JP2002323422A - Hardness meter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a hardness meter to indicate a target measuring position on a test piece with light. SOLUTION: An arbitrary position on the test piece W placed on a sample tray 90 can be irradiated with irradiating light emitted from irradiation equipment 70 by changing the projected position of the light in the plane of the tray 90 by means of a moving mechanism while the light is projected from the equipment 70. Since a measuring position can be indicated by means of the equipment 70, the target measuring position can be decided easily as compared with the conventional case where the position is visually decided by setting the virtual optical axis of the objective lens of an observation device on the test piece W.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hardness tester, and more particularly, to a hardness tester which is set while observing a measurement point using an indenter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A hardness tester is known in which a predetermined load is applied to an indenter to form an indentation on a specimen, and the hardness of the specimen is measured from the shape of the indentation. In such a hardness tester, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-45964, the test specimen is set on a mounting table that can move in XY, and a measurement position is determined by a microscope arranged above the mounting table. An indent is formed on the surface of the test piece with the indenter.

[0003]

Conventionally, when the measurement position is determined, the virtual optical axis of the objective lens of the microscope is visually adjusted to the measurement target position while the mounting table is moved in the XY directions by the XY stage. Thereafter, the objective lens is brought close to the specimen, focused, and the measurement target position is accurately positioned while observing the measurement location. Since the mounting table is moved so that the virtual optical axis of the objective lens coincides with the measurement position by visual observation, positioning may take a long time or may not be performed accurately.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a hardness tester capable of indicating a measurement target position on a specimen by light.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing an embodiment, a hardness tester according to the present invention
A sample table 90 on which the specimen W is placed, an indenter 55a for applying a load to the specimen W, and an observation device 45 for observing the specimen W
And an irradiation device 70 for irradiating irradiation light to an arbitrary position on the specimen W, and moving mechanisms 20 and 30 for two-dimensionally moving the irradiation position of the irradiation light within the plane of the sample table 90. I do.

[0006] In the section of the means for solving the above-mentioned problems, which explains the configuration of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments of the present invention are used to make the present invention easy to understand. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing a configuration of a hardness tester according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view. FIG. 2 shows FIG.
FIG. The XYZ axes are taken as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hardness meter according to the present embodiment has a base 11 on which a mounting table 10 is provided.
A Y-stage guide rail 21 and a Y-stage driving device 22 extending on the base 11 in the Y-axis direction; and a gate-shaped movable member provided in the Y-stage guide rail 21 and the Y-stage driving device 22 and moving in the Y-axis direction. A Y stage 23, an X stage 32 that moves in the X axis direction by an X axis driving device 31 that extends on the Y stage 23 in the X axis direction, and an observation device 45 provided on the X stage 32 are provided. A first Z-stage driving device 42 that moves up and down the first Z-stage 41 in the Z-axis direction, and a second Z-stage 51 provided on the X-stage 32 and provided with a load device 55 is moved up and down in the Z-axis direction. A second Z stage driving device 52, a joystick 60 for instructing each stage to be driven, and X
A laser irradiation device 70 provided on the stage 32 and irradiating a marker light for indicating a measurement target position on the specimen W;
And a monitor 80 for displaying an image observed by the observation device 45. The specimen W is set on a sample table 90 provided with rollers on the bottom surface, and the sample table 90 is fixed on the mounting table 10 for measurement. The sample table 90 is carried onto the mounting table 10 by the carry-in device 100.

The Y-stage driving device 22 has a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Y-axis direction, and a Y-stage driving motor 22a for driving the screw rod to rotate. Y stage 2
The base end of one leg 23a of the third stage 3 is screwed into the screw rod rotated by the Y stage driving device 22, and the Y stage 2 is rotated when the screw rod is rotated by the Y stage driving motor 22a.
3 moves in the Y direction. The other leg 2 of the Y stage 23
The base end of 3b is engaged with the Y stage guide rail 21 to guide the movement of the Y stage 23 in the Y axis direction. Y stage guide rail 21, Y stage driving device 22,
The Y stage 23 constitutes the Y stage device 20.

