A hardness tester measures the resistance to indentation of a material. The most common method is the Rockwell Hardness Tester for metals. Steel is the most commonly tested metal, and the degree of mixing affects its hardness. Durometers are used to grade materials and determine when aging steel structures need to be replaced.
A hardness tester sounds like something students use to screen for courses they might want to avoid, but it’s actually a device for measuring the hardness of a material. Hardness is a characteristic of a given material defined as resistance to indentation. We all have a conceptual definition of hardness, as we all understand when someone says steel is harder than wood. A hardness tester allows the user to quantify this concept.
Using a hardness tester, a person can tell that material A is twice as hard as material B. There are over 12 different accepted methods of testing hardness. The most common method is known as a Rockwell Hardness Tester and the results are given in terms of the Rockwell hardness scale. A Rockwell hardness tester is used to measure the hardness of metals. There is a strictly defined method of performing a Rockwell hardness test and purpose built Rockwell hardness testers.
Metals are the most common materials for which a hardness tester is used. The reason for this is that the hardness of a metal depends on its composition and state. Steel is the most common metal for which hardness testing is done, and steel is an alloy, which means it is a mixture of different elements. The degree to which these elements are mixed together in the steel will affect its hardness. In many steels, these mixtures separate slowly over time somewhat similar to oil and water.
You can use a hardness tester to determine how far the steel has begun to separate, as the hardness will change as the elements separate. This is very important if steel was used to build a bridge, for example. If the steel becomes softer, the bridge is no longer as strong and may eventually become unsafe. Using a durometer, materials engineers can determine when an aging steel bridge may need to be replaced with a new steel structure.
Durometers are also used to grade materials, especially steels. A very hard steel may be required for one type of application, while a milder steel may be required for another application. The difference may be small enough that you can’t tell which is better without using a hardness tester. However, this small difference can often be the difference between success or failure.
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