TCM-U3 Portable Ultrasonic Hardness Tester

Large full color screen, graphing display, 88 combinations of metals and hardness scales, user definable hardness scales and metals, display modes for histogram, graph, smart, average, deviation etc. Ruggedized case with rubber bumpers. 3 year warranty on probe and tester.

Our device has the same spec and accuracy as the top priced models selling for $10000 and more. This tester has the option to add a D (universal) rebound type test probe with firmware activation that turns the device into a TCM-UD3. This means you get the best of both technologies, UCI and Rebound. The D type is ideal for Non Ferrous materials, coarse grained parts like cast iron etc. that are not suited to UCI testing. Can be added for only $650

Download the product brochure HERE

The Ultrasonic Contact Impedance (UCI) hardness tester TCM-U3 is designed for rapid, non-destructive testing of hardness:

• metals and alloys on standardized hardness scales: Rockwell (HRC), Brinell (HB), Vickers (HV);
• Metals with different properties from steel (for example, non-ferrous metals, alloys, etc.) with five additional scales for calibration; The device can be quickly and easily calibrated to a single specimen of known hardness ( for plus/minus testing ) or to a range of hardness from 2 specimens of the same material and of known upper and lower hardness values. The best is 3 sample specimens of the same material of different hardness. With 3 it is then possible to test through the whole range of hardness values of a material type. The unit has user calibration fields for Steel, Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel, non ferrous materials and several user definable fields. Each in Rockwell C, Brinell, Vickers, plus 2 custom fields for other scales. The tester is supplied with the UCI probe/s pre configured for Steel, using NIST traceable test blocks, in HRC and HB. The tester can be finely calibrated to an exact material type e.g.. P20 or H13 but for most users the general calibration, in this case Alloy Steel is generally accepted. Because the tester can be calibrated to specific materials, that range of material classes and options is enormous and huge advantage of testers that have fixed material types.
• use of the scale of tensile strength (Rm) for determining the tensile strength of carbon steel products by automatically converting from the scale of hardness, Brinell (HB);

Implements the method of ultrasonic contact impedance (UCI).

Hardness testing of small parts and difficult to reach places

Hardness of High speed steel cutting blades

The UCI Hardness Tester TCM-U3 operates according to the Ultrasonic Contact Impedance (UCI) method of hardness testing, and is standardized according to ASTM A 1038. The basic operating principle is that hardness is measured by detecting the frequency shift of a longitudinal oscillating rod fused to a Vickers diamond indenter. The diagonals of the indentation are not optically measured as with traditional Vickers tests, so there is no need for cumbersome optical evaluation with a microscope. Instead, the indentation area is electronically detected by measuring the frequency shift. The shift is proportional to the size of the indentation. This method enables quick and easy measurement: position probe, press to apply the test load, and read off the hardness value. TCM-U3 probes use a Vickers diamond indenter that gives you the precision to position it on a tiny point. Indentations produced by the TCM-U3 are much smaller than equivalent Rockwell indentations, making this one of the least destructive portable hardness testers available. These attributes make the TCM-U3 well suited to these typical applications: - Heat affected zone (HAZ) of welds - Hardness progression curves - Fine-grained materials - Heat-treated materials - Thin layers and coatings - Surface hardened parts - Thin wall pipe - Small parts

The advantages of ultrasonic contact impedance hardness tester TCM-U3:

• Hardness measurement of any mass products with a thickness of 1 mm - inaccessible to the dynamic (Leeb) hardness testers (small parts, thin-walled structures, pipes, tanks, steel sheets, articles of complex shape, hardness control of metal coatings, etc.)
• small print on the product surface (mirror surfaces is possible to hardness check necks shafts, blades, gear teeth, etc.)
• measuring the hardness of the surface hardened layer
• wide range of hardness
• convenience and ease of measurement
• optimized number of buttons
• large full color graphic display with bright back-lighting

Examples of parts that are most suited to this type of portable testing and cannot be done at all or as easily by other portable test methods are.

• case-hardening articles
• hard plating
• Spray welded for buildup or hardening
• thin-walled pressure vessels
• thin-walled pipelines
• semi-finished industrial products (thinner castings, sheets)
• welded joints
• Other big metal parts like crankshafts, rotors, gears, bearings, etc., are easier to test with this type of tool due to the thinner contact area.

Optional hardness test specimens are NIST traceable and sold as a set of 3. These are for the UCI probes only. D-type testers use thicker test blocks.

Specifications

Optional D Type Probe Values:

The values below are pre configured for the optional D type (Leeb/Rebound) type probe. The user can also create/customize their own materials and hardness values.

Restrictions on the use of UCI probe

Not specifically suited for measuring the hardness of products with a coarse-grained structure (e.g, cast iron), unheatreated aluminum, or other soft nonferrous materials or parts ( D type probe option can measure those materials ) weighing less than 10 grams (0.35oz), or less than 1 mm (0.04") thick.

Standard package TCM-U3

• electronic tester unit
• ultrasonic probe choice of 10N or 50N
• special support for flat and curved faces
• 3 NiMh batteries with wall charger
• user manual
• cables
• Free software ( link sent via email upon request after purchase) and USB communication cable for PC
• Hard shell foam padded carry case
• Screwdriver

Free PC Software

Videos

TCM-U3 Ultrasonic w/D probe, Wireless Printer, UCI probes etc

by CIMETRIX Staff on 04 Feb 2014

The video shows new features and many other details of the new TCM-U3 color display Ultrasonic Hardness tester. Comparison to TCM-U2 Demonstration of accuracy and ease of use With D probe option Wireless printer option Smart mode test Histogram Statistics etc

TCM-U3 calibration and correct probe use for testing

by CIMETRIX Staff

How to use the UCI test probe to get accurate results. Detailed instruction on calibrating the tester.