New developments from Indentec

Citation

(2002), "New developments from Indentec", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 54 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2002.01854cad.004

New developments from Indentec

New developments from Indentec

Keyword: Indentec

Thin disc jig

A special jig from Indentec enables the outer edges of thin discs to be repeatably hardness-tested under completely stable conditions.

It consists of a triple-legged right-angle fixture with a horizontal peg in the upright face. For hardness testing, the disc is mounted on its internal diameter on the peg. This gives positive support to the specimen while the indenter is applied for the test, the jig's three legs ensuring stability on the test table.

The jig is being used by one heat-treatment company to make Rockwell tests in the tooth roots of thin roller-chain sprockets. A special chisel-profiled indenter has been provided by Indentec to reach into the narrow gaps between the teeth.

Built-in optics in new Brinell tester

A hardness-testing machine designed specifically for low load Brinell tests has been launched by Indentec. Dedicated to loads from 10kgf to 187.5kgf, the bench-mounted digital system is said to provide a particularly cost-effective means of meeting testing standard EN ISO 6506-1: 1999 using the new 2.5mm ball indenter.

Indentec expects it to appeal to users in aerospace, foundries, metal-forming and other industries where Brinell testing is becoming more general because of the easy preparation and the absence of stress points.

For long-term calibration stability, the machine employs proven deadweight technology to measure hardness instead of load cells. To ensure easy access to test areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach, Brinell tests are made by a ball indenter in a nose mounting.

Several specifications are available, all of them with a built-in measuring microscope. A unique feature for machines of this capacity, the microscope heightens repeatability by eliminating any need to move the specimen from or around the test table. The basic system can be progressively automated to minimise dependency on the operator for accurate and reliable testing.

A video camera can be fitted in place of the microscope to project indentations onto a monitor. In the most advanced form, a computer-aided system performs the measuring operation.

Other optional upgrading features include an automatic focus, manual and motorised X-Y tables and software for case-depth measurement. Following trials at Indentec, a machine has been supplied to a Finnish company for testing a range of aluminium extrusions.

Indentec pinpoints test areas on internal teeth

A fixture for accurately locating hardness-test points on internal gear teeth has been developed by Indentec.

Designed for helical teeth on ring gears, the fixture enables Rockwell tests to be made precisely and repeatedly on test areas as narrow as 1.25mm.

The ring gear is mounted in a vee-block on the machine's test table and the spaces between the target tooth and its neighbours are probed by conical pins. This action rotates the gear, which is then clamped to position the test point beneath the machine's nose-mounted indenter. If required, a series of hardness tests can be carried out along the tooth length.

According to Indentec, the fixture not only heightens repeatability but also improves the testing process and saves time by eliminating the need to position awkwardly narrow test areas by hand. The fixture is used on a standard Indentec digital Rockwell tester with a built-in touchscreen for control, monitoring and data processing.

For more information contact: Indentec Hardness Testing Machines Ltd, Lye Valley Industrial Estate, Bromley Street, Lye, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 8HX, UK. Tel: +44 1384 896949.