The X-stage driving device 31 has a screw rod (not shown) extending in the X-axis direction, and an X-stage driving motor 31a for driving the screw rod to rotate. X stage 3
Numeral 2 is screwed onto the above-mentioned screw rod rotated by the X-stage driving device 31, and moves in the X-axis direction when the screw rod is rotated by the X-stage driving motor 31a. The X stage driving device 31 and the X stage 32 constitute the X stage device 30.

The first Z stage driving device 42 has a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction, and a Z stage driving motor 42a for driving the screw rod to rotate. The first Z stage 41 is screwed onto the screw rod rotated by the Z stage driving device 42, and the Z stage driving motor 42a
When the screw rod rotates, it moves in the Z-axis direction. The first Z stage 41 and the Z stage driving device 42 constitute a first Z stage device 40.

An observation device 45 which moves up and down in the Z-axis direction by the first Z stage device 40 images the surface of the specimen W with an image sensor such as a CCD and displays the image on a monitor 80. Preferably, a focus detection device is provided in the observation device 45, and the first Z stage 41 is moved up and down in accordance with the detection result to perform focusing. The observer may visually observe the surface of the specimen using the observation device 45 as an optical microscope.

The second Z-stage driving device 52 has a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction, and a Z-stage driving motor 52a for driving the screw rod to rotate. The second Z stage 51 is screwed to the screw rod rotated by the Z stage driving device 52, and the Z stage driving motor 52a
As a result, when the screw rod rotates, it moves up and down in the Z-axis direction. The second Z stage device 50 is configured by the second Z stage 51 and the Z stage driving device 52. The load device 55 installed on the second Z stage 51 is, as is well known,
An indenter 55a and a weight (not shown) for pressing the indenter 55a against the specimen W are provided.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control system of the hardness meter. The control system includes a control circuit 201 having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like.
a, Y stage drive motor 22a, first and second Z
Stage drive motors 42a and 52a, C of observation device 45
CD 45a, load device 55, irradiation device 70, monitor 80
Are respectively controlled by the control circuit 201. The control circuit 201 includes an X encoder 30E for detecting the position of the X stage 32, a Y encoder 20E for detecting the position of the Y stage 23, a first Z encoder 40E for detecting the position of the first Z stage 41, and a second A position signal is input from a second Z encoder 50E that detects the position of the Z stage 51. The joystick 60 or the keyboard 81 described above is also connected to the control circuit 201. The control circuit 201 stores the position signal captured by the teaching operation, and calculates the target positions of the observation device 45 and the load device 55 from the position signal as described later. Further, as described later, the hardness is calculated by calculating the diagonal length of the indentation by image processing.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, the specimen W was set on the sample stage 90, and FIG.
The sample table 90 is loaded onto the mounting table 10 and fixed by the loading apparatus 100 shown in FIG. The irradiating device 70 irradiates the marker light, and operates the joystick 60 so that the marker light illuminates a desired measurement position.
3 is driven for positioning. At this time, even if the specimen W has irregularities, the irradiation apparatus 70 is sufficiently separated from the specimen W so that the irradiation apparatus 70 does not collide with the projection. In this case, the optical system of the irradiation device 70 is configured so that the spot diameter of the marker light is about 1 mm even when the irradiation device 70 is separated from the specimen W. The measurer determines the measurement target position by looking at the marker light. When the target position is determined, a position storage instruction is given by the joystick 60, and the control circuit 2
Then, the position signals from the X and Y encoders 30E and 20E taken into the storage unit 01 are stored in a storage device (not shown). By performing such operations a plurality of times, teaching at a plurality of measurement target positions is performed.

