Hardness testing on pipe and tube
Hardness tests on pipes and large pipes are performed primarily to examine two aspects: testing of weld seams and determination of the basic hardness of the pipe Depending on the application, hardness tests are performed to ISO 6506-1 (Brinell), ISO 6507-1 (Vickers), ISO 6508-1 (Rockwell), as well as ASTM E10 (Brinell), ASTM E384 (Vickers and Knoop), and ASTM E18 (Rockwell).
Testing and determining the hardness average value of the pipe wall
One aspect of hardness testing is the testing and determination of the hardness average value of the pipe wall after manufacture. Pipes are manufactured using a wide variety of methods, among them rolling processes. Since rolling is a thermo-mechanical process with which mechanical characteristics, along with the pipe wall thickness and diameter of the pipes, can be tested, hardness testing is used for fast determination of mechanical-technological properties.
Determining the grain structure of metallographic constituents with hardness tests
Another aspect of hardness testing is the determination of the grain structure by performing hardness tests on metallographic constituents. Due to the small size of the microstructural components, hardness testers with small to very small forces are used—usually stationary microhardness testers with indentation sizes and depths that can be adapted to the dimensions of the microstructural components via the indentation forces.
Testing of weld seams
The ZwickRoell product portfolio offers hardness testing machines and instruments for all test methods. ZwickRoell hardness testing machines and instruments meet the requirements of all common international standards and can also be calibrated to international standards. As a calibration lab, ZwickRoell is accredited for the calibration of hardness testers by the German national accreditation body DAkkS.
