PORTABLE HARDNESS TESTING –

PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS

Abstract:

Conventional hardness testers, like Rockwell, Brinell or Vickers machines, require the test piece be brought to the testing device; but this is not always possible.

Portable testing devices have been developed that permit in-situ hardness measurements thus offering quick and economical supplements to conventional, stationary testing machines.

There are two different physical methods particularly recognized in the practical field and which are accepted tools for many applications.

This paper explains the basic principles of both test methods and compares, using examples from the practical field, the application possibilities of both methods. The subjects critically discussed are the factors of influence on hardness testing, such as surface preparation or the wall thickness of parts to be tested, e.g. pipelines.