Hardness Testing Archives

Common Problems With Microhardness Testing

Microhardness testing is a method of determining a material’s hardness or resistance to penetration when test samples are small, thin, or dealing with composite samples in small regions. Microhardness testing can provide precise and detailed information about surface features of materials that have a fine microstructure. However, there are some common problems that can arise when microhardness testing. We are going to go over common problems with microhardness testing, and their causes. For a lot of engineers, scientists, and testers, three terms often come into their minds when talking about microhardness testing: finicky, subjective, and time-consuming. Now, advances in computer... Continue reading

Non-Destructive Testing Brands

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is used to analyze material properties and/or the structural integrity of a material without causing any damage to the material that is being tested. It is used in a wide variety of industries and fields including oil and gas, aerospace, automotive, structural engineering, university test labs, etc. Metsuco has been supplying these industries with non-destructive testing supplies for over 30 years. With that being said, we wanted to introduce to you a few of the manufacturing companies whose NDT products we carry. Each one of these companies has made a name for themselves in the industry and... Continue reading

Our Hardness Tester Brands

Since 1900, there have been widely accepted methods of hardness testing metal and other materials using hardness testers. The different scales and methods include Vickers, Brinell, Rockwell, Shore, and nondestructive methods of ultrasonic hardness testing. Hardness testers and hardness testing equipment have been one of our staple product offerings here at Metsuco for over 30 years. With that being said, we wanted to introduce to you a few of the manufacturing companies whose hardness testing products we carry. Each one of these companies has made a name for themselves in the industry and we are proud to carry their products.... Continue reading

Comparing the Hardness Scales

In previous posts, we have talked about the differences between the different hardness tests, such as Vickers, Rockwell and Brinell. However, we haven’t talked as much about comparing the scales and what makes them different. Here we want to go more into comparing the hardness scales themselves. First though, a quick word about testing methodology. These different scales are measured by using different hardness testing equipment and methodology, but Vickers, Rockwell and Brinell and even Shores have one thing in common, they are all measuring the hardness by indentation. Whether it’s the carbide ball of a Brinell Test or the... Continue reading

Explaining the Brinell Hardness Test

Hardness in manufacturing and engineering is defined by resistance to indentation, and it is determined by measuring the permanent depth of the indentation; which is known as a hardness test. Brinell Hardness Test was the first used and is a widely accepted hardness test. In this article we are going to dig a little deeper into explaining the Brinell Hardness Test. J.A. Brinell proposed first proposed the hardness test in 1900. Brinell's desire to have a consistent and fast means of determining material hardness grew during his involvement in several Swedish iron companies. The concept he proposed was a steel... Continue reading

Non-destructive testing for Oil and Gas Industries

Non-destructive testing for Oil and Gas Industries is essential, whether it is in regard to refineries, pipelines, floating/fixed platforms, drilling rigs, tanks, vessels, heat exchangers or other equipment, the ability to test for integrities, hardness and delamination is crucial to safety and cost. Here at Metallurgical Supply Company, we carry a wide range of non-destructive testing products used by the oil and gas industry. Here, we will cover a few of the common tests that are used by testing professionals in the Oil and Gas industry. Liquid Penetrant Inspection Liquid Penetrant Inspection, also known as dye penetrant inspection, is a... Continue reading

What is a Rockwell Hardness Test

Rockwell hardness testing is one of the more common hardness testing for metal and materials you will find out there. Yet what is exactly a Rockwell Hardness Test? What makes it different from other hardness tests? We are going to give you a break down of what is a Rockwell Hardness Test. Definition of a Rockwell Hardness Test The Rockwell test measuring the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload. Hardness is defined as a material’s resistance to permanent indentation. Rockwell Hardness Test is one method of testing the... Continue reading

Benefits of a Digital Hardness Tester

Hardness testing is widely used in a variety of industries including auto manufacturing, aerospace, oil and gas and many others. It tests the hardness of materials, which is critical for product development and keeps from having costly and embarrassing mistakes. If your company is looking to purchase a new hardness tester, you have a choice to make: digital hardness tester or analog hardness tester. Between the two, there are some definite benefits of a digital hardness tester. Now, first off, in this technology age, some would ask why would anyone consider analog anyways? Why is this even being discussed? Yet,... Continue reading

Considerations for Selecting a Hardness Tester

Across many different industries such as oil and gas, aerospace, auto manufacturing, and commercial construction, just to name a few, there is a need to have the hardness of the materials tested. This is to make sure the product or material in question will not critically fail down the line. In order to test a material’s hardness, there is a device called a hardness tester. A hardness tester is an instrument used to measure just how hard a material is. This is typically done by assessing the impact that penetration has on the surface of an object by a rounded... Continue reading

Advantages of Portable Hardness Testers

Manufacturers and quality control managers do not always have the luxury of cutting materials into a sample and taking it into a lab for examination. A different solution is needed for field testing materials. Many manufacturers use portable hardness testers, which offer several other advantages. What is Hardness Testing? Hardness testing is used in mechanical and materials engineering to test the hardness of a material, such as a metal. Hardness tests analyze a specific material and its properties and ascertain whether or not a given material is the best fit for the job. Hardness tests are used on multiple kinds... Continue reading

Category: Hardness Testing