This section provides an overview for hardness testers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 44 hardness tester manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked hardness tester companies as of November, 2024: 1.Pulstec Industrial Co., Ltd., 2.Fischer Technology, Inc., 3.WESTport Corporation.
Table of Contents
A hardness tester is an instrument used to determine the hardness of materials by measuring the size of deformation or marks left when a specific force is applied. Different hardness scales, such as Rockwell, Vickers, and Brinell, are used, and selecting a hardness tester that matches the test object’s characteristics is crucial.
While most hardness testers are stationary, there are also portable models for on-site testing.
Hardness testers play a vital role in product development and quality control, ensuring materials meet specific hardness requirements. They are used for quality verification, material comparison, research and development, and troubleshooting in product failure analysis.
Hardness testers use various measurement principles and should be chosen based on the material and its hardness. The types include Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, Shore, durometer, pencil hardness, and Mohs Hardness methods, each with specific applications and measurement techniques.
Uses a diamond indenter and measures hardness based on the depth of indentation. Variants like HRC, HRA, and HRB are used for different materials and applications.
Calculates hardness based on the indentation surface area created by a steel ball under load, suitable for objects with uneven hardness or rough surfaces.
Measures hardness from the diagonal length of the indentation made by a diamond square-weight indenter with a 136° facing angle and the load applied at the time of the indentation.
Calculates dynamic resilience hardness by measuring the height of a diamond hammer’s bounce on the specimen.
Used for softer materials like rubber and elastomer, measuring hardness based on the depth the indenter is pushed in.
Measures the surface hardness of coatings by applying a load to a pencil with a fixed tip shape and visually checking for scratches.
Although not a hardness tester, there is a method for determining the hardness of minerals called Mohs Hardness, which uses standard minerals of known hardness levels for comparison.
Hardness has no universal definition and varies based on the tester used. Regular inspections and calibrations are necessary to ensure accuracy. When comparing hardness values, using the same type of tester is recommended due to varying definitions of hardness across different devices.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Phase II, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, is a manufacturer of material testing tools. The goods include durometers, force gauges, vibration meters, hardness & surface roughness testers, and ultrasonic thickness gauges. The machine tool accessories include change tool holders, rotary table tailstocks, lathe tool post sets, collet indexers, and dex spacers. The firm provides Gage calibration and certification services and is AMTMA, ASNT, and ASTM International member.
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, established in 1875 in Japan, is a renowned manufacturer and supplier specializing in analytical instruments and testing equipment. The company offers a wide range of products, including chromatographs, spectrophotometers, and material testing machines. Shimadzu's history reflects a devotion to innovation and precision. Catering to industries such as pharmaceuticals, materials science, and environmental analysis, their products enable accurate research and quality control. Shimadzu's extraordinary products, such as liquid chromatographs used in pharmaceutical analysis and universal testing machines for evaluating material strength, empower scientific exploration and quality assurance across diverse sectors.
Phase II Plus, incorporated in 1982 and based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, is a manufacturer of material testing instrument as well as machine tool accessories and precision measuring tools. The company offers a comprehensive line of hardness testers, including rockwell hardness testers, portable hardness testers, Brinell hardness testers, and Vickers hardness testers. The company also offers ultrasonic thickness gauges for testing both ferrous and non-ferrous substrates, durometers, as well as force gauges comprising of analog handheld force gauges, ranging up to 100lb/50kg capacity.
Fischer Technology, Inc., established in Windsor, CT in 1979 is a manufacturer of coating thickness and material testing instrumentation. Their product portfolio includes coating thickness gauges, material testing instruments such as hardness testers, adhesion testers, and gloss meters, adhesion testers, used for assessing the bond strength between coatings and substrates. The company serves markets including Electronics and Semiconductors, Marine and Offshore, Construction and Architecture and Quality Control. The company has a national distribution network and a customer support center.
Sun-Tec Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of testing equipment and solutions that was established in 1931 and is headquartered in Novi, Michigan, USA. The company produces a wide range of testing equipment, including hardness testers, tensile testers, and impact testers. Its products, such as Rockwell Hardness Testers, Brinell Hardness Testers, and Charpy Impact Testers, are used by a number of industries, as diverse as manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive industries. The company also provides a range of services, including custom manufacturing, calibration, and repair.
