Hardness tester has loading unit moved in two dimensions and calculates diagonal length of impression using image processing

摘要

A laser emitter (70) is displaced along an x or y axis and projects on laser beam onto a test material (W) on a table (10). The laser beam is optically monitored and a reference position is determined. A monitoring unit is displaced along the x or way axis at a predetermined reference position, and this position is monitored. If the position is not at a crystal boundary, a loading unit (55) is moved in two-dimensions and an impression unit (55a) forms an impression at this position. The image of the impression is picked up by the monitoring unit and the hardness is determined by calculating the diagonal length of the impression using image processing techniques.