Material Hardness

Testing the hardness of materials on production and assembly lines is important for determining the characteristics of new materials and that materials meet required specifications.

There are multiple types of hardness tests. Indentation hardness measures the resistance of a material to indentation from a pointed object. Indentation hardness scales include Rockwell, Vickers, Shore, and Brinell. Rebound hardness measures the bounce of an object dropped from a fixed height onto a material. Rebound hardness scales include the Leeb rebound hardness test and Bennett hardness scale. Scratch hardness measures the resistance of a material to fracture or permanent plastic deformation due to friction from a sharp object. The most common scratch hardness scale is the Mohs scale.