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 method and test system for calculating and evaluating hardness and other properties of a material are disclosed. The method and test system use a 3D measurement equipment to read a shape of an indent created on a surface of the material, process the topographic map of the indent and generate a profile of the indent together with a corresponding HB value.

A hardness tester includes a memory storing, as a parts program, definitions of measurement conditions including a coordinate system and test position defined with respect to an image of a standard reference sample; a pattern searcher performing a pattern searching process, with reference to a plurality of samples to be measured, using a pattern image based on the image of the standard reference sample, and detecting a number of samples having a shape identical to that of the standard reference sample, as well as a position and angle of the samples having the identical shape; a pattern definer defining a coordinate system and test position for each of the samples having the identical shape based on the position and angle of each of the samples having the identical shape; and a measurer measuring the hardness of the samples for which the coordinate system and test position have been defined.

Methods and apparatuses for measurement of residual stresses are provided. For example, a method includes indenting a first portion of a sample having residual stress and generating a residual stress reference zone at a second portion of the sample. Indenting and generating a residual stress reference zone may be performed in situ (e.g., on the same instrument platform, etc.). The present disclosure also provides a method for generating a residual stress reference, the method including providing a first sample having a residual stress and reducing the residual stress in at least a portion of the sample, wherein reducing the residual stress includes raster scanning wear, or exposure to laser energy, ion beam energy, electron beam microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, heat energy, vibration energy; and exposing the sample to ultrasonic energy. An apparatus includes an indenter device structured and arranged to indent a first portion of a sample and a reference-generating device structured and arranged to generate a residual stress reference zone (e.g., in situ) in the sample.

In a trial peening step, a shot peening process is applied to a back face 40B of a mold 40 in which an opening of a closed-end water cooling hole 42 is formed. Next, in an evaluation step, compressive residual stress and surface roughness of a region shot-peened in the trial peening step are measured and an extent of shot peening treatment in the trial peening step is evaluated based on measurement results. Next, in a peening step, a surface of the water cooling hole 42 in the mold 40 is shot-peened under peening conditions set based on peening conditions for the trial peening step and on evaluation results produced in the evaluation step.

A hardness tester includes a correlation memory storing correlation data which associates hardness of a standard reference sample based on dimensions of an indentation formed by pressing an indenter into a surface of the standard reference sample, and hardness of the standard reference sample based on test force and depression amount during formation of the indentation in the standard reference sample. A CPU measures the test force and depression amount during formation of the indentation in a measured sample; calculates an estimated value of the hardness of the measured sample based on the measured test force and depression amount; and calculates the hardness of the measured sample based on the calculated estimated value and the correlation data.

A hardness tester includes a memory storing, as a parts program, definitions of measurement conditions including a coordinate system and test position defined with respect to an image of a standard reference sample; a pattern searcher performing a pattern searching process, with reference to a plurality of samples to be measured, using a pattern image based on the image of the standard reference sample, and detecting a number of samples having a shape identical to that of the standard reference sample, as well as a position and angle of the samples having the identical shape; a pattern definer defining a coordinate system and test position for each of the samples having the identical shape based on the position and angle of each of the samples having the identical shape; and a measurer measuring the hardness of the samples for which the coordinate system and test position have been defined.

Performance of an article of sporting equipment, such as a ball bat, is measured by applying a force through a spring of known elastic properties to compress the article of sporting equipment. Compliance of the article of sporting equipment to a known standard is based on the compression of the article of sporting equipment.

In a trial peening step, a shot peening process is applied to a back face 40B of a mold 40 in which an opening of a closed-end water cooling hole 42 is formed. Next, in an evaluation step, compressive residual stress and surface roughness of a region shot-peened in the trial peening step are measured and an extent of shot peening treatment in the trial peening step is evaluated based on measurement results. Next, in a peening step, a surface of the water cooling hole 42 in the mold 40 is shot-peened under peening conditions set based on peening conditions for the trial peening step and on evaluation results produced in the evaluation step.

A method of performing indentation plastometry is provided. The method includes steps of: providing a sample of a material and an indenter having a contact surface of a predetermined shape and size; forming a first indent having a first penetration depth within the sample by applying a load to press the contact surface of the indenter into the sample; measuring a first indent profile of the first indent; on the basis of the first indent profile, and the applied load to form the first indent, obtaining a preliminary measurement of a characteristic of the material; on the basis of the obtained preliminary measurement of the characteristic of the material, determining whether a second indent having a different, second penetration depth is required to obtain a more accurate measurement of the characteristic of the material, and when the second indent is required, determining a value for the second penetration depth; forming the second indent having the second penetration depth within the sample by applying a load to press the contact surface of the indenter into the sample; measuring a second indent profile of the second indent; and on the basis of the second indent profile, the applied load to form the second indent, obtaining the more accurate measurement of the characteristic of the material.