The indenter used is diamond-shaped with a square base, and the opposite faces have an angle of 136° between them. This indenter is applied onto the surface of the test material with force from a load, which ranges from a few grams to 100 kgf. A Vickers hardness tester is used to measure the hardness of materials by applying a pyramid-shaped diamond indenter under a controlled force.

Comparison with Other Hardness Tests

Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor & Sanderson and Vickers’ brother William owned a steel rolling operation. Edward’s investments in the railway industry allowed him to gain control of the company, based at Millsands and known as Naylor Vickers and Company. The Vickers name lived on in Alvis Vickers, until the latter was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004 to form BAE Systems Land Systems. Airflex industrial clutches and brakes are world-renowned for their superior performance, long life and high quality. In 1927, Vickers merged with the Tyneside-based engineering firm Armstrong Whitworth to form Vickers-Armstrongs.

Vickers hardness test

• Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828.

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• Embark on a journey to the core of hydraulic systems, where the heartbeat is the pump.

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• The company went public in 1867 as Vickers, Sons & Company and gradually acquired more businesses, branching out into various sectors.

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• This was owned by Vickers, English Electric and Bristol (holding 40%, 40% and 20% respectively).

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• Vickers®, one of the most experienced and respected names in hydraulics, became part of Danfoss in 2021.

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• The indenter is used to apply the load to the test sample for a dwell time of about 10 to 15 seconds.

Even on the most exacting industrial applications, you’ll find our directional controls keep your maintenance simple and downtime at a minimum. Your choice of pump is backed by Vickers know how, assuring that you get the exact pump needed for the job. In 1919, the British Westinghouse Vickers electrical company was taken over as the Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company; Metrovick.

Applications

The Vickers test method involves pressing the indenter into the test material and measuring the diagonal lengths of the indentation left after the load is removed. The basic principle, as with all common measures of hardness, is to observe a material’s ability to resist plastic deformation from a standard source. The unit of hardness given by the test is known as the Vickers Pyramid Number (HV) or Diamond Pyramid Hardness (DPH). The hardness number can be converted into units of pascals, but should not be confused with pressure, which uses the same units.

Principle of the Vickers Hardness Test

Armstrongs shipbuilding interests became the “Naval Yard”, those of Vickers on the west coast the “Naval Construction Yard”. The company went public in 1867 as Vickers, Sons & Company and gradually acquired more businesses, branching out into various sectors.

Industrial pumps

In 1929, the acquired railway business was merged with that of Cammell Laird to form Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon. In 1928, the Aviation Department became Vickers (Aviation) Ltd and soon after acquired Supermarine, which became the “Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd”. 1929 saw the merger of the acquired railway business with those of Cammell Laird to form Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon. In 1927, Vickers merged with Tyneside based engineering company Armstrong Whitworth to become Vickers-Armstrongs.
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Vickers Oils Textile Lubricants

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• Armstrongs shipbuilding interests became the “Naval Yard”, those of Vickers on the west coast the “Naval Construction Yard”.

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• The Supermarine operation was closed in 1963 and the Vickers name for aircraft was dropped in 1965.

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• In 1919, the British Westinghouse electrical company was taken over as the Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company; Metrovick.

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• The hardness number can be converted into units of pascals, but should not be confused with pressure, which uses the same units.

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• In 1929, the acquired railway business was merged with that of Cammell Laird to form Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon.
• Vickers Pumps by Danfoss are known for their precision, reliability, and efficiency in fluid power applications.

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Calculating the hardness of the material is straightforward using the above mentioned formula, and the Vickers hardness is expressed in this form xxxHVyy or xxxHVyy/zz. Where xxx stands for the Vickers hardness number, yy is the load, and zz is if the dwell time is beyond the approved standard of 10 to 15 seconds. For example, the load applied ranges between 1 gf to 120 kgf, which depends on the material being tested. The indenter must contact the specimen at a controlled velocity between 15 and 70 μm/s, not exceeding 0.2 mm/s.
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Powder Metallurgy Part Design Guide

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• Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor & Sanderson and Vickers’ brother William owned a steel rolling operation.

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• Hardness testing generally aids engineers in assessing the strength, durability, and wear resistance of a material.

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• Among all hardness testing methods, the Vickers test is preferred for sintered metal due to its precision and adaptability.
• The indenter must contact the specimen at a controlled velocity between 15 and 70 μm/s, not exceeding 0.2 mm/s.

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• The Vickers brand carries a legacy of excellence in delivering high-performance hydraulic components.

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• Elevate your systems to new heights with the unmatched power and precision of Vickers hydraulic solutions.

Among all hardness testing methods, the Vickers test is preferred for sintered metal due to its precision and adaptability. This allows for accurate measurement of the matrix hardness while minimizing errors caused by surface porosity. Industrial applications require industrial-strength hydraulic systems—like those built with Danfoss piston pumps. A Vickers hardness tester is the ideal solution for precision hardness measurement of small, thin, or delicate materials.