Microhardness Testing 

Microhardness testing (or microindentation hardness testing) is a method for measuring the hardness of a material on a microscopic scale.


Microhardness TesterA precision diamond indenter is impressed into the material at loads from 2 kilograms to less than 1 gram. The impression length, measured microscopically, and the test load are used to calculate a hardness value. The hardness values obtained are useful indicators of a material’s properties and expected service behavior. Microhardness testing can provide the following: bulk hardness, localized hardness, and hardness surveys through a hardened case or coating. The MEE laboratory has the ability to test samples using either a Vickers or a Knoop indenter.

Typical Applications

  • Bulk hardness of small or thin samples
  • Heat treated steel case depth evaluation
  • Decarburization in steels
  • Evaluation of welds
  • Hardness of thin coatings
  • Evaluation of machinability

Contact us to discuss which evaluation method is best suited to solve your materials-related problems. Or visit our Handbook of Analytical Methods for Materials (HAMM) for more in-depth explanations and typical applications of the analytical methods used for the characterization and evaluation of materials and products.