MiC provides you a module named "Hardness Measurement". This module is helpful to measure the hardness provided you have indented a diamond pyramid impression on a sample and grabbed the image. Measurement of diagonal indentation sometimes becomes difficult using microscope eyepiece rulers. Particularly, when indentation is made at lighter weight of about 10 to 200 grams.
Before proceeding to the detail of this module, let us go through some definition of known test methods for hardness measurement.
Rockwell Hardness Test
An indentation hardness test using a verified machine to force a diamond spheroconical indenter (diamond indenter), or hard steel ball indenter under specified conditions, into the surface of the material under test in two operations, and to measure the difference in depth of the indentation under the specified conditions of preliminary and total test forces.
Rockwell Hardness Number
A number derived from the net increase in the depth of indentation as the force on an indenter is increased from a specified preliminary test force to a specified total test force and then returned to preliminary test force.
Vickers Hardness Test
An indentation hardness test using calibrated machines to force a square - based pyramidal diamond indenter having specified face angles, under a predetermined load, into the surface of the material under test and to measure the diagonals of the resulting impression after removal of the load.
VHN
A number related to the applied load and the surface area of the permanent impression made by a square - based pyramidal diamond indenter having included faces angles of 136deg computed from an equation.
Using Microstructure Characterizer Software hardness measurement module you can accurately measure the diagonal of the Vickers hardness pyramid indentation. Enter the magnification of image and load applied to indent the sample. Position the image at corner to corner and edge to edge mating with nicely interfaced square "scroll ruler". Press the 'measure' button and you shall get the resultant hardness number in VHN. Along with hardness number, if you enter the distance in X-axis (mm / micron) between the edge of sample to indentation, you shall get a plot of hardness versus distance on screen. You can experiment with different scales on X and Y-axis and suitable range and get nicely arranged hardness measurement profile for samples showing depth of Case Depth of nitriding or carburizing etc.
The figures below show a brief summary.
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