
![]() |
Edward Lowton
Editor |
![]() ![]() |
Home> | Production Engineering | >Grinding and abrasives | >Hardness testers and grinder-polishers |
Home> | Production Engineering | >Quality and tolerance testing | >Hardness testers and grinder-polishers |
Hardness testers and grinder-polishers
10 April 2019
At Control 2019 (7 to 10 May, Stuttgart), Buehler ITW Test and Measurement will show Wilson UH4000 universal hardness testers, and the recently launched AutoMet grinder-polishers. Both products can handle high sample volumes and can therefore help boost productivity and reduce costs.

Robust, automated universal hardness testers for fast testing cycles
Designed for harsh environments, Wilson UH4000 universal hardness testers feature a rugged cast steel frame and are said to provide outstanding durability. They enable accurate hardness measurements to Rockwell, Vickers, Knoop and Brinell even in the toughest environments. Hardness scales range from 0.5 to 250kgf in the case of the UH4250 model and from 3 to 750kgf in the case of the UH4750.
A new 8-position turret designed to hold the desired combinations of indenters and objectives contributes significantly towards speeding up testing cycles in batch testing. The operator can test to a variety of test methods without the need for manual indenter/objective changes. A sturdy turret cover protects the highly accurate measurement system and turret assembly against external influences and collisions, e.g. with test pieces. The integrated DiaMet software is intuitive to operate and makes testing easy, repeatable and automatic.
The large T-slot stage offers a clamping surface of 300 x 400mm and high weight capacity, thus enabling testing of heavy and big parts. The new Wilson UH4000 hardness testers are therefore flexible tools suited to a variety of tasks in quality control and process-related quality assurance, in laboratories and directly on the shop floor, for large or small components in the automotive sector and in metal production, for hardness measurements on large, flat or cylindrical castings or forgings, steels, heat treated materials, cemented carbides, ceramics, plastics and composite materials.
Semi-automatic, advanced programming of methods on grinder-polishers
The AutoMet 250 Pro and 300 Pro are semi-automatic grinder-polishers from Buehler designed for customers who need to process high sample volumes in demanding environments. A key feature is the unit's intuitive touch screen interface. Advanced programming features such as method storage and z-axis controlled material removal allow for consistent results, regardless of operator. The AutoMet 250 Grinder-Polisher (without the designation ‘Pro’) offers push-button controls and digital readouts. AutoMet 250 and 250 Pro are designed for 203 or 254mm diameter platens and sample diameters to 40mm, whereas the AutoMet 300 Pro accommodates 254 or 305mm platens and sample diameters to 50mm.
A new 'Rinse and Spin' feature cleans polishing surfaces and platens at the press of a button. Further advanced features such as a retractable water hose, 360-degree bowl rinse and bowl liners save time and effort in daily operation. The Burst dispensing system, which can optionally be integrated into the system or used as a separate module, is said to optimise abrasive usage to save on consumables spend. Buehler also offers a complete line of compatible accessories, including splash guard, recirculation tank, and disposable bowl liners, along with consumables such as silicon carbide and diamond grinding discs, polishing cloths, diamond suspensions and pastes.
A broad portfolio of products for metallography and material analysis.
In addition to the new Wilson UH4000 and AutoMet systems, Buehler ITW Test & Measurement will be presenting a number of other products for grinding, polishing, sectioning and mounting of samples at Control 2019, illustrating the breadth of the company's portfolio, which covers applications ranging from fundamental research to automated, process-related quality assurance. Buehler's offering includes sectioning and precision-sectioning machines, mounting systems including the associated epoxy and acrylic mounting systems, grinding and polishing machines as well as Rockwell, Vickers/Knoop, Brinell and universal hardness testers, all of which can be optimised for specific application requirements.
- Grinder-polishers for demanding applications and high-volume environments
- New metallographic laboratory opens
- Metallographic products and materials testing solutions
- Cutters cut sample sectioning time
- New hardness tester delivers flexibility to industry and research
- New diamond grinding discs on show
- Buehler celebrates 100 years of Wilson Hardness brand