ISO 6508

Introducing ISO 6508 – Industrial Physics

ISO 6508 is an international ISO standard that’s used to support the accurate and effective rockwell hardness testing of metallic samples.

So what is the rockwell hardness test? Hardness is a characteristic of a material rather than a fundamental physical property. It’s defined as the resistance to indentation and it’s determined by measuring the permanent depth of an indentation made with a rockwell hardness tester. When using the rockwell hardness scale, the smaller the indentation after applying a fixed load, the harder the material.

ISO 6508 is a microhardness test of this type and it’s divided into the following three parts:

ISO 6508 – 1: test method

ISO 6508 – 2: verification and calibration of rockwell testing machines and indenters

ISO 6508 – 3: calibration of reference blocks.

More on ISO 6508-1

ISO 6508-1 tells you how to carry out regular rockwell hardness tests and rockwell superficial hardness tests. So, what’s the difference? The main difference between the two rockwell hardness tests is that the test forces are smaller for the rockwell superficial hardness test. Even so, you can typically use the same type and size indenters for either inspection.

More on ISO 6508-2

There’s not a great deal to say about ISO 6508-2, it’s essentially a guide to verifying the suitability of the rockwell hardness tester that you plan to use. It shows you how to calibrate these microhardness testing machines and their indenters.

It helps to ensure that the main parameters associated with the rockwell hardness tester’s function – such as applied force, depth measurement, and testing cycle timing – fall within specified tolerances.

More on ISO 6508-3

ISO 6508-3 shows you how to calibrate any reference blocks you use when verifying the suitability of your rockwell hardness testing machine, as specified in ISO 6508‑2..

Want to learn more about rockwell hardness testing?

If you need more info, we can help answer any of your questions. Why not take a read of our two detailed rockwell hardness testing blogs by clicking here and here or get in touch with our team today!

ISO 6508 testing devices

So, how can Industrial Physics improve your ISO 6508 testing?

Tru-Blue II Rockwell Hardness Tester

The TB-II uses innovative digital controls and a high-precision load cell to give you highly accurate rockwell hardness testing data.

This rockwell hardness tester meets or exceeds ISO 6508 and other standards such as ASTM E-18. This microhardness testing machine is available in a variety of sizes, so you can use it to test most parts and components.

True Blue II rockwell hardness testing blocks

Our popular brand United Testing Systems makes a large selection of rockwell, brinell and microhardness test blocks. All of our test blocks come with a certification sheet containing the necessary calibration information.

Your global test and measurement partner for ISO 6508