Cross upgrades hardness testing with TV

Citation

(1999), "Cross upgrades hardness testing with TV", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 71 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1999.12771aad.007

Cross upgrades hardness testing with TV

Cross upgrades hardness testing with TV

Keywords Hardness testing, Indentec

Specialist component supplier Cross Manufacturing has turned to TV to simplify and speed up hardness testing in its new purpose-built factory in Devizes, UK.

The company, which produces precision parts for the automotive, aerospace and power-generation sectors, has recently replaced an old-style Vickers hardness tester with one of the latest video-based touchscreen-controlled models.

Cross Manufacturing says that the upgrade has made it easier to position and reposition specimens for testing, and significantly improved the measurement of indentations to determine hardness.

Supplied bv Indentec, the microprocessor-based machine differs from conventional Vickers testers in having a miniature video camera fitted to the measuring eyepiece. Located on the lens, the camera is connected to a small TV monitor, which shows a large image of the indentation made by the diamond indenter together with the optical shutters used to measure the indentation's diagonals.

For viewing convenience, the monitor is mounted at eye level, on the machine itself, next to the built-in control and display panel.

The tester is mainly used for checking components made in special high-temperature alloys and stainless steel for turbochargers and a new-technology brush-sealing system for power turbines. Between 70 and 100 tests are made daily, chiefly using the 30kgf Vickers load.

Each test is controlled from the touch-sensitive graphics screen in the machine's eye-level display. An alpha-numeric keypad is available in the touchscreen for assigning and accessing particular specimen files.

The test procedure is carried out on an automatically initiated cycle to one of seven test loads from 1kgf to 50kgf. Vickers hardnesses and measured to 0.1 micron resolution, the touchscreen registering test readings, along with X-bar R calculations, histogram, capability indices, etc.

Incorporating special software for integrating with Cross's own dedicated testing software, the machine has two RS232C ports for downloading test results and associated data to computer or printer.

It joins two Indentec digital machines already in use by Cross for making Rockwell and Superficial Rockwell hardness tests.

Further details are available from: Indentec Hardness Testing Machines Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1384 896949.