Vickers hardness testing

Determining material hardness precisely – securing material condition

The hardness of a material is a key indicator of its strength, wear behaviour and load-bearing capacity. Deviations in hardness may indicate incorrect heat treatment, wrong material composition or process deviations.

In Vickers hardness testing, a pyramid-shaped diamond indenter is pressed into the surface with a defined test force. After the load is removed, the diagonal of the impression is measured microscopically and the hardness value is calculated from it.

The method is suitable for a wide range of metallic materials and supports both macro and micro hardness testing.

Which characteristics are assessed?

Within Vickers hardness testing, the following aspects can be evaluated, among others:

• Surface and core hardness
• Hardness profiles in edge zones
• Influence of heat treatment processes
• Deviations from target values according to specification

The measurement results provide objective characteristic values that can be compared with drawing or standard requirements.

Complementary test methods

Hardness testing is often combined with further test methods:

• Microstructure examination – for microscopic analysis of the material condition
• Eddy current testing (ET) – for non-destructive evaluation of heat treatment conditions
• Crack testing – when hardening cracks or thermally induced defects are suspected

The selection depends on the material, component geometry and inspection objective.

When does hardness testing make sense?

Vickers hardness testing is used in particular:

• After heat treatment processes
• To verify case or induction hardening
• During incoming inspection of safety-relevant components
• In complaint or damage analyses
• For process validation in series ramp-up

Depending on requirements, individual tests or systematic test series can be performed.

In which industries is hardness testing used?

Hardness testing is relevant in industrial sectors where mechanical load capacity and wear behaviour are critical to function, including:

• Automotive and supply industry
• Aerospace
• Mechanical and plant engineering
• Energy and power plant sector
• Metal processing and heat treatment

The specific design of the inspection depends on the material, component geometry and inspection requirements.

Performing hardness testing at Technomix

Hardness testing is carried out on the basis of defined force ranges and agreed inspection plans. Impressions are measured microscopically and documented. Hardness profiles or comparison series can be produced where required.

Organisational integration is handled within our quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001.