Benelux Scientific is expanding its materials-testing portfolio with INNOVATEST, a Dutch manufacturer of hardness testing machines based in Maastricht.
The addition gives our customers access to a complete hardness testing range – Vickers, Knoop, Rockwell, Brinell and universal – from compact bench-top testers to fully automated laboratory systems, together with certified reference blocks and indenters.
Hardness testing is becoming more demanding
Quality departments are asked to test more parts, to document results in a traceable way and to demonstrate compliance with ISO and ASTM requirements. At the same time, surface treatments, coatings and case-hardened components require measurements at ever smaller loads and with ever better repeatability.
This puts higher demands on force application, optics, image analysis and reporting. INNOVATEST answers these demands with a modular product range in which the force system, optics, stages, camera and software can be configured – and upgraded later – to match the application.
A complete range for every hardness method
The INNOVATEST portfolio covers the full spectrum of static hardness testing:
Vickers, micro-Vickers and Knoop
The FALCON series covers micro and macro Vickers, Knoop and low-load Brinell testing, with test forces from 0.1 gf up to 62.5 kgf. Motorised turrets, high-resolution camera systems, motorised XY stages and automatic focus allow anything from single manual indentations to fully automated case-depth and weld-survey programmes.
Rockwell
The FENIX, HAWK, VERZUS and NEMESIS series offer Rockwell testing for everything from routine production control to demanding laboratory work, including models designed for workshop conditions and large or heavy workpieces.
Brinell
The NEXUS Brinell range covers test forces up to 3000 kgf and includes models with automatic optical evaluation of the indentation, which removes operator influence from the measurement of castings, forgings and large steel components.
Universal hardness testers
Universal models such as the NEXUS and NEMESIS series combine Vickers, Knoop, Brinell and Rockwell in a single machine – the practical answer for laboratories that have to serve several standards and scales with one instrument.
Portable hardness testers
Portable instruments make it possible to test large, heavy or installed components on site, where bringing the part to the laboratory is not an option.
Reference blocks, indenters and calibration sets
INNOVATEST supplies ISO- and ASTM-compliant hardness reference blocks, diamond and ball indenters and complete calibration sets, certified by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. These support the daily indirect verification of any hardness tester, whatever its brand.
Need help choosing the best INNOVATEST product for your application?
Contact us, and we will be happy to provide you with more information about the extensive INNOVATEST range.
Technology that makes the difference
- Multi load cell, closed-loop force application – the applied force is continuously measured and corrected, instead of relying on dead weights.
- IMPRESSIONS™ workflow software – test programming, automatic indentation measurement, evaluation against standards and reporting in one environment.
- Configurable and upgradeable – optics, stages, cameras, force ranges and software options can be added later, so the machine grows with the laboratory.
- Developed and manufactured in the Netherlands, with more than 130 years of company history and an installed base in over 80 countries.
A logical addition to our materials-testing portfolio
Hardness testing is closely linked to the metallographic sample preparation, microscopy, analysis equipment and mechanical testing solutions we already supply.
Adding INNOVATEST allows us to support the complete chain: cutting, mounting, grinding and polishing the sample, then measuring hardness, case-hardening depth or coating hardness on the prepared surface – and verifying the tester with certified reference blocks.
Who are these solutions for?
Customers can now turn to us for a more complete range of technologies for:
- Incoming inspection and routine production control
- Case-hardening depth (CHD), nitriding depth (NHD) and surface-hardening depth (SHD) profiles
- Hardness of thin and hard coatings
- Weld and HAZ hardness surveys
- Research, development and failure analysis
- Calibration and verification of hardness testers
The solutions are particularly relevant to heat treatment shops, foundries and forges, steel and aluminium producers, subcontractors and OEMs in automotive and aerospace, and testing and research laboratories.
Local advice and support
As INNOVATEST’s local partner, our team provides product advice, application support, installation and after-sales service.
Whether you are selecting your first hardness tester, automating an existing test routine, measuring a hardness profile on a case-hardened part or verifying an installed machine, our specialists help you define the right scale, load and configuration.
Interested in INNOVATEST?
Contact us, and we will help you choose the right solution for your application.
