Hardness Testing Indenters
Indenters
Hardness tests can be defined as forcing an indenter of a specified size, shape, and material into the surface of a test piece to obtain a hardness value. The resulting indent is measured by either the depth of penetration or the dimensions of the resulting indentation. Hardness testing plays a vital role in materials testing, quality control, and component acceptance. Buehler provides a complete range of indenters designed for Vickers, Knoop, Rockwell, and Brinell scales. Explore the product groups below for more information.
Learn more about hardness testing indenters and their concepts from our experts in our blog post on “Hardness Testing Concepts“.
Ordering Information
Please contact our lab if you need assistance selecting an appropriate indenter for your application.
Vickers and Knoop
Select one indenter per load cell
*VH3300 has fixed, mounted indenter included in loadcell assembly. No separate indenter holder is required.
Rockwell
Rockwell indenters fit on R574, RH2150, RB2000, and Wilson legacy testers.
*C, D, and A scales refer to regular Rockwell scales, N scales refer to superficial Rockwell scales.
** WC = tungsten carbide
Rockwell Verification Kits
Kits include recommended indenter and blocks for the dedicated scales
Brinell
Includes indenter carbide ball with certificate.
*Indenters certified for use for VH3000 Series hardness testers.
**Products only available in North America & South America
Universal
Product Literature
Related Products
Proper Indent Spacing
Vickers
According to ASTM Standards:
The distance between two indents or an indent and the edge of the test piece shall be at least two and a half times the diagonal (dV) of the indentation.
According to ISO Standards:
The distance between the centers of two indents shall be at least three times the diagonal (dV) of the indent for steel, copper, and copper alloys, and at least six times for light metals, lead, and tin, and their alloys.
The distance between the center of an indent and the edge of the test piece shall be at least two and a half times the diagonal (dV0 for steel, copper, and copper alloys, and at least three times for light metals, lead and tin and their alloys.
Knoop
According to ASTM Standards:
The distance between two indents shall be at least two times the diagonal (dK) of the indentation and two and a half times the width (dW) of the indentation. The distance between the center of an indentation and the edge of a test piece shall be at least one diagonal (dK) or two and a half times the width (dW) of the indentation.
Rockwell and Brinell
According to ASTM and ISO Standards:
The distance between the centers of two adjacent indentations shall be at least three times the diameter (d) of the indentations.
The distance from the center of any indentation to an edge of the test piece shall be at least two and a half time the diameter of the indentation.
According to ISO Standards:
The distance between two indents shall be at least two times the diagonal (dK) of the indentation and three and a half times the width (dW) of the indentation. The distance between the center of an indentation and the edge of a test piece shall be at least one diagonal (dK) or three and a half times the width (dW) of the indentation.
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