ISO 14577-1:2015

Overview

ISO 14577-1:2015 specifies the instrumented indentation test (IIT) method for determining hardness and other materials parameters of metallic (and some non‑metallic) materials. The standard defines three testing ranges:

• Macro: 2 N ≤ F ≤ 30 kN
• Micro: F < 2 N with indentation depth h > 0.2 µm
• Nano: indentation depth h ≤ 0.2 µm

The standard covers continuous recording of force, indentation depth and time, test procedures (force‑ or displacement‑controlled), indenter geometries, machine compliance and calibration needs, and reporting requirements. Annex A specifies calculation of hardness and material parameters from force/depth data.

Key technical topics and requirements

• Test ranges and limits: Clear definitions for macro, micro and nano ranges based on force and/or indentation depth.
• Indenter types: Typical indenters include Vickers (diamond pyramid), Berkovich (triangular pyramid), hardmetal balls and diamond spherical‑tipped conical indenters.
• Calibration and reproducibility: For the nano range, results are highly sensitive to the real indenter tip shape and contact area function - careful calibration of both instrument and indenter is required to achieve reproducible materials parameters.
• Machine capabilities: Testing systems must record force, displacement and time, compensate for machine compliance, and apply appropriate indenter area functions (see Annex C and ISO 14577‑2).
• Data and analysis: Continuous F–h data allow determination of conventional hardness equivalents and additional properties such as indentation modulus, elasto‑plastic hardness, and Martens hardness without optical measurement of the residual indent (Annex A).
• Sources of error & uncertainty: The standard addresses machine compliance, indenter damage at high contact pressures, indenter deformation for very hard test pieces, surface roughness effects (Annex E), drift and creep (Annex G), and guidance on uncertainty estimation (Annex H).
• Test control modes: Both force‑controlled and displacement‑controlled hold segments are described and can yield different time‑dependent results.

Practical applications

• Routine hardness and mechanical parameter characterization in materials testing laboratories
• Depth‑sensitive measurements for thin metallic and non‑metallic coatings and surface layers
• Research and development of metals, alloys, and coatings where local modulus and hardness profiles are required
• Quality assurance and failure analysis for components where small‑scale mechanical properties matter

Who should use this standard

• Materials and metallurgical testing labs
• Coatings and thin‑film researchers and manufacturers
• Hardness testing instrument manufacturers and calibration laboratories
• R&D engineers working on surface treatments, microstructures and small‑scale mechanical characterization

Related standards

• ISO 14577‑2:2015 - Verification and calibration of testing machines
• ISO 14577‑3:2015 - Calibration of reference blocks
• ISO 14577‑4 - Test method for metallic and non‑metallic coatings
• ISO/IEC Guide 98‑3:2008 (GUM) - Uncertainty of measurement

Keywords: ISO 14577-1, instrumented indentation test, hardness testing, indentation modulus, nanoindentation, microindentation, calibration, indenter area function.