The Paint and Coating Hardness Tester from Fischer is available in two models: Fischerscope Hm2000 and Picodentor Hm500R. These instruments have been developed for the hard material coatings in general, such as ultra-thin DLC coatings, dirt-repellent coatings (e.g., sol-gel coatings), coatings for PC hard disks and CDs, very thin lacquer coatings, ion-implanted surfaces, and other applications.
The instrument works with a resolution of approximately 100 nanonewtons for applying the test load. They resolution is also useful for measuring the indentation depth, which is at about 40 picometer. The HM500 is built with a maximum test load of 500 mN at a maximum indentation depth of 150 µm. Accurate measurements with an excellent repeatability is ensured by the instrument's design. This design employs a closed measuring chamber, as well as an active anti-vibration table.