Brinell hardness tester: precise results in material testing
Our Brinell hardness testers offer reliable and accurate solutions for your material testing. compact devices to fully automated systems – we supply the right hardness measuring device for every requirement. Benefit from the latest technology for precise hardness tests using the Brinell method.
Overview of Brinell hardness testers
NEXUS 3300/3400
turret head, force control, test software
- affordable cutting-edge technology
- electronic force control
- Revolving head 6 positions:
- 2 lenses 3 balls laser
- Touchscreen HQ software
- Test forces 62,5 – 3000 Kgf
- Automatic: Testing + Measuring
- motorized lifting spindle
NEXUS 7700 up to 250 kgf
Brinell Vickers Rockwell swivel system
- affordable cutting-edge technology
- electronic force control
- Revolving head 6 positions:
- 2 lenses 3 balls laser
- Touchscreen HQ software
- Test forces 62,5 – 3000 Kgf
- Automatic: Testing + Measuring
- motorized lifting spindle
NEXUS 8100 up to 3000kp
Universal Vickers Brinell Rockwell clamping cap
- test piece clamping cap
- 6 | 7 | 8 revolvers
- all power levels with power cell
- internal PC + HQ software + WIN10
- Types 1-250 | 3-750 | 10-3000
- descending test head
- Automatic: test sequence + image analysis
- Option: automatic XY cross table Vickers Brinell Rockwell clamping cap
NEMESIS 5100 3000kp
lowering probe, Brinell Vickers Rockwell
- THE all-rounder (reference class)
- for variable test piece height lowering head
- Vickers HV0,01 – HV 120 | Rockwell all |
- Brinell HB15,625 – HB10/3000 (depending on type)
- Types (kgf): 0,01 – 250 | 0,1 – 250 | 0,01 – 3000
- Fully automatic: Motor-XY table + automatic gradients
- overview camera -> test position determination
NEMESIS 9600 heavy test pieces
Brinell up to 3000 kp and Vickers Rockwell, lowering turret
- extremely robust machine body
- Ideal for the heaviest test pieces
- Type 9601: 1 – 250 kgf
- Type 9602: 3 – 750 kgf
- Type 9603: 10 – 3000 kgf
- Vickers HV10/20/30/50/100/120
- Rockwell A, B, C and 27 more possible
- Motor lifting spindle, test table 650×500 (option)
Advantages of the Brinell hardness meter
An INNOVATEST Brinell hardness measuring device not only impresses with its precision, but also with many other features:
- Robust construction and durable components for long-term use
- Intuitive operation thanks to modern touchscreen interfaces
- Exact measurement results through advanced AI image processing (test pressure measurement using artificial intelligence)
- Efficient work processes through automatic test cycles and image analysis
- Suitable for a wide range of materials and sample shapes
Process of the Brinell method
In the Brinell hardness test, a ball is pressed into the test specimen with a defined force. Depending on the requirements, different ball diameters and test forces are used. After pressing in, two diagonals of the resulting spherical cap are optically measured and the hardness is calculated from the diagonals. The method is particularly suitable for testing soft or medium-hard materials and when the structure is coarse and may contain pores/voids.
The hardness of the material depends on the size of the indentation: the larger the indentation, the softer the material. ISO 6506 requires the use of a hard metal ball (tungsten carbide HBW hardness Brinell tungsten carbide). The most commonly used methods are (Ø mm/force kgf):
Steel / cast steel: HBW2,5/187,5
Iron (cast): HBW5/750 | HBW10/3000
Non-ferrous metals: HBW2,5/62,5 | HBW2,5/31,25 | HBW5/250
Frequently asked questions about hardness testers
Which materials can be tested with a Brinell hardness meter?
Brinell hardness testers are suitable for a wide range of materials, especially for soft to medium-hard metals such as steel, cast iron or non-ferrous metals. Brinell is always the only method that can be used when the homogeneity of the material is not given (porosity / cavities / inclusions): the large contact surface means that local "material defects are averaged out".
How accurate are the measurement results of a Brinell hardness meter?
The measurement error depends on the quality and calibration of the Brinell hardness tester and is limited to the following errors according to ISO 6506-1 (load level HB30):
<250HBW: 3,0% | >250HBW to <450: 2,5% | >450: 2,0% (load level HB 10 | 5 | 2,5 | 1,25: 3,0%.
The degree of stress must be adapted to the hardness of the material so that the ball does not create a “hole”.
It is calculated from test force (kgf) / ز (mm ball) e.g. 3.000 kgf / (10mm x 10mm) = HB30 (surface load)
Steel / Iron: HB30 | Non-ferrous metals hard: HB10 | Non-ferrous metal soft: HB5 / HB 2,5 / HB1,25
Does a Brinell hardness meter require special maintenance?
Hardness testers are generally maintenance-free (depending on the manufacturer). However, the hardness tester should be calibrated annually. Tip: Only give the calibration order to specialist companies that can also carry out minor adjustments and repairs.) DAkkS calibration is sometimes required if your company is accredited according to ISO 17025 or certified according to ISO 9000, and is mandatory if you supply to companies in the automotive industry (IATF requirement).
Brinell hardness test
Increase efficiency and accuracy through AI integration
The Brinell measurement is one of the most difficult measurement tasks in automatic, optical hardness indentation measurement (image analysis of the indentation diagonal) due to the displacement of a relatively large volume of material. Particularly with soft materials <200HB, material protrusions (volcanic craters) occur at the edges of the indentation, creating a blurred edge. INNOVATEST was able to solve this problem perfectly by
- Development of special ring light illuminations
- Integration of AI (artificial intelligence) into image analysis
This eliminates the need for corrective intervention and eliminates errors due to operator influence.
Advantages:
- time savings: Automated test cycles enable faster hardness testing
- error reduction: Evaluation errors by the operator are almost impossible
- consistency: Consistent and repeatable results, even with high test volumes
- Calibration: Deviations outside the permissible limits are almost impossible
