Hardness Knoop & Vickers Testers

Berg offers Knoop hardness testers and Vickers hardness testers from Wilson.

The Vickers method is used for micro hardness testing on thin sections of test material, on small parts, and in similar situations where the Rockwell and Brinell methods would not be appropriate. The indenter is a small, pyramid-shaped diamond with a square base. Loads are quite light, ranging from a few grams to a few kilograms. Note, however, that macro Vickers testing uses loads at and above 30kg.

The operator must prepare the test samples carefully to ensure they are small enough to fit into the tester, are smooth enough to provide a clear measurement, and can be presented to the indenter at a right angle. ASTM E-384 outlines the procedures for Vickers testing.

The Knoop method appears superficially similar to the Vickers method, but one key difference separates them, steering the Knoop method into more specialized applications: the pyramid-shaped diamond indenter is more elongated than the Vickers indenter, having a rectangular base rather than a square one. While the Vickers method is preferred for general micro hardness testing, the Knoop method finds application in testing near the edge of the work piece, testing multiple indentations in close proximity on the same work piece, and indentation of very thin materials. The Knoop method is outlined in ASTM E-384.

Please browse our products to find which product is best for you.  If you have any questions about our hardness testers, please give us a call at 1-847-577-3980 or email us at info@bergeng.com.  Our staff is here to help.