Ensure the Safety of Different Materials with a Portable Hardness Test

ByPCTE Industrial

Testing the hardness of various materials is an essential part of quality control in the field of construction. Structural engineers and contractors have to bear a lot of responsibility while constructing a building. They might be liable if a building turns out to be unsafe, which is why it is essential to carry out a portable hardness test on the materials. There are multiple ways to carry out hardness tests, from which one would have to pick based on the specific needs:

Over time, several testing methods for gauging material hardness have emerged. Quite naturally, each method has its perks as well as drawbacks. Several variables come into play during practical usage and testing. Depending on what the situation calls for, you would have to choose a suitable portable hardness test method.

  • Rockwell hardness testers

This test method involves the use of an indenter to penetrate the test sample. There is a linear relationship between the tensile strength of the material and the indentations.  This test uses the depth of the indentations to determine the hardness of the material. In the past, performing the Rockwell hardness test required workstations in labs and testing areas. Now, however, portable testers are available!

  • Leeb testers

The Leeb test, also known as the rebound test, is a quick and effective way to measure the hardness of large components. The probe of the Leeb tester comes with a defined body that hits the test sample and bounces back. The device then measures the difference between the original velocity and the rebound velocity before using it to calculate the strength of the material.

  • Ultrasonic Contact Impedance (UCI) Testers

When the other testing methods become ineffective, such as measuring the thickness of hard-to-reach places, these testers are pretty helpful. UCI testers typically measure the hardness of homogeneous, fine-grained, and polished areas. As the name suggests, this testing method uses ultrasonic frequencies to measure the hardness.

Not every portable hardness test method is suitable for every application. Therefore, a contractor or an engineer would have to consider the circumstances carefully while choosing the testing method.

 

 

About the author

PCTE Industrial is a specialist in the sale and hire of industrial non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment. PCTE INDT is a branch of PCTE, who has been serving in the NDT industry since 2008. We offer a range of INDT equipment that covers the bread and butter applications but also adds some exciting technology. Our range covers devices for Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Eddy Current (ET), Magnetic Particle (MT), Dye Penetrant (DT) and Visual Testing (VT).