The Buehler Wilson® Reference Block Laboratory in Binghamton, New York, has achieved accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 by A2LA (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation) for Rockwell, Knoop, Vickers, and Brinell hardness test blocks and indenters. A2LA is in full conformance with the standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC), including ISO/IEC 17025. Buehler markets the reference blocks along with the Wilson hardness testers and DiaMet software globally.
The testers used in the calibration process undergo a stringent monitoring process using NIST traceable devices and Buehler conducts 100 percent inspection to ensure that every test block meets the physical requirements of ASTM (thickness, flatness, parallelism, surface roughness, and magnetism). The laboratory then uses specialized hardness testers to calibrate blocks according to Rockwell, Vickers, and Brinell scales which comply to ASTM and ISO standards for calibrating test blocks.
Matthias Pascher, hardness product manager, said, “The hardness readings are taken and statistics calculated according to the applicable standards. Each test block will get its own certificate, thus achieving full traceability. In addition to in-house daily verifications, standards also require indirect verifications to be completed periodically by an accredited third-party. After the indent certification, the blocks are engraved with a laser engraver to add a grid (if applicable) and the hardness value with tolerance according to the standards. All hardness test blocks ship with ASTM and ISO certificates. Buehler is the only global supplier in the metallographic solution market that produces and calibrates hardness reference blocks.”
The Buehler Wilson® Reference Block Laboratory is accredited to perform calibrations on hardness reference blocks according to the following standards:
- Calibration of Standardized Rockwell Hardness Test Blocks — ASTM E18 and ISO 6508-3.
- Calibration of Standardized Rockwell Superficial Hardness Test Blocks — ASTM E18 and ISO 6508-3.
- Calibration of Standardized Vickers Test Blocks — ASTM E92 and ISO 6507-3.
- Calibration of Standardized Knoop Test Blocks — ASTM E92 and ISO 4545-3.
- Calibration of Standarized Brinell Test Blocks — ASTM E10 and ISO 6506-3.
Buehler’s hardness reference blocks use the highest quality material to ensure the most uniform and repeatable test blocks available. Buehler’s Test Block Calibration Laboratory has the capability to produce and calibrate test blocks for different hardness scales.
- Rockwell: Regular and Superficial scales.
- Vickers Microindentation: Loads from 10gf to 1kgf.
- Vickers Macroindentation: Loads from 1kgf to 120kgf.
- Knoop Microindentation: Loads from 10gf to 1kgf.
- Brinell: Loads from HBW5/750, HBW5/250, HBW10/1000, HBW10/3000, HBW2.5/62.5, HBW2.5/187.5.
Buehler is a leading provider of scientific equipment, supplies, consumables, and analysis techniques for use in materials preparation, image analyses, and hardness testing.
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