ESATEST is a patented hardness testing principle developed by ERNST that determines material hardness through the measurement of electrical resistance during a controlled indentation process.
Unlike conventional hardness testing methods that rely on optical measurement of the indentation or strict positioning requirements, ESATEST uses a specially designed conductive diamond indenter that acts both as the penetrator and as a sensor.
During the test, the load is progressively applied while the system continuously acquires electrical resistance data in real time. This allows the instrument to evaluate hardness across different load levels in a single test cycle.
Because the measurement is based on the interaction between the indenter and the material during penetration, ESATEST makes hardness testing possible even in areas that are difficult to access with traditional methods, such as gears, internal surfaces, weld seams, cavities, and heat-affected zones (HAZ).
Key advantages
- Hardness testing in physically difficult-to-reach areas
- Continuous measurement during progressive loading
- Immediate evaluation of surface hardness behavior
- Reduced dependence on conventional optical reading methods
e-handy is ERNST’s portable wireless hardness tester based on the patented ESATEST principle, designed for fast and flexible hardness measurement directly on the part, even in difficult-to-access areas.
MTR-X is ERNST’s motorized ESATEST hardness testing platform, designed for structured, repeatable hardness measurement in production, laboratory, and quality control applications.