Metrological characterization of the Primary Hardness Standard Machine realised by LTF for INMETRO (Brazil)

The work consists in the metrological characterization of the Primary Hardness Standard Machine (PHS Machine) realized by LFT S.p.A. (with the IMGC-CNR knowhow) for the INMETRO (Brazil). The work described in the report was carried out from August 31 to September 2, 2005 by the Istituto di Metrologia "G. Colonnetti" (IMGC) of the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy in LTF laboratory, as part of the work specified in the Annex A of the Contract nr. 02/05 in date 10/02/2005 between LTF and IMGC-CNR. The metrological characterizations consists in the direct and indirect verification of the PHS machine; in the direct verification, the main verified parameters are the forces generated by the PHS machine and the geometry of the indenters. The indirect verification consists in the comparison of the performances of the indenters with the so called “National Indenters” and in the comparison of the hardness scales generated by the PHS machine with the national scales maintained by IMGC-CNR. The results have been compared with the technical specifications of the PHS machine to verify the quality of the LTF construction.