Metal Hardness Testing Equipment – Bench Top and Portable Solutions

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Metal Hardness Testing Equipment - Bench Top and Portable Solutions
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Hardness is the quickest way to find out whether a heat treatment worked, whether a weld has gone soft in the wrong place, or whether an incoming batch matches its certificate. NextGen supplies bench and portable instruments for the Rockwell, Vickers, Knoop and Brinell methods, working to ISO 6508 for Rockwell and to ISO 6507 and ASTM E384 for Vickers and Knoop.

The choice follows the part: Rockwell for routine production checks, Vickers and Knoop for thin layers, coatings and small features, Brinell for coarse structures and castings, and portable instruments for parts that cannot be moved. Certified test blocks and indenters come from the same supplier, instruments are installed and calibrated on site, and support continues for the life of the equipment.

Metal Hardness Testing Equipment from NextGen

NextGen supplies a complete line of hardness testing solutions. The portfolio includes universal testers, dedicated systems for each method, as well as hardness test blocks, indenters, accessories, and metallography consumables. This allows our clients to perform precise tests in accordance with all major international standards.

Universal Hardness Testers (Vickers, Knoop, Rockwell, Brinell)

Versatile systems that combine several methods in one platform, designed for laboratories that require flexibility across different hardness scales and load ranges.

Rockwell Hardness Testers

Instruments that determine hardness by measuring indentation depth under load. Rockwell testing is valued for its speed and repeatability, making it a common choice for steels, alloys, and routine quality control.

Vickers and Knoop Hardness Testers

High-precision systems using diamond-shaped indenters. These testers are ideal for thin samples, micro-components, and case depth evaluations, covering both micro and macro hardness ranges.

Brinell Hardness Testers

Heavy-duty machines applying large loads with a carbide ball. This method is best suited for castings, forgings, and other metals with coarse or irregular structures.

Portable Hardness Testers

Compact and mobile units designed for on-site testing of large or assembled components. Portable testers provide fast, reliable results when laboratory testing is impractical.

All NextGen hardness testing equipment is built for accuracy, repeatability, and compliance with ASTM and ISO standards. From high-load Brinell checks to detailed Vickers microanalysis or quick field inspections with portable devices, our systems ensure consistent and traceable results across the full spectrum of hardness testing methods.

Certified Metal Hardness Testing Systems

All NextGen hardness testing equipment is built for accuracy, repeatability, and compliance with ASTM and ISO standards. From high-load Brinell checks to detailed Vickers microanalysis or quick field inspections with portable devices, our systems ensure consistent and traceable results across the full spectrum of hardness testing methods.

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What Hardness Testing Measures

Hardness is the resistance of a metal to permanent indentation. It is an empirical value, so a result means something only when it is reported with the method, scale and load that produced it. Hardness is used as a fast indicator of material condition after heat treatment, in incoming inspection and in process control, and depending on the alloy and its condition it can correlate with tensile strength, wear resistance and ductility. A reading at one location describes that location, not necessarily the whole part.

Standards for Metal Hardness Testing

Each method has its own governing documents. ASTM E18 and ISO 6508 cover Rockwell and Rockwell superficial testing, including the testing machine and its verification. ASTM E10 and ISO 6506 cover Brinell. ISO 6507, ASTM E92 and ASTM E384 cover Vickers and Knoop, with E384 applying to microindentation. Portable work follows ISO 16859 and ASTM A956 for Leeb rebound testing and ASTM A1038 for the ultrasonic contact impedance method. Editions differ, so the edition cited on a drawing or purchase order is the one the test should follow.

What Affects Hardness Results

The method has to suit the part before the machine matters. Thin sections and shallow layers can be dominated by the substrate under a heavy load, which is why superficial Rockwell scales and microhardness exist. Surface condition, stable support, the distance from edges and from earlier indentations, and the condition of the indenter all move the number. Optical methods such as Vickers and Knoop also depend on a polished surface and on how the diagonals are measured. A certified test block of the same scale, checked on each day of testing, shows whether the tester has drifted. The guide to choosing a hardness testing method walks through these limits in order.

Hardness Testing Equipment from NextGen

The range runs from bench instruments to portable ones. Universal hardness testers carry several methods on one frame, Rockwell, Brinell and Vickers and Knoop testers each serve one method in depth, and portable hardness testers take the measurement to parts that cannot be moved. Certified hardness test blocks, indenters and accessories keep every one of them verified. Tell the NextGen team the material, the largest part and the scales you work to, and they will match the instrument.

For Laboratories

One partner to equip your complete hardness testing laboratory

Hardness testing is one station of a metals quality control laboratory. NextGen equips the rest of it too, from tensile and impact testing to metallography and specimen preparation, and stays responsible for it after delivery.

