A hardness tester that loads a predetermined test force and forms an indentation in a surface of a sample using an indenter, and measures the hardness of the sample by measuring dimensions of the indentation includes a CCD camera that acquires an image of the surface of the sample before and after the indentation is formed. The CPU can execute a plurality of indentation region extraction processes that use mutually distinct methods, the indentation region extraction processes each extracting an indentation region based on the images acquired by the CCD camera. The CPU also makes a determination determining whether the indentation region extracted by the plurality of indentation region extraction processes matches a predefined reference indentation region, and based on an indentation region that is determined to match, the CPU calculates the hardness of the sample.

A portable imaging device including a housing comprising a containment portion connected to a gripping portion, a display screen arranged on a proximal end of the containment portion and an image collection port arranged on a distal end of the gripping portion, an input device arranged on or adjacent to the gripping portion, a digital camera arranged in the housing and configured to capture an image of a surface through the image collection port in response to actuation of the input device, and a computing device arranged in the housing and in communication with the digital camera. The computing device is programmed or configured to determine a diameter of an indentation in a surface based on analyzing the image and determine a hardness value based on the diameter. Also, a method of using the portable image device to determine the hardness of a material.

A method and apparatus for improving the accuracy and precision of drop impact sensing data utilized for testing the impact-absorbing capacities of surfaces, especially playground surfaces used by children, for compliance with relevant standards. A head form missile is equipped with onboard sets of high-g and low-g accelerometers for timing a period of free-fall of the missile, as well as for measuring acceleration due to impact at the end of the fall. Optimized results are obtained in a preferred embodiment by exploiting at least four accelerometers. Three of the accelerometers are sized for high-g measurements in each axis (X-, Y-, and Z-axes). At least one low-g accelerometer for (measuring in the Z-axis), or three accelerometers sized for low-g measurements in all axis (X-, Y- and Z-axes) are employed. Accelerometer readings obtained during the zero g free-fall period is used to cancel bias drift on all accelerometers.

The invention relates to a measuring device (10) for determining at least one mechanical property of a workpiece sample (100), which comprises at least one image capturing unit (12) for optically determining a workpiece geometry of the workpiece sample (100), and at least one mechanical inspection head (13) for making an indentation (101) in the workpiece sample (100). According to the invention, at least the image capturing unit (12) and the mechanical inspection head (13) form a structural unit (B) together.

A hardness tester includes an image acquirer acquiring an image of a surface of a sample captured by an image capturer, a test area definer defining a test area where the hardness test is performed with respect to the image of the surface of the sample displayed by a display which displays the acquired image of the surface, a test setting acquirer acquiring estimated hardness of the sample and test force when the hardness test is performed, an estimator estimating a size of the indentation to be formed on the surface of the sample based on the acquired test force and the estimated hardness, and a display controller displaying an image picture of the indentation to be formed, based on the estimated size of the indentation superimposed on the image of the surface of the sample displayed by the display.

A controller of a hardness tester can determine, in a condition where a driver is not in operation and when a spring displacement detector and an arm displacement detector detect an amount of displacement of respective objects (plate spring and loading arm), that a loading arm and a plate spring are deformed according to changes in environmental temperature. A favorable hardness test can be performed by the hardness tester corresponding to the environmental temperature according to the determination by carrying out an initialization process that resets the displacement amount of respective object to zero, the displacement amount detected by the spring displacement detector and the arm displacement detector respectively.

This disclosure relates generally to enabling a user to (1) determine the radial stiffness of the outer surface of a winding or wound roll, and (2) when coupled with a winding/contact model results in a virtual instrument allowing the user to explore the residual stresses due to winding in roll-to-roll manufacturing process machines, and (3) allows the user to predict winding defects and hence roll quality based upon the known residual stresses. Wound roll models require the input of a radial modulus of elasticity which is state dependent on interlayer pressure. The hardware of the disclosure can be used to determine this radial modulus and serves to enable the user to (1) use winding/contact models and (2) with measurements made during or after winding enable the user to estimate the winding residual stresses.

The present disclosure relates to hardness testing. In some examples, a system can include memory to store machine-readable instructions, which can be executed by one or more processors to implement a method of determining a hardness of a test material. The machine-readable instructions can include a hardness tester that can be programmed to receive image data that can include one or more images of a test material under hardness testing, analyze the image data to determine an indentation size on a surface of the test material left behind by an indenter during the hardness testing of the test material, and predict the hardness of the test material based on the determined indentation size.

Method of evaluation a performance of a surface of a material, the method comprising steps of: measuring a first surface profile of a material sample along a predetermined track by bringing a tip of a stylus into contact with a surface of the sample and traversing said tip across the surface of the sample in a direction tangential to the tip of the stylus while recording said first surface profile, subsequently; applying a normal force to the surface of the sample with the stylus, said normal force being in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the sample, subsequently; moving said tip across the surface of the sample following at least part of said predetermined track while applying said normal force, subsequently; measuring a second surface profile of said sample along at least part of said predetermined track by bringing said tip into contact with the surface of the sample and traversing said tip across the surface of the sample along said track while recording said second surface profile, calculating a first residual depth profile as a difference of said first surface profile and said second surface profile.

According an aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step of determining a failure point of the surface of the sample by identifying when at least one value of a function of said first residual depth profile deviates from an expected magnitude value by at least a predetermined amount.

A hardness tester that loads a predetermined test force and forms an indentation in a surface of a sample using an indenter, and measures the hardness of the sample by measuring dimensions of the indentation includes a CCD camera that acquires an image of the surface of the sample before and after the indentation is formed. The CPU can execute a plurality of indentation region extraction processes that use mutually distinct methods, the indentation region extraction processes each extracting an indentation region based on the images acquired by the CCD camera. The CPU also makes a determination determining whether the indentation region extracted by the plurality of indentation region extraction processes matches a predefined reference indentation region, and based on an indentation region that is determined to match, the CPU calculates the hardness of the sample.