Development and Reliability of Micro-Scale Indentation Testing Equipment

Based on the Oliver-Pharr method and the fracture toughness test method, a micro-scale indentation testing equipment was successfully developed. Its mechanical reliability was verified by the finite element method, and the mechanical property parameters of the high-purity aluminum and zirconia ceramics were tested by the equipment to verify the test performance of the equipment. The results show that the developed micro-scale indentation testing equipment had stable structure, reasonable design, good closed-loop control stability and low noise level, and met the test requirements. The hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness of high-purity aluminum and zirconia ceramics measured by this equipment under different indentation loads were consistent with the results obtained by standard indentation equipment, and the relative error was smaller than 7%, which proved the accuracy of the test results of the equipment.