WESTport Corporation., founded in West Islip, New York in 1989 is a manufacturer of Precision Fixed Limit Gages used in Aviation and Aerospace industry. The company's product portfolio includes Thread Plug and Thread Ring Gages, Cylindrical Plug and Ring Gages, Custom Design and Build Gages, ACME Gages, and Air Gages. They provide services such as Onsite Services, Gage Repair, and Hardness Testing of products. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation.
Pulstec Industrial Co., Ltd. was founded in the year 1969, based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan and it is a manufacturer of electronic equipments. The company produces products such as the XRD residual stress analyzer, single crystal orientation system, surface hardness variation scanner, and optical disc evaluation tools. Additionally, the comopany provides services like on-site residual stress management, in-house residual stress management, equipment rentals, and parts servicing. This company is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified. Moreover, they frequently hold stress workshops.
L.S. Starrett Company is a manufacturer of precision tools and instruments established in 1880 and based in Massachusetts, United States. It specializes in manufacturing precision measuring tools like micrometres, callipers, bevel vernier protractors, dial indicators, and granite surface plates. The company is in compliance with the RoHS standards and has acquired several certifications, including ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, and ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994. Its manufactured products are utilized for metalworking, automotive, aviation, marine, and farm industries across America.
TA Instruments, established in 1963, is a manufacturer of machinery for thermal analysis, rheology, microcalorimetry, and mechanical analysis, headquartered in Delaware, USA. Their product range includes rheometers, thermal analyzers, calorimeters, dilatometers, and viscometers which are used in various industries such as biopharmaceuticals, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Their products provide crucial insights into material properties, enabling quality control, optimizing processes, and facilitating product development. TA Instruments ensures quality and holds certifications such as ISO 9001 for quality management.
Mitutoyo America Corporation was founded in Aurora, Illinois in 1963 by Mitutoyo Corporation of Japan as its American sales, marketing, and service subsidiary. The company provides parts service, manufacturing, and turnkey solutions for metrology equipment for aerospace, alternative energy, automotive, semiconductor, and other industries. The company’s product offerings include coordinate measuring machines, sensor systems, test equipment, and vision measuring equipment customized for customer needs. The company’s services include calibration and repair, installation, contract part programming, and training and education for operation as well as calibration.
LAPMASTER WOLTERS’s roots go back as far as 1804 with the founding of Peter Wolters. Lapmaster was founded in Chicago in 1948 as a manufacture of lapping and polishing machines for the mechanical seal market, Lapmaster has grown to a worldwide solution provider for more than 20 industries like precision optics and advanced materials. Lapmaster serves many industries including automotive, semiconductor, electro optics, and medical devices. Lapmaster also sells many consumables including abrasive powders, lapping compounds diamond lubricants, and composite plates. Products include lapping, polishing, bore honing, buffing, grinding, and special purpose machines.
Flexbar Machine Corporation, founded in 1965 and located in Islandia, New York, is a Manufacturer and distributor of metrology-grade replicas, casting materials, and precision measuring instruments. Its diverse range of products includes video and optical inspection devices, gages, borescopes, gage stands, and machine tool accessories. The company's products are used in quality control, metrology, and precision measurement applications across various industries. Flexbar's products cater to industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, electronics, and other sectors where precise measurement and inspection are essential for maintaining product performance. The company also holds ISO 9001 certification.
LECO Corporation, headquartered in St. Joseph, Michigan, has been a manufacturer and distributor of metallographic equipment since 1936. The company specializes in producing metallographic equipment, serving laboratories worldwide. Its product range includes the 832 and 828 Series Combustion systems for organic material analysis, the 836 Series Elemental Analyzer for inorganic materials, and the Pegasus BT GC-TOFMS Mass Spectrometer. These instruments cater to elemental analysis, thermal analysis, metallography, and mass spectrometry that are essential for laboratories. It holds several certifications, including ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 for calibration, as well as an ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management.
Qosina Corp., established in 1980 by Stuart Herskovitz, supplier of OEM medical device components to the medical, pharmaceutical, and bioprocessing industries headquartered in Ronkonkoma, New York. Their product portfolio includes sterilization supplies, needles, guide wire & catheter accessories, containers, and single-use sensors used in different applications including urology, vascular access, neuraxial, bloodline, cardiology, and respiratory. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, ISO 45001, and ISO 22301 certified and offers brands such as Merit Advance, Nordson Medical, NRFIT, OETIKER, and SMARTSITE.
