As with every other hardness test, however, the Vickers procedure is not without some flaws. Here are some of them:
- Extensive Material Preparation
Since optical evaluation is featured in the Vickers test, the quality of the specimen’s surface must be considered good. This means that the place where the indenter is going to make contact with the specimen must be cleaned, ground, and polished. Otherwise, the test results are unreliable.
- Slow Test Cycles
Compared to the Rockwell method, the Vickers test is comparatively slower. It would take 30 to 60 seconds for the test to be conducted. This does not include the time taken to prepare the test location for the procedure.
- Price
Due to the need for optical evaluation during the test, a Vickers Hardness tester must be equipped with an optical measurement system. As such, a Vickers hardness tester is more expensive to purchase brand new compared to a Rockwell tester.
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