CSM Techniques

More information about CSM Products

Indentation Testing

Micro- and nanoscale indentation instruments are used to measure the hardness and elastic modulus of very thin films and coatings, as well as small material volumes. This technique is also very powerful for measuring fracture toughness, compressive stress and other mechanical properties of MEMS and microsystems devices (e.g., assessing the spring constant of a Si beam in a MEMS accelerometer). CSM Instruments’ indentation testers are the only commercially available instruments that use a surface referencing technique.

Scratch Testing

Macro-, micro-, and nanoscale scratch test instruments evaluate the adhesion of coatings to their substrates. This is a much more quantitative and reproducible test than the "tape-peel test," which remains the standard in some industries. The scratch test has become standardized in the hard coatings industry (cutting tools, thermal barrier coatings, metallic plating, etc.), but has also become frequently used in the polymer industry for assessing the surface scratch resistance (or "mar" resistance) of polymeric topcoats, paints, and varnishes. CSM Instruments’ nano-scratch instrument is the only commercially available system having a force sensor with active force feedback.

Tribology

Tribometers are used to measure friction and wear of different materials in contact under load. The friction coefficient is measured over a period of time and can be monitored to evaluate the lifetime of a particular material pair. High-temperature (up to 1000ºC) and high vacuum (down to 10-8 torr) machines are available for specific applications.

TRN CSM Instruments’ tribometer is the only commercially available system with a differential arm for stable and reliable measurements. These systems are easy to install, can sit on a tabletop without the need of an expensive controlled room, and have easy and automated calibration procedures.