Buehler, operational since 1936, located in 6 countries with main offices in Lake Bluff, Illinois, is a supplier of instruments for metallographic sampling, preparation and analysis. The line of products is segmented into mounting, etching, hardness testing, sectioning, and cutting equipment such as abrasive cutters, etchers, microscopes, testers, and cold mounters used in the automotive, defense, aerospace, medical, and electronics industries. The company is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified with an A2LA certification indicating that the company meets all standards for calibrations on measurement equipment.
Wenzhou Sanhe Measuring Instrument Co.,LTD, established in 2002 and based in Wenzhou, China, is a manufacturer and supplier of measuring tools. The company's range of measuring tools includes face difference rulers, laser protractor digital inclinometers, and digital linear scales with remote displays. These products find applications in various industries, including metalworking, electronic manufacturing, and research and development. The company offers services including technical support, customization of its tools tailored to specific customer requirements, and product catalogs.
Laizhou Weiyi experimental machine manufacturing Co. Ltd., established in 1986, is a manufacturer of environmental engineering and consulting services, and is headquartered in Beijing, China. It offers a wide range of services to its customers such as Wastewater treatment, Solid waste management, and Hazardous waste management. The main products of the company include Metallographic cutting machines, Metallographic grinding and polishing machines, and Metallographic microscopes. These products are used by aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing industries. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and is a member of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronics (CCCME).
Gester International Co.,Ltd., was established in 1997 and is based in Quanzhou, Fujian, China as manufacturer and supplier of various testing equipments. The company's product portofolio includes Textile Testing Equipment, Footwear Testing Equipment, Leather Testing Equipment, Yarn/Fiber testing equipment, and Toy Testing Equipment, used in industries such as toy, textile, shoe and furniture manufacturing to improve the product quality. Their products are compliant with both domestic and international industry standards such as ISO, ASTM, DIN, EN, and BS. The company also provides aftermarket service for testing equipment products including Installation and Training, Equipment Maintenance, Product Calibration, and Product Certification.
ACRN, founded in 1997, is a manufacturer and designer of physical testing and measurement solutions with over 2000 equipped plants & laboratories and headquarters in France. The product categories are equipment used for torque testing, force measurement, leak testing, sensors, and measurement. The products include torque wrenches & screwdrivers, vacuum chambers, dynamometers, tube seattle testers, and compression test stands used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, packaging, and industrial markets. The company provides services such as calibration & metrology, custom-made equipment, specific testing, and after-sale services.
Haida International Equipment was founded in 2004 as a manufacturer and supplier of Testing Equipment in China. The company deals in various precision testing instruments, machines, and services such as Batteries, Furniture, Textiles, Leather and Shoes, and Rubber and Plastic test equipment. There is also Adhesive tape, Cookware, Luggage, Optical, and Vibration test equipment along with Accelerated Environment Test Chamber (AES) that executes QC inspection on electronic appliances, paper products, metals, research institutes, and lots more. The other testing machines cater to industrial and mining enterprises, colleges and universities, engineering quality supervision stations, and other departments.
Beijing TIME High Technology Ltd., founded in 1984 in Beijing, China, is a manufacturer of precision measuring instruments. The company manufactures Leeb hardness testers, thickness gauges, ultrasonic flaw detectors, metallurgy equipment, and roughness testers. These advanced instruments are important for obtaining robust accuracy and stability, making them indispensable tools for quality control and material testing across various industries. The Leeb hardness testers are used for assessing the hardness of metals, while their thickness gauges and roughness testers maintain quality standards. The wholly owned company of Time Group with ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS18001, CE, Gost Certificates, operates in 60 countries.
Struers is a manufacturer of materialographic equipment and consumables based in France since 1875. The company designs equipment used for cutting, mounting, grinding, polishing, and verifying materials for enhancing and streamlining the processes of sample preparation, from manufacturing and quality assurance to failure investigation and research. There are cut-off machines such as Magnutom-5000, Mounting accessories, machines, and consumables along with automated solutions for grinding and polishing. These products cater to automobile and airplane manufacturers including mobile phone producers and aerospace sectors.
