Hardness is an analysis that allows you to measure the resistance resulting from the material to being penetrated by an indenter.
The hardness of polymers (rubbers, plastics) is generally measured using a Shore hardness tester; in Plastlab it is possible to carry out tests with Shore A and Shore D scales, which differ in shape and applied load forces.
The test is easy to perform and a sample with particular characteristics is not required, except for the thickness which must be at least 4 mm, as required by the ISO 868 standard.
To overcome this limitation, the Plastlab laboratory has equipped itself to carry out MICRO-IRHD hardness tests, respecting the conditions required by ISO 48, with an automatic system, which has the advantage of being able to test thinner materials (from 1 to 5 mm) and o-rings, which could not be analyzed with the Shore system.
The program also allows you to record and compare data of known materials at the time the test is performed, in order to immediately provide a positive or negative result of the test.
