanced features that meet your requirements and budget. Manual or auto turret. A variety of objectives, from 2.5X to... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
- Test Load: 1.00E-3 to 2
from Fischer Technology, Inc.
PICODENTOR HM500 is Fischer's highest performance microhardness measurement instrument. Normally, only very elaborate and extremely costly measurement instruments offer similarly high resolution and the corresponding accuracy of force and travel measurement. By contrast, PICODENTOR HM500 combines... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop; Berkovich, Martens, Indentation
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
- Test Load: 5.10E-7 to 0.0510
from ZwickRoell LP
The DuraVision solves a wide variety of test tasks and is known for its efficiency in macro hardness testing applications. Even in harsh industrial environments, you can count on the reliable performance of this hardness tester, and always in accordance with currently applicable standards. The... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Carbon and Plastic Testing
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Macro
from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.
Convenient, Accurate Micro Hardness Measurements. Shimadzu ’s HMV-G series of Micro Hardness Testers determine hardness by indenting a material and then measuring the size of the resulting indentation. Systems range from standalone models with manual stage movement and indentation reading... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
from LECO Corporation
LECO's LV Series Macro-Vickers Hardness Testing Systems offer an affordable testing system suitable for larger, heavier samples used in welding and other demanding applications. Models include analog and digital, with options to upgrade to automatic configurations. Up to three objectives on one... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Macro
- Test Load: 0.3000 to 50
from Fischer Technology, Inc.
The FISCHERSCOPE HM2000 S is ideally suited for the manual measurement of mechanical and electrical material properties in the inspection of inbound goods or the testing of fabricated goods. Uncomplicated construction and high quality components make this an outstanding instrument for measuring... [See More]
- Test: Vickers / Knoop; Berkovich or Spherical Indentors
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Micro
from ZwickRoell LP
The ZHV30 low-load Vickers hardness tester covers Vickers and Knoop hardness tests to ISO 6507, ISO 4545 and ASTM E 384 in the load range from HV0.2 to HV30. For more sophisticated or for automated applications, PC controlled versions are available as semi or fully automatic systems based on the... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Vickers / Knoop
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Macro
from ZwickRoell LP
Robust and versatile - the key characteristics of the DuraJet. Through electronic load application and a load range of 9.8 N to 2,450 N (1 kg to 250 kg), this hardness testing machine covers the complete Rockwell hardness range. But that's not all, this hardness tester can do even more: Plastics and... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; Super Rockwell, Plastics Testing, Carbon Testing
- Mounting: Handheld or Portable
- Test Method: Superficial; Micro; Macro
from ZwickRoell LP
The ZHU/zwickiLine+ universal hardness testing machine is based on the zwickiLine+ materials testing machine. It can be used both for traditional hardness testing methods such as Rockwell, Vickers, Brinell and ball-indentation, and for the innovative instrumented indentation test method for... [See More]
- Test: Brinell; Rockwell; Vickers / Knoop; IIT
- Mounting: Fixtured or Permanent
- Test Method: Superficial