Improved mechanical resistance is part of many quality requirements. One important criteria for assessing
this feature is hardness.
Depending on the requirements there are various methods for testing hardness. Some are dedicated to
characterise coatings and others are more suitable for testing bulk materials such as metals, plastics, rubber
or elastomers.
Elcometer manufacture and supply a wide range of instrumentation designed for the hardness tests most
frequently used in the industry – these include pendulum, scratching, indentation or rebound measuring
methods.
Please click on the appropriate image or on the heading for more information about each instrument.
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The pencil hardness test is perhaps the most simple form of hardness test. Pencils are pushed into the sample and the coating hardness is identified by the trace generated. The Elcometer 3080 Pencil Hardness Tester is supplied with a stand and a series of 14 pencils ranging from 6B to 6H. Conforms to ASTM.
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The Elcometer 501 Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Hardness Tester uses the same technique as the Elcometer 3080, but ensures that the pencil lead is maintained at a constant force of 7.5N and at the appropriate angle to meet the standards. Conforms to ASTM, ECCA, EN.
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Similar to the Elcometer 501 and using the same pencil hardness technique, the Elcometer 3086 Motorised Pencil Hardness Tester motorised wolff-wilborn test not only ensures the correct angle and force is applied to meet the standard, but also allows the user to ensure a constant and uniform speed - further increasing the reproducibility of the test. Conforms to ASTM.
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This simple Elcometer 3092 Sclerometer Hardness Tester sclerometer contains a round tip which is compressed by a spring. The amount of compression on the spring increases the force as the tip is pressed into the coating - by varying the force the user can determine the coating hardness.
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Designed to evaluate resistance to scratching. The Elcometer 3000 Clemen Hardness Tester, available as either a motorised or a manual version, is fitted with an hemispherical ball and is gradually lowered gradually onto the surface of the sample and moved 6cm. Depending on the purpose of the test and the load applied, varying degrees of penetration of the tool into the coating are observed. Conforms to ISO, BS.
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The Elcometer 3030 & 3040 Persoz & König Pendulum Hardness Testers work on the principle of the damping time of a pendulum oscillating on the sample. The amplitude of the oscillation reduces faster when the sample is soft. The Persoz and K ö nig methods differ by the dimension, time period and amplitude of the ocillation. Conforms to ISO, ASTM, BS, DIN, NBN, NFT.
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During the development of a coating not only do a wide range of physical properties need to be measured, but also a large number of tests need to be carried out in order to establish the most appropriate coating for the specific requirement. Many of the tests can be done using the Elcometer 1535 Multifunction Scratch Tester automated tester, including: St Andrews Cross, Cross Hatch Adhesion, Scratch Test & Coin Test. Conforms to ISO, ASTM, DIN, EN, NF.
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The Elcometer 3025 Scratch Tester is a motorised device that is used to test the resistance for many materials to scratching in accordance with ISO 4586-2. A diamond tip is applied to a rotating sample and the tip leaves a trace dependant on the load applied. Conforms to ISO.
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The Elcometer 3095 Buchholz Hardness Tester is used for measuring the hardness of a coating by indentation of a bevelled disc indenting tool with a sharp edge. The bucholz tester is placed on the coating for 30 seconds and the indentation length is then recorded. The length of the trace is inversely proportional to the hardness. Conforms to ISO, BS, DIN, ECCA, EN, NF, NFT.
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The Barcol Impressor Portable Hardness Tester is a convenient tool for testing the hardness of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, brass and other materials including plastics and fiberglass. The instrument is designed for use on fabricated parts and assemblies as well as on raw stock. When pressure is applied to the device a point penetrates the material and the degree of hardness is displayed on the dial. Conforms to ASTM, NFP
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