Sinowon Innovation Metrology Manufacture Limited, founded in 2006 with facilities in China, is a manufacturer of geometric dimension measurement instruments and precision devices. The company's products include automatic vision measuring machines, 2D optical measuring machines, profile projectors, video microscopes, and precision displacement platforms. Sinowon Innovation Metrology Manufacture Limited's products are used for measuring dimensional and positional tolerances such as flatness, perpendicularity, and position. The company serves various industries, including 3C consumer electronics, new energy vehicles, medical health, home appliances, and solar photovoltaics.
Future-Tech Corp., established in 1995 and headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan, is a manufacturer of hardness testers and accessories. Its products are supplied in the domestic market of Japan, and also to more than 35 countries around the world. The company offers a range of products including the Microhardness Tester FM-X Series, which is a new standard of Microvickers hardness tester. Its series adopts the loading by Load-cell and the multistep load switching, which have made it possible to achieve heavy accuracy. The company also produces and sells sample preparation machines such as cutting machine and grinding press.
Multitek Technologies, established in 1994 and headquartered in New Delhi, India, is a manufacturer and supplier of metrology and metallurgical equipment and solutions. The company supplies machines and equipment for materialography, metallography, and hardness testing. Its products include cutting machines, hardness testers, and vision inspection systems. The company’s NABL-certified lab provides calibration services for pressure gauges, torque wrenches, and thermometers. Its products and solutions cater to diverse sectors, including automobiles, healthcare testing labs, and industrial engineering.
UNI-TREND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. was established in 1988 and is a manufacturers of measuring and imaging devices based in Dongguan, Guangdong, China. The company produces various products such as digital multimeters, electrical power testers, DC electronic loads, handheld thermal cameras, and thermal imaging monoculars. The products are used in various applications such as industry electricity, environment monitoring, communication, photovoltaic power station, and ranging and mapping. The company has obtained ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.
Foundrax Engineering Products Ltd. is an UKAS-certified manufacturer of testing machines and equipment for Brinell hardness that was established in London, England, United Kingdom, in 1948. The company produces Brinell hardness testing equipment such as reference blocks and indenters, as well as hardness testing machines such as portable and automatic models. It also offers calibration, maintenance, and repair services for customers requiring additional assistance. The company’s products are used mainly by clients in the rail, metalworking, and mining industries.
Gibitre Instruments, a company founded in 1979 and headquartered in Bergamo, Italy, is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in measuring instruments. The company's range of measuring instruments includes rheometers, mini force testers, and block ovens for accelerated aging. These products find applications in various industries, including rubber manufacturing, construction, and the electronics industry. The company provides maintenance and calibration services for all installed instruments, as well as training. The company is ISO 17025:2018 certified, with agencies in various countries including Argentina, the Czech Republic, and China.
Tinius Olsen Inc. established in 1880 and based in Horsham, Pennsylvania, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of testing machinery. The company's products include Automated Systems, Universal Testing Machines, Melt Flow Indexers, and Deflection Temperature/Vicat. These tools and systems are instrumental in measuring and verifying the strength and performance of various materials, such as metals, polymers, and composites, ensuring reliability and quality in different applications. Serving industries such as industrial machinery manufacturing and materials research, its services are highlighted by its specialties in tensile testing equipment, impact testing equipment, and universal testing machines.
Toyo Seiki Seisaku-Sho, Ltd., established in 1934 with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of product and material measuring apparatus. The company's product portfolio comprises testing machines for a range of materials and test applications. Its products include abrasion testers, flammability testers, density testers, and permeability testers. These testing products have numerous applications, including by manufacturers to test the durability and safety of new products, by painters to test coating thickness, and in the production of fire-safe products.
BAQ GmbH, established in 1992 and located in Braunschweig, Germany, is an ISO 9001-certified developer and manufacturer of hardness testing devices and equipment. The company offers mobile as well as stationary hardness testing devices, and laboratory equipment for testing characterized coatings. It also offers related accessories such as hardness and indenter test blocks for integration in existing facilities or production lines, and rental units for customers looking to save on costs. The company mainly serves clients in the industrial manufacturing and quality assurance sectors.
