11 Hardness Test Companies in 2024
This section provides an overview for hardness tests as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 hardness test companies and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked hardness test companies as of November, 2024: 1.MISTRAS Services.
Table of Contents
Categories Related to Hardness Tests
What Is a Hardness Test?
A hardness test is an assessment conducted to measure a material's hardness. This test is critical in industrial applications as it allows for the inference of various mechanical properties from the obtained hardness value.
Characterized by a range of methods and relative simplicity, it is crucial to choose the right test, as definitions and values of hardness can vary significantly depending on the technique used.
Uses of Hardness Tests
Hardness tests are primarily used to estimate mechanical properties such as strength, tensile strength, and wear resistance, based on the hardness value. These tests are advantageous for their speed and simplicity compared to other material tests.
However, for materials with high impurities or complexities, where hardness values alone may be insufficient, additional tests like tensile or impact tests, and metallographic analysis may be necessary.
Principles of Hardness Testing
There are two main principles used in hardness testing:
1. Principle of Indentation Testing
This method involves pressing objects of various shapes into the specimen and determining hardness from the resulting indentation. It's the most widely used principle for hardness testing.
2. Principle of Dynamic Testing
This method involves striking a sphere against the specimen and determining hardness based on the sphere’s rebound parameters. It’s less accurate than indentation testing but does not damage the specimen.
Types of Hardness Tests
Several common methods are used in hardness testing:
- Rockwell Hardness Test: Used for heat-treated steel components, measuring hardness based on the depth of an indentation made by a diamond cone or a steel ball.
- Vickers Hardness Test: Suitable for a wide range of materials, using a diamond pyramid to create an indentation and measuring based on its surface area.
- Knoop Hardness Test: Similar to the Vickers test but uses a differently angled diamond pyramid, ideal for thin and brittle materials.
- Brinell Hardness Test: Measures hardness over a broad range, using a steel ball to create an indentation, frequently used for metals like cast iron.
- Shore Hardness Test: Measures hardness based on the rebound height of a diamond-made sphere, ideal for finished items where surface preservation is essential.
- Durometer Hardness Test: Used for plastics and rubbers, measuring hardness based on the depth of an indentation made by a needle-shaped cone.
- Barcol Hardness Test: Used for metals, plastics, and FRP, measuring hardness based on the depth of an indentation made by a needle-shaped cone.
List of 11 Hardness Test Companies
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Japan
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
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Curtiss-Wright. IMR Test Labs
Hardness Testing
Manufacturer Overview
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, founded in Davidson, North Carolina, in 1929 is a manufacturer of components for actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and surface-treatment services. The company's product portfolio includes aircraft components, including structural parts, engine components, landing gear components, and hydraulic systems, navigation systems, communication equipment, flight control systems, and cockpit displays. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation. The company also offers customer services that include support, custom research projects and customized services.
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Verichek Technical Services, Inc.
HARDNESS TESTING OF METALS
Distributor Overview
Verichek Technical Services, Inc was founded in 1992 and is based in Bethel Park, PA, is a supplier of metal analysis testing equipment & services to various industries. The company is certified to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 quality system and provides optical emissions spectrometers, Ernst hardness testers, refurbished metal analyzers, temperature measurement instruments, and, adapters & electrodes for the metalworking, mining, material handling, construction, and, general engineering sectors. They also offer periodic-maintenance services, OES emergency repair, on-site and in-house positive metal identification, hardness testing, and, retained austenite measurement, as well as coating thickness testing, and, metal alloy analysis services.
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Sturbridge Metallurgical Services, Inc.
Hardness Testing
Distributor Overview
Sturbridge Metallurgical Services, Inc., established in 1990 and headquartered in Massachusetts, United States, is a supplier of metallographic equipment and supplies. The company offers cut-off saws, hot and cold mounting equipment, manual and automated polishers, abrasive powders, polishing cloths, and more. It holds numerous accreditation and approvals, including Nadcap, A2LA/ISO 17025, GE (S-400), Sikorsky, and Pratt and Whitney (PWA/PWC). The company's products find ideal applications in the medical, industrial, automotive, defense, and firearms industries.
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ATRONA Test Labs, Inc.
HARDNESS AND MICRO-HARDNESS TESTING
Distributor Overview
Atrona Test Labs, Inc., established in 1999 and headquartered in Loves Park, USA, is a supplier of failure analysis and material testing services. The company offers testing capabilities such as metallurgical analysis, polymer testing, and mechanical testing for evaluating material properties. It identifies the root causes of components through scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis techniques. Its mechanical testing capabilities, like tensile and impact testing, determine materials' mechanical strength and behavior under different conditions. The company also offers calibration services for hand tools, hard gages, and hardness testers.
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Laboratory Testing Inc.
HARDNESS TESTING
Distributor Overview
Laboratory Testing Inc., founded in Hatfield, PA, in 1984 is a supplier of Materials Testing, Non-destructive Testing and Calibration Services. The company's product portfolio includes Microscopic Examination, Elemental Analysis, Hardness / Microhardness, Fatigue Testing, SEM / EDS Analysis, and Stress Rupture Testing. They serve industries such as Healthcare, Consumer goods, Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology and Chemical and Petrochemical. They also offer custom packaging, warehousing, worldwide shipping and customer support.
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Element
Hardness Testing Services
Distributor Overview
Element is a global supplier of materials testing and certification services headquartered in the US since 1827. They offer testing and inspection solutions worldwide, including tensile testing machines, impact testers, hardness testers, SEM, XRF analyzers, and environmental chambers, used to evaluate materials like metals, polymers, and composites in various sectors. including academic institutions, research labs, and industries. With a rich history spanning over a century, Element excels in precision instruments for scientific and engineering applications.
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MISTRAS Services
Hardness Testing
Distributor Overview
Mistras Services, founded in 1978 and headquartered in New Jersey, is a global technology services supplier specializing in integrated technology-enabled asset protection solutions. The company’s portfolio of services includes field inspections, lab testing, maintenance services, monitoring and data management. These services help in enhancing safety and operational effeciency in sectors such as oil and gas, aerospace, defense, civil infrastructure, and manufacturing. With 120 locations worldwide, Mistras adheres to an internationally-recognized ISO-9001 Quality Management System, serving clients across North America, Europe, Asia and beyond.
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Hardness Test Company Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MISTRAS Services |
100.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the hardness test 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
- MISTRAS Services: 5,400
- Japan Testing Laboratories Co., Ltd.: 187
Newly Established Company
- Japan Testing Laboratories Co., Ltd.: 1999 (25 years ago)
- Sturbridge Metallurgical Services, Inc.: 1990 (34 years ago)
- Laboratory Testing Inc.: 1984 (40 years ago)
Company with a History
- Bossard Holding AG: 1831 (193 years ago)
- Applied Technical Services, LLC: 1967 (57 years ago)
- Laboratory Testing Inc.: 1984 (40 years ago)
Hardness Test Companies in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Curtiss-Wright. IMR Test Labs
- Metallurgical Engineering Services, Inc.
- Applied Technical Services, LLC
- Verichek Technical Services, Inc.
- Sturbridge Metallurgical Services, Inc.
- ATRONA Test Labs, Inc.
- Laboratory Testing Inc.
Global Distribution of Hardness Test Companies by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
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7 | 70.0% |
Switzerland
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1 | 10.0% |
Japan
|
1 | 10.0% |
United Kingdom
|
1 | 10.0% |