  • Equipment, fixtures and software
  • Installation, training, calibration
  • Lifetime technical support

Build My Hardness Lab

Sub-categories

Sub-category · 3 products Universal Tester For Vickers / Knoop, Rockwell and Brinell Universal hardness testers combine multiple indentation methods, including Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, and Knoop, in one flexible platform. This category is useful for laboratories that test different metals, coatings, specimen sizes, and hardness ranges without switching between separate machines. These systems support routine quality control, R&D, certification work, and reliable comparison across macro, micro, and application-specific hardness testing requirements. Open Sub-category · 15 products Rockwell Hardness Testers Rockwell hardness testers measure metal and alloy hardness by evaluating indentation depth under controlled preload and major load sequences. This category supports fast, repeatable hardness checks for steels, nonferrous alloys, heat-treated parts, and routine production samples. Rockwell systems are widely used in quality control because they deliver direct readings, simple operation, and reliable comparison across regular, superficial, and application-specific scales. Open Sub-category · 19 products Vickers and Knoop Hardness Testers Vickers and Knoop hardness testers are used for precise micro and macro indentation testing of metals, coatings, thin layers, case depths, and small components. This category supports laboratories that need accurate hardness values from optical or CCD-based indentation measurement. These systems are useful for research, heat-treatment verification, failure analysis, and standards-based quality control where surface detail and repeatability matter. Open Sub-category · 15 products Brinell Hardness Testers Brinell hardness testers measure metal hardness by applying a high-force load through a tungsten carbide ball and evaluating the resulting indentation. This category is ideal for large, coarse-grained, uneven, or heavy-duty components such as castings, forgings, rolled plates, and structural parts. Manual, digital, and automatic systems help laboratories improve repeatability, reduce operator influence, and support ASTM and ISO hardness testing. Open Sub-category · 18 products Portable Hardness Testers Portable hardness testers allow technicians to measure metal hardness directly on large parts, assembled components, or field-installed structures when benchtop testing is impractical. This category covers mobile systems for Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, Leeb, Webster, and related hardness methods. They support fast quality checks, incoming inspection, production control, maintenance work, and material verification across a wide range of metal specimen shapes. Open

Additional products

14 products
1 Rockwell Depth measurement, the quickest route to a hardness number 3
GenRock NG-150 Series – Rockwell Hardness Tester 150 kgf Rockwell hardness testing GenRock NG-150 Series – Rockwell Hardness Tester GenRock NG-150 Series is an advanced Rockwell hardness tester for regular and superficial hardness testing of metals… View product Get quote NG-RockGen Analogue Series – Rockwell Hardness Tester 150 kgf Rockwell hardness testing NG-RockGen Analogue Series – Rockwell Hardness Tester NG-RockGen Analogue Series is a Rockwell hardness tester for routine hardness measurement of metals, available in… View product Get quote NG-RockGen DGEN Series – Digital Rockwell Hardness Tester Rockwell hardness testing NG-RockGen DGEN Series – Digital Rockwell Hardness Tester NG-RockGen DGEN Series is a digital Rockwell hardness tester for measuring metal hardness by indentation depth under… View product Get quote
2 Vickers and Knoop Optical measurement for small parts, coatings and case depth 2
Micro Vickers and Knoop Hardness Tester Vickers and Knoop hardness testing Micro Vickers and Knoop Hardness Tester The NG-1000 Micro Vickers and Knoop Hardness Tester is designed for accurate microhardness testing with digital,… View product Get quote Macro Vickers Hardness Tester Vickers and Knoop hardness testing Macro Vickers Hardness Tester NG-5000 Series Macro Vickers Hardness Tester is built for accurate macrohardness measurement with standard digital,… View product Get quote
3 Brinell Large indents for castings, forgings and coarse structures 2
BrinGen 3000 Series – Digital and Automatic Brinell Hardness Tester 650 HBW Brinell hardness testing BrinGen 3000 Series – Digital and Automatic Brinell Hardness Tester BrinGen 3000 Series is a digital Brinell hardness tester for evaluating indentation resistance in metals such as cast… View product Get quote BrinGen Scope – CCD Brinell Measuring Scope Brinell hardness testing BrinGen Scope – CCD Brinell Measuring Scope BrinGen Scope is an advanced CCD Brinell measuring scope for manual or digital Brinell hardness testing systems. View product Get quote
4 Multi-scale machines One frame covering several scales 1
UniGen – Universal Hardness Tester 2900 HV Multi-scale hardness testing UniGen – Universal Hardness Tester UniGen is an all-in-one universal hardness testing system for Rockwell, Vickers, Knoop, and Brinell measurements. View product Get quote
5 Portable testers Hardness taken to the part when the part cannot be moved 3
Most requested Telebrineller – Portable Brinell Hardness Testing System Portable hardness testing Telebrineller – Portable Brinell Hardness Testing System NextGen Telebrineller is a portable Brinell hardness testing system for field use, welding crews, and QA teams that… View product Get quote UH200 – Ultrasonic Contact Impedance Hardness Tester Portable hardness testing UH200 – Ultrasonic Contact Impedance Hardness Tester UH200 is a portable ultrasonic contact impedance hardness tester for fast, accurate hardness checks on metals and… View product Get quote NG-LeebGen 3000 – Portable Leeb Rebound Hardness Tester Portable hardness testing NG-LeebGen 3000 – Portable Leeb Rebound Hardness Tester LeebGen 3000 is a portable Leeb rebound hardness tester for non-destructive metal hardness measurement in the lab,… View product Get quote
6 Surface roughness Finish measurement that goes with hardness work in the field 1
Most requested Surface Roughness Testers Surface roughness testing Surface Roughness Testers NextGen Surface Roughness Testers are portable profilometer-style instruments for measuring surface texture on… View product Get quote
7 Consumables and accessories Blocks, indenters, discs and everything that wears out 2
Most requested Hardness Test Blocks, Indenters and Accessories Consumables Hardness Test Blocks, Indenters and Accessories Hardness test blocks, indenters, and accessories support daily verification and reliable operation of metal hardness… View product Get quote Metallography Consumables Consumables Metallography Consumables Metallography consumables cover the materials needed for sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, etching, and… View product Get quote

