Portable hardness testers
Bench hardness testers
Automatic systems

Vickers hardness testers

The working principle of Vickers hardness testers is the same as the Brinell one, but in this case it employs only one indenter, being a pyramidal diamond with square base.
After the indentation is made, the two diagonals will be measured and as these are almost never the same, the average value will be considered.
As per the Brinell hardness number, the Vickers number is given by the relationship between the applied load and the surface area of the indentation.
There are different test loads, but the most common used are: 1, 2, 5, 10, 30kp (9.81, 19.62, 49.05, 98.10, 294.30).
It is possible to work with Vickers hardness testers employing loads lighter than 1 kp (9.81 N) entering in this way the micro-indentation hardness field, whose main application takes place in metallographic laboratories.
Even in the presence of layers, Vickers hardness testers can be conveniently employed, using increasing loads to determine the case depth.
As for Brinell hardness testers, Vickers hardness testers are not sensitive to any deflection of the work piece.
The limitation of the Vickers method is due to the low speed of operation, as the measurement of indentation has to be made optically (microscope or profile projector) or employing computer automatic systems for indentation reading distributed by ERNST.
The test area must be carefully prepared and polished. For this reason, perpendicularity of the indenter axis is a very important factor, as any inclination would give an irregular indentation.
For these reasons, Vickers method is not recommended for testing in production lines.
To overcome these disadvantages, we have designed a new series of hardness testers to read the Vickers hardness in a rapid and easy way.
These testers make use of our patented ESATEST technology based on the measurement of electrical resistivity.


Vickers hardness testers Bench hardness testers Automatic systems

ERNST is a company with over 50 years’ experience in the research, design and production of high quality Vickers hardness testers.
Active in the international market with an extensive range of Vickers hardness testers, it gathers information and requests from a demanding and diversified market, in order to continue to be at the forefront of the production of machines for controlling, measuring and testing materials.
ERNST patents are the story and the future of the company, a company that is constantly researching new technological solutions to the still unsolved problems in metal hardness testing.
The range of ERNST Vickers hardness testers includes:

- light and heavy load Vickers  hardness testers, suitable for testing large specimens, irregular shapes, and awkward test points that bench testers cannot reach
- bench hardness testers for Vickers and Vickers testing with direct reading in many other hardness scales
- automatic hardness testers for high volume testing and completely in-line testing operations.

All ERNST Vickers hardness testers operate according to a variant of the Vickers method that permits accurate and reliable results also in the presence of deflection of the test part.
The series ESATEST Vickers hardness testers is based on a new testing method based on the measurement of the electrical resistivity and patented by ERNST. This method allows determining in a rapid way the material hardness in awkward test points, such as interiors, irregular shapes, gear evolvents.
The experience and the specialisation, the possibility to offer customized solutions, the extensive range of Vickers hardness testers make ERNST a worldwide leader in the production of testing instruments.

Some of our hardness testers:

DYNATEST SC Heavy load portable Vickers hardness tester Testing load more than 100 k p (98 N) Digital readout in Vickers and Vickers hardness scales (Vickers and other scales on request) Print functions in 5 languages, statistics, 1000 tests can be stored, RS232 output, backlit display. Performances comparable to a bench tester.

HANDY ESATEST Vickers hardness tester Digital readout in Vickers hardness scale (other scales on request) A new concept of Vickers hardness tester for testing of odd shaped parts and difficult test points. Possibility of testing flat and cylindrical surfaces, gear evolvents, etc.

COMPUTEST SC Light load Vickers hardness tester (5 kp). Digital readout in Vickers, Vickers and Vickers hardness scales (other scales on request). Optional bench stand for testing of small parts. Magnetic support and other equipment available. Print functions in 5 languages statistics, 1000 tests can be stored, RS232 output, backlit display.

STE Ernst Calibrated Pins Tester Vickers hardness tester for Vickers testing. Testing load 1580 kp Precise – easy to use – reading of one impression only

NR3 Digital hardness tester, based on the Vickers test principle with instantaneous readout in Vickers and Vickers scales (other scales on request). Suitable for testing of small parts and plastic materials.

AT130 Semi-automatic bench hardness tester, based on Vickers test principle with instantaneous readout in Vickers and Vickers scales (other scales on request). Overhanging parts can be clamped without any extra support. Four different stands are available for testing large parts. Testing is not influenced by flexions or bending of the work piece.

AT200 Semi-automatic bench hardness tester, digital readout in Vickers hardness scale and in equivalent Vickers, Vickers and other hardness scales. Sequential application of preload and load. Storing of 4000 hardness values in 64 different files, printing of the test certificate in 5 languages, display of statistics and histogram. Large LCD backlit display, 107x57mm Clamping of overhanging parts without any extra support. Four different stands are available for testing large and irregular parts.

ESATEST MTR A new concept of Vickers hardness tester for testing of odd shaped parts and difficult test points, as grooves, holes, involutes, etc. Digital readout in Vickers hardness scale (other scales on request). Motorized test load application. With one test only, it is possible to display the hardness value at different loads from 9.8 to 98 n (1-10 kp) and to notice any anomaly or non-homogeneity of the material. The 16bit microprocessor system allows handling of more than 4000 hardness values.

TWIN Automatic hardness tester motorized. Digital readout in Vickers and superficial Vickers scales and in equivalent Vickers, Vickers and other scales. Indenter’s stroke 45mm Max measurable height 420mm Automatic load change Large memory, up to 4000 values can be stored in 64 different files Printing of test certificate in 5 languages, display of statistics and histogram, Centronics and PC output. Unaffected by any deflection of the test piece. Possibility of testing very large and irregular specimens.

AT300 DR-TM AT300 DR-TM is a motorized hardness tester, particularly suitable for high volume testing (approx 1000 pcs/hour), custom in line applications for a completely automatic test process and test part selection. The possibility to motorize also the test head motion permits a considerable reducing of the test time. A very versatile stand permits testing of large parts. The basement of the stand contains a convenient accessory drawer.

BRE-AUT Automatic Vickers hardness tester Test time reduced by 85% in comparison with the traditional Vickers testers. Adapted for completely automatic in-line operation. The 16-bit microprocessor of the electronic console has been designed to guarantee full documentation of the test process, providing a wide range of functions such as: adjustable tolerances, calibration, serialization of readings and lot number, print, statistics, graph, etc. The test certificate can be printed in different languages.

ERNST Härteprüfer SA Via Cantonale CH-6814 Lamone Switzerland Email info@ernstsa.com Web www.ernstsa.com
Phone +41-91-9662181 Fax +41-91-9669735