Technique:
SSW has a LECO LM-100 Microindentation Tester to measure the hardness of materials. Our hardness tester uses an elongated Knoop indentor which can be used to measure the bulk hardness of metals, thin metal films and surface layers such as decarberization. Typically samples for microhardness testing are metallographically mounted and polished smooth prior to analysis to ensure consistent measurements. Depending on the hardness of the of the materials, such as soft brass or a hardened tool steel, the applied load can be adjusted from as little as 10 grams up to 1000 grams. The size of the microhardness indents vary depending on the material and applied load, but typically are approximately 100 microns in length. This means we can measure the hardness of very small areas. The hardness values are reported in Knoop hardness values, but if appropriate can be converted to other standard hardness values such as Rockwell A or Rockwell B.
Instrument:
LECO LM-100 Microindentation Tester