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FAQs

Start from what the decision needs. One acceptance number for the whole part points to macrohardness: Rockwell for fast production checks, Brinell for castings, forgings and coarse structures. A question about where the hardness sits, such as a thin coating, a case depth or the heat-affected zone of a weld, needs microhardness with Vickers or Knoop on a prepared cross-section.

The guide to choosing a hardness testing method sets the logic out step by step.

Yes. The UniGen universal hardness tester carries Rockwell, Brinell and Vickers on one frame, with the indenters on a turret and a closed-loop load cell in place of dead weights. It suits a laboratory that has to answer for several methods but has bench space and a calibration budget for a single instrument. The universal tester category has the details.

A certified block is the reference that shows whether a tester is reading correctly. Standards such as ASTM specify that a block be used on every day the tester is in operation, and whenever an indenter, anvil or load is changed. NextGen blocks are certified to ASTM E18 for Rockwell, ASTM E10 for Brinell and ASTM E384 for Vickers and Knoop.

See the hardness test blocks, indenters and accessories for the scales in stock.

Instruments convert readings into other scales, and the ASTM E140 conversion table is built into the BrinGen Scope software. Conversions are empirical, though, and a converted value is less accurate than a direct measurement. Where earlier results exist, test on the scale that produced them as long as a valid test is possible, and report the method and scale with every number. The Rockwell scale guide explains why.

Four things settle most choices: the material and its expected hardness, the largest and thinnest part you test, the scales or methods named on your drawings or purchase orders, and whether the instrument stays on a bench or goes to the part. The surface finish and the number of tests per day also matter, because they decide how much automation is worth having.

Send those details with a request and the team will confirm the instrument and the certified blocks to order with it. Request a quote.

Model BrinGen 3000 BrinGen 3000 w/ CCD Optical Analysis and Software
Photo Bringen-3000 Bringen-3000 w/ CCD
Loading - Dwell - Unloading Automatic Automatic
Machine structure Close loop load cell type Close loop load cell type
Test force 62.5-3000kgf 62.5-3000kgf
Indentation Measurement Manual microscope measurement of the indentation diameter; input diameter length / force and indenter diameter into machine screen; and the machine calculates the Brinell hardness value automatically.
Bringen-3000 Indentation Measurement		 Can work independently with machine or directly with the software. Using a portable measurement camera, the software will accurately measure the indentation automatically; the hardness value will display on the software window automatically; and the generated test report including test force / indentation image, hardness value, etc. will display on the software for ease of export.
Bringen-3000 \w CCD Indentation Measurement
Test report No Yes (Word / Excel)
Hardness conversion No Yes
Software No Yes, with HBS-P software (support Win 10 system); Software supports automatic measurement and manual measurement working modes
Advantages Lower Price Easy operate, exceptional accuracy, fast test results, additional test information can be easily obtained
N/A NextGen's CCD system can work on virtually any PC.
There will not be a need for a "proprietary" computer to operate the CCD Scope
Disadvantage Manual measure the indentation diameter length, and manual input data to the machine screen produces a lower work efficiency Higher Price

BringGen-3000 system comes standard with a manual measuring microscope. Once the indentation is made, the manual microscope is placed on top of the indentation and the operator uses the micrometers to align to the diagonals of the indentation. The reading is then input into the main unit using the touch-screen, user-friendly LCD screen and the machine in turn provides your Brinell hardness reading.

The CCD Optical Analysis upgrade for the Brinell hardness tester allows the operator to make the indentation, then simply place the CCD camera onto the indentation, and the automatic software will do the rest. The system will auto align the diagonals and provide you error free Brinell readings directly onto a PC. This eliminates the operator error factor and allows for additional export possibilities to Excel directly.

Learn more by contacting us today.