hardness testing machine, portable hardness tester sonodur3, sonodur 3 hardness tester, newsonic hardness tester, foerster hardness tester

The mobile SONODUR 3 hardness testing machine is robust, suitable for industrial use, and specially designed and built for rough everyday use. It has a high functionality level similar to that of modern smartphones. The powerful energy concept has up to eight hours of battery life in continuous operation.

The software of the SONODUR 3 is based on the future-proof Android platform with almost any expansion possibilities. The device is thus ideally equipped for daily use as a “workhorse” in hardening and industrial plants with outdoor operations as well as for tasks that are increasingly being discussed today in connection with comprehensive communication in production lines, keyword IoT.

The SONODUR 3 masters the evaluations of the hardness testing methods UCI (Ultrasonic Contact Impedance) and the rebound hardness testing according to Leeb:

In the area of UCI hardness testing, the instrument works with cable-connected probes of the SONO-H/M/S series. These are available in different versions and test loads. Hand-held probes are available in the standard test loads 10 N, 30 N, 49 N, and 98 N. Motor probes are available in 1 N, 3 N, and 8.6 N versions. For tripod probes, there are test forces of 10 N, 49 N, 98 N.

The sensors for rebound hardness testing according to Leeb are connected wirelessly, via Bluetooth with the SONODUR 3. The SONO L rebound sensors are available in the D-C/D/G version.

The mobile high-tech all-rounder is used for quality control in incoming goods and during production, as well as for rapid hardness testing of metallic materials after heat treatment or surface processing. The system is also excellently suited for hardness testing at positions that are difficult to access and for mobile weld seam testing in confined spaces. The layer hardness measurement with several measuring points and its easy adjustment functions on almost all fine-grained, homogeneous materials round off the SONODUR 3’s range of applications.

Advantages

Industrial-grade, rugged design: Permanently available
Multi touch software design based on Android: Easy and intuitive handling of the software. All information at a glance by means of graphical display of measured values and tolerance thresholds
Data transmission via WLAN, Bluetooth, USB: Well prepared for future tasks
Large, flat, and armoured color display incl. protective foils: Long service life, easy to clean
Maximum flexibility: SONODUR 3 has the largest range of UCI test probes on the market
Unique combination option with Leeb sensors via Bluetooth: 2 in 1 concept
Standardized test method: UCI method – Our expertise for your safety

Portable Hardness Tester for Metal Components

The SONODUR 3 is a portable ultrasonic hardness tester designed for fast and accurate hardness testing of metal components. It allows manufacturers to measure hardness directly on the component without cutting or damaging the material.

Traditional hardness testing methods often require preparing samples in a laboratory. With SONODUR 3, hardness testing can be performed directly on production parts, finished components, or large metal structures.

This makes it suitable for quality control in manufacturing, maintenance inspection, and field testing applications.

Ultrasonic Hardness Testing for Industrial Applications

The SONODUR 3 uses the UCI (Ultrasonic Contact Impedance) method, a widely used non-destructive testing technique for measuring hardness in metallic materials.

In this method, a vibrating probe is pressed onto the surface of the material. The change in ultrasonic frequency is measured and converted into hardness values.

This technology allows accurate hardness testing for many metals, including:

steel and alloy steel
stainless steel
aluminum alloys
copper alloys
heat-treated metal components

Because the probe creates only a very small indentation, the method is suitable for finished or precision components.

Typical Applications of Portable Hardness Testing

Portable hardness testers are widely used in industries where material hardness must be verified during production or inspection.

Common applications include:

hardness testing of forged components
inspection of heat-treated parts
hardness verification of gears and shafts
weld inspection and heat affected zone testing
hardness testing of large metal structures

Engineers often use portable hardness testers when testing components that cannot be moved to a laboratory testing machine.

Industries Using Ultrasonic Hardness Testers

Portable hardness testing equipment is widely used across several industries.

Typical industries include:

automotive component manufacturing
forging and heat treatment plants
aerospace component manufacturing
steel and metal processing industries
power generation and heavy engineering

These industries rely on hardness testing to ensure product quality, material strength, and compliance with engineering standards.

Advantages of Portable Hardness Testing

Portable hardness testers provide several advantages for industrial inspection.

Key benefits include:

non-destructive hardness testing directly on the component
testing of large or heavy components without cutting samples
quick measurement results for production environments
minimal surface damage due to small indentation
suitable for field inspection and quality control

These advantages make ultrasonic hardness testing a practical solution for manufacturing and maintenance inspections.

Discuss Your Hardness Testing Application

If your application requires portable hardness testing for metal components, the SONODUR 3 can provide fast and reliable hardness measurement directly on the part.

Our engineers can help evaluate your application and recommend the appropriate probe and configuration for your testing requirements.

Download Brochure

Application Notes

Notice to GE/Krautkrämer Hardness Tester Users:

Are you still using Krautkrämer/GE products of the MIC 10 & MIC 20 series and would like to have them repaired due to a technical defect? Then you have come to the right place. FOERSTER has the competence, the test material, and the technical means to calibrate and repair your probes or devices.

We offer the best possible service for repairs and calibrations of: – MIC 10 indicators (exception: MIC 20 or DynaMIC) – as well as the UCI hand-held and motor probes of MIC 10 & MIC 20 indicators (as probes are identical in construction)

Furthermore, we offer modern replacement probes for use with your existing MIC 10 or MIC 20 instrument, should your probe be beyond repair. Another advantage of this offer is, if your MIC 10 or MIC 20 display unit is beyond repair: The SONO replacement probes for MIC 10 and MIC 20 display units from FOERSTER can be adapted for the use of a modern SONODUR 3 display unit by our service with a conversion kit.

Our service offers you the following advantages

Competent appraisal and advice
Short repair times
Technically and professionally correct repair of your instruments and probes for a durable product
Future-proof replacement probes for a later switch to SONODUR 3 units

For the official announcement from Waygate, please read here