Instron /Wilson has unmatched capability to

ensure your hardness data is accurate.

Were Not Just Another Calibration Provider

Instron provides the highest quality hardness testing
machines as well as the highest quality service in
the industry.

Wilson Instruments is the originator of the Rockwell

hardness tester and has over 85 years of expertise.
Wilson was acquired by Instron in 1993, and the
Instron/Wilson combination cannot be equaled in the
industry. We have local experts to meet your calibration
and service needs across the U.S., Canada and Europe,
and are fully supported by engineering and production
staff from the factory. The average Instron/Wilson
serviceman has over 15 years experience.
Not only does Instron provide on-site service and
calibration for your hardness tester, but we also are:
h

A full-line manufacturer of hardness testing products

A premier hardness standards laboratory

A large R+D organization specializing in strength and

hardness testing and metrology

Expert at Preventive Maintenance

and Repair to Factory Standards
Unlike most other service providers, we perform
in-depth preventive maintenance. This results in fewer
problems between visits and longer tester life. As part
of the preventive maintenance we include
disassembly as appropriate, cleaning, polishing,
lubricating and calibration to the tightest performance
standards in the world. All replacement parts used are
Instron/Wilson original factory parts, which meet or are
improved from the original equipment specifications.
Our Service Engineers are factory-trained with an
intensive in-house program and assessment. The staff
is regularly field audited to ensure high standards are
maintained. Experienced service engineers armed with
detailed knowledge of the history of your testing
machine enable us to optimize the performance and
life of your tester.
All Field Service Engineers are kept up-to-date on
relevant changes in product design and calibration
procedures through periodic technical bulletins and
ongoing training.
Having service performed by Instron/Wilson
ensures that your tester will meet all original factory
specifications. All accredited calibrations meet
applicable ASTM and ISO standards and conform
to ISO/IEC 17025 and ANSI Z540-1 (formerly
MIL-STD-45662).

The Instron /Wilson Hardness

Standards Lab

Standards Traceability

Our lab has capabilities normally found only in a

national standards lab. Our many years of experience
have resulted in a wide range of capability and
low uncertainties of measurement. The Wilson
Lab produces calibration sets for our field
calibration engineers that are of higher accuracy
than calibration sets commercially available from
other vendors.

The Wilson Hardness Lab, based in Norwood, MA, is accredited to ISO

17025 by NVLAP (Lab Code 200301-0). NVLAP is administered by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Washington, DC.

In North America calibration is performed using Wilson

Calibration Laboratory service sets and calibration set
penetrators. All calibrations are performed in
accordance with ASTM specifications. Calibration
standards used are either traceable to NIST SRMs for
the HRC scale or traceable to hardness scales
originally developed by Stanley P. Rockwell and Charles
Wilson circa 1920 for all other hardness scales. With
a proven history of maintaining a stable standard,
Wilson is uniquely qualified to trace to the new NIST
standards. By combining the NIST standards and the
Wilson historical standards, Wilson can provide the
most accurate and stable hardness standards
available. All other measurement devices used in the
calibration are traceable to NIST.
In Europe calibration is performed using calibration
sets traceable to the European National Measurement
Institutions of IMGC (Italy) and NPL (UK) as well as
NIST (USA) for the Rockwell HRC scale and conform to
ISO and ASTM specifications as required.

Maximum Non-Uniformity Allowed on Standardized Hardness Test Blocks

Hardness Scale and Range

ASTM E 18 Tolerance

Instron Standard Tolerance

Instron Field Service Tolerance

Best Measurement Uncertainty*

25 HRC

1.0

0.8

0.5

.18 HRC

45 HRC

1.0

0.8

0.5

.18 HRC

63 HRC

0.5

0.5

0.3

.16 HRC

*Reported expanded measurement uncertainty is based on a standard uncertainty multiplied by a coverage factor of K = 2 providing a level of confidence
approximately 95%.

