The aim of hardness measurement is to guarantee reliable material quality in order to ensure reproducible component properties. Especially in the automotive industry, aviation or medical technology, reliable test methods are mandatory in order to rule out failure of the parts.
As part of the ZIM cooperation project NanoSense, a measuring head for hardness measurement was developed that is suitable for integration into universal testing machines and xy manipulators. The objective of the project partners Schütz und Licht Prüftechnik GmbH, TBM GmbH and the CiS Research Institute was to develop a combined force-displacement sensor for quasi-non-destructive hardness testing of materials. This sensor combines the indenter and the force and displacement measurement required for nanoindentation in one module and can be attached to existing xy measuring devices. Components of any size at any position can thus be measured. With the developed measuring head, the measuring distance and measuring force are in line. This significantly reduces errors caused by angular deviations of the nanoindenter.
By utilizing the data of the force-displacement characteristic recorded during indentation, optical evaluation of the indentation surface with a microscope is no longer necessary. This represents a significant limitation of the accessible measuring range of the hardness measurement, as the resolution of an optical microscope restricts the precise measurement of small indentations. The use of an electron microscope, on the other hand, is considerably more cost-intensive.
The ability to retrofit existing testing machines also appeals to companies whose finances do not allow them to purchase their own additional hardness measuring device.
The research and development work in the project “Development of a hardness measuring head based on a new type of combined force-displacement sensor with a resolution of 100 pm for determining the hardness of surfaces in the nanometer range” (NanoSense) was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
Funding code: KK5085702SN0
