BQCIS

Ensuring Material Strength and Surface Reliability

Hardness testing is one of the most critical mechanical evaluations used to measure a material’s resistance to deformation, indentation, and wear. It provides direct insight into material strength, heat-treatment quality, and surface performance.

BQCIS offers comprehensive hardness testing services utilizing Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, and Shore methods. Each test is performed under controlled laboratory conditions using traceable calibration and certified standards to ensure absolute accuracy and repeatability.

Whether verifying production batches, assessing coating hardness, or validating weld zones, our independent testing supports manufacturers, EPC contractors, and engineering firms in achieving full compliance with ASTM, ISO, and EN specifications.

Key Activities in Hardness Testing

Rockwell Hardness Testing

Used for metals, alloys, and plastics to measure indentation resistance under fixed loads.

Brinell Hardness Testing

Ideal for large, coarse-grained materials such as castings and forgings to determine bulk strength.

Vickers & Microhardness

Provides detailed evaluation of thin coatings, microstructures, and weld heat-affected zones.

Portable Hardness Testing

On-site measurements using rebound or ultrasonic methods for field assets and large structures.

Heat Treatment Verification

Multi-point testing to confirm through-hardness and surface treatment performance.

Coating and Plating Hardness

Determines wear resistance and adhesion quality of protective or decorative coatings.

Weld Zone Evaluation

Hardness profiling across weld seams to ensure metallurgical uniformity and strength integrity.

Data Traceability & Reporting

Digitally recorded results with graphical mapping and ISO 17025-compliant reports.

Shore Durometer Testing

Measuring the indentation hardness of polymers, elastomers, and rubbers using Shore A or Shore D scales.

Key Benefits of Hardness Testing

Material Durability

Verified Material Durability

Ensures that materials meet the required hardness level for their intended operational environment.

Process Control

Process Control Assurance

Validates heat treatment and manufacturing consistency for production quality assurance.

Failure Prevention

Failure Prevention

Early identification of material weakness prevents service failures and warranty returns.

Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory Compliance

Ensures conformity with ASTM E18, ISO 6508, and customer-specific hardness criteria.

Success Story

Hardness Mapping for Forged Pressure Vessel Components

The Challenge:

A pressure vessel manufacturer required independent verification of hardness uniformity across thick forged shells to confirm heat treatment efficiency.

Our Solution:

BQCIS performed 200-point Vickers and Brinell hardness mapping across multiple cross-sections, correlating results with metallographic grain structure analysis.

The Result:

Achieved hardness uniformity within ±8 HB variance, validating the heat treatment process and ensuring compliance with ASME Section VIII standards.

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