Comprehensive Capability

Backed Up By World Class Engineering

Indirect verification

Expertise in hardness testing and related issues

Direct verification

Expertise in metrology and calibration

We verify most types and brands of hardness

testing machines

Standardized test blocks that are traceable to NIST

Instron engineers actively participate in the

relevant ASTM and ISO committees that write
hardness standards

Calibration sets for our customers

Standards level calibration sets for Instron Field

Service Engineers

Other Key Advantages:

h

We keep track of re-calibration dates, so we can

call ahead of time and schedule convenient and
timely re-calibrations

Web access to your calibration certificates

is available through our Web Support
Agreement (WSA)

Calibration certificates are internationally

recognized and accepted through the
ILAC agreement

All of our personnel are fully insured

You will have the full backing of Wilsons Standards

Laboratory and years of expertise. We will assist
you to resolve any hardness issues you may have
with your customers or suppliers. With Instron/Wilson
on your side, you will have the utmost confidence in
the accuracy of your hardness testing program.

Calibration staff are factory-trained and regulary audited in the field.

Rockwell - Indirect Verification

Hardness Scale

Traceability

Standard Compliance

HRA Carbide

CCPA (Cemented Carbide

Producers Association)

ASTM B 294
ISO 3738-2

HRA Steel, HRB,

HRD,HRE, HRF, HRG,
HRH, HRK, HRL, HRM,
HR15N, HR30N,
HR45N, HRP, HRR,
HRS, HR15T, HR30T,
HR45T, HRV, HR15W,
HR30W, HR45W,
HR15X, HR30X,
HR45X, HR15Y,
HR30Y and HR45Y

Original Wilson
Hardness Levels

ASTM E 18

HRC

NIST Standard
Reference Materials

ASTM E 18

Brinell/Vickers/Micro-indentation Indirect Verification

Measured Quantity

Traceability

Standard Compliance

Brinell Hardness
Applied Forces:
10 KGF to 3000 KGF
Ball Diameter:
1 mm to 10 mm

Original Wilson
Hardness Levels

ASTM E 10

Vickers Hardness
1 KGF to 120 KGF

Original Wilson
Hardness Levels

ASTM E 92

Knoop Micro-Indentation
10 g to 1000 g

NIST Standard
Reference Materials

ASTM E 384

Vickers Micro-Indentation
50 g to 1000 g

NIST Standard
Reference Materials

ASTM E 384

Brinell/Vickers/Micro-indentation Microscope

Rockwell - Direct Verification of

Series 2000 Testers
Measured Quantity

Traceability

Standard Compliance

Force, Depth Measuring

Device, Testing Time Cycle

National Standards

ASTM E 18
ASTM E 4

Machine Level and

Frame Stiffness

National Standards

Internal Instron Procedure

Measured Quantity

Traceability

Standard Compliance

10X 100X

National Standards

ASTM E 10

30X 1000X

National Standards

ASTM E 92
ASTM E 384

Instron /Wilson hardness calibrations and verifications

in the field are accredited to ISO 17025 by NVLAP
(Lab Code: 200301-0). NVLAP is administered by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Corporate Headquarters

European Headquarters

825 University Avenue Norwood, MA 02062-2643

Tel: +1 800 473 7838 or +1 781 575 5000 Fax: +1 781 575 5725

Coronation Road, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3SY, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 1494 456815 Fax: +44 1494 456814

Instron Industrial Products

900 Liberty Street, Grove City, PA 16127-9969, USA
Tel: +1 724 458 9610 or +1 800 7263 8378 Fax: +1 724 478 9614

www.instron.com

Instron is a registered trademark of Instron Corporation. Other names, logos, icons and marks identifying Instron
products and services referenced herein are trademarks of Instron Corporation and may not be used without the
prior written permission of Instron. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their
respective companies. Copyright 2006 Instron Corporation. All rights reserved.
All of the specifications shown in this brochure are subject to change without notice.

WB1241