PCE Instruments UK Ltd., started in 199 and headquartered in Manchester, UK, is a manufacturer and supplier of test instruments, equipment, and tools for weighing, measuring, and control systems. The company offers more than 500 test equipment, including analyzers, inspection cameras, meters, detectors, and sensors, with applications in various fields like data acquisition, electrical engineering, environmental science, building inspection, and food processing. Its manufacturing and development division is ISO 9001 certified, all its test instruments, equipment, and tools are factory calibrated, and the company also provides services for custom test instrument design, installation, and maintenance.
Wuxi jiebo electrical technology co.,ltd. was founded in 2009 and is a manufacturer and supplier of high-speed analytical instruments based in Liangxi, Wuxi, China. The company offers various analytical measuring devices such as optical emission spectrometer, inductively coupled plasma, carbon sulfur analyzer, metallographic cutting machine, universal testing machine, and pen type hardness tester. The products have been used in various fields of application such as casting, metallurgy, mechanical, steel, and ore.
Ametek Inc., established in 1930 and headquartered in Florida, United States, is a hardness tester and accessories manufacturer and supplier. The company offers material testing, characterization needs, and research solutions. Its product line includes hardness testers for Rockwell and Brinell, and software for measurement and analysis. Its products cater to various industries such as automotive, metals, and general manufacturing. The company offers technical support, competitor system upgrades, and proficiency testing services.
Amtek Tool and Supply, Inc. based in Madison Heights, MI. Amtetk is an online super market for tools, supplies, and other hardware for individual, professional, and corporate customers. Product types include milling, threading, and turning devices, tooling systems, saws, broaching and deburring bits, cutting tool blanks and spares, abrasives, power tools, hand tools, safety equipment, measuring devices, lubrication, sanitation supplies, storage, pneumatics, shipping supplies, transmissions, and various other hardware and shipping supplies. Amtek’s online storefront offers precise filters to help find exact products to meet customer needs.
Clemex Technologies Inc., founded in Canada in 1990, is a supplier of automated image analysis software for microscopy. The company specializes in automating the measurement of objects in digital images from microscopes and other precision optical devices. Its products are used around the world by quality control and research labs in industries as diverse as healthcare, car manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace. The company also offers custom solutions, after-sales services and customer support.
ZwickRoell Corporation, founded in 1935 and based in Ulm, Germany, is a global supplier of static materials testing machines. Its offerings include static materials testing machines, dynamic and fatigue testing machines, and automated testing systems, used in research and development, and quality assurance across various industries. Its machines run approximately 80,000,000 materials and component tests annually. The company operates a calibration laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
MSI-Viking Gage, LLC was founded over 50 years ago and is headquartered in Duncan, South Carolina. MSI-Viking provides manufacturing support to the automotive, aerospace, metals, plastics, medical, energy, food & beverage, and machining industries. MSI-Viking product offerings include 3D scanning systems, 3D additive manufacturing, air gages, bore & hole gages, calipers, CMMs, computed tomography, data collection, depth gages, fixture systems, indicators, laboratory equipment, vision systems, and thread gages among others. Services include calibration, metrology, repair, embedded services, training, and metrology pre-op services.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Pulstec Industrial Co., Ltd. |
5.1%
|
2 | Buehler |
5.1%
|
3 | Fischer Technology, Inc. |
4.3%
|
4 | WESTport Corporation |
4.0%
|
5 | Lapmaster International, LLC |
4.0%
|
6 | TA Instruments |
3.6%
|
7 | PCE Instruments UK Ltd |
2.8%
|
8 | LECO |
2.8%
|
9 | Sun-Tec Corporation |
2.8%
|
10 | Phase II |
2.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the hardness tester page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 15 | 50.0% |
China | 6 | 20.0% |
Germany | 3 | 10.0% |
Japan | 2 | 6.7% |
France | 1 | 3.3% |
Denmark | 1 | 3.3% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 3.3% |
Canada | 1 | 3.3% |
7 products are listed.
Anton Paar GmbH
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Anton Paar GmbH
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■ The highest precision scratch test machine as a commercially available device ・ Nanos Clutch Testa NST³ is particularly suitable for the realiza...
Maekawa Test Machine Manufacturing
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This device is a compact hydraulic hardness test machine for measuring Brinell hardness of metal material. The prescribed load is loaded on the wor...
Fujiri Corporation Co., Ltd.
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There are a wood -shaped hardness meter, a digital hardness meter, a fruit hardware (KM type), and a fruit hardness (MT type).