Next, the observation device 4 is placed at the teaching position.
The XY stages 32 and 23 are driven so that the optical axes of No. 5 coincide. The X stage 32 includes an observation device 45 and an irradiation device 7.
0 is integrally provided, and the relative positional relationship between the two in the XY coordinate system is known. Therefore, the measurement target position determined and stored by the irradiation light, the irradiation device 70 and the observation device 4
The target position of the optical axis of the observation device 45 is calculated based on the relative positional relationship between the optical axes of the observation device 45, and the observation device 45 can be accurately positioned.

First, the XY stages 32 and 23 are driven so that the observation device 45 is adjusted to the first measurement position.
The first measurement point is imaged by the CCD 45a of the observation device 45, displayed on the monitor 80, and it is determined whether the measurement point is appropriate. If appropriate, the position is stored in the storage device as the first measurement position. Also in this case, as described above, the X and Y encoders 3 incorporated in the control circuit 201
Store the position signals of 0E and 20E. For example, if the observation position is on the crystal grain boundary, the XY stage 3
2 and 23 are driven to change the measurement position. Then, if the measurement position is appropriate, an instruction to store the position is given by the joystick 60, and the position signals from the X and Y encoders 30E and 20E are similarly stored. Such an operation is performed for all measurement points, and teaching at a plurality of hardness measurement positions is completed.

An observation device 45 and a load device 55 are integrally held on the X stage 32, and the relative positional relationship between them in the XY coordinate system is known. Therefore, the XY coordinate position stored as an appropriate measurement position by the above teaching, the optical axis of the observation device 45 and the indenter 55a of the load device 55
Based on the relative positional relationship with the indenter 55a, the measurement position to be loaded by the indenter 55a is calculated, and the indenter 55a can be positioned at that position. As described above, when the teaching at a plurality of measurement positions is completed, the actual hardness measurement is started.

First, the X stage 32 and the Y stage 2
3 so that the indenter 55a faces the first measurement position,
The load device 55 is lowered to a predetermined height by the second Z stage drive device 52, and the indenter 55a is brought into contact with the surface of the specimen W. In this state, a weight built in the load device 55 is caused to act on the indenter 55a to form an indent on the specimen W. When the indentation is formed, the load device 55 is raised by the second Z stage drive device 52, and the XY stage device 3
The indenter 55a is caused to face the next measurement position by 0 and 20. Then, indentations are formed on the specimen W with the indenter 55a in the same manner. By repeating such an operation, indentations are respectively formed at a plurality of measurement positions determined by teaching in advance.

Next, indentations formed at a plurality of measurement positions are picked up by the CCD 45a of the observation device 45, and the image is processed to calculate the diagonal length of the indentations to calculate the hardness. Therefore, first, the X stage 32 and the Y stage 23 are moved to move the observation device 4 to the first measurement position.
The optical axes of No. 5 are opposed to each other. In order to adjust the focus of the observation device 45 to the indentation, the observation device 45 is set to a predetermined height by the first Z stage driving device 42. In this state, CCD 45
The image captured in step a is captured, binarized, and stored in the buffer memory as a digital image. When the image capture for the first measurement position is completed, the XY stage 3
The indentation at the second measurement position is imaged by moving the observation device 45 by moving the observation device 45 to the second measurement position, and is similarly stored in the memory as a digital image. By repeating such processing, images of the indentations at all the measurement positions are stored.
Predetermined image processing is performed on all the stored images to calculate the diagonal lengths of the plurality of indentations, and the hardness of the plurality of measurement points is calculated based on the load applied by the indenter 55a and the diagonal length.

According to such a hardness tester, since the observation device 45 and the load device 55 are moved in the XY plane without moving the specimen W, even if the specimen W is enlarged, the specimen W
Mounting table 10 does not increase in size accordingly. As a result, the hardness meter can be downsized.

Even if the surface of the specimen W has irregularities, if the irradiation device 70 is sufficiently separated from the specimen W, the X stage 32 and the Y stage can be moved without raising and lowering the irradiation device 70 in the Z direction each time the irradiation device 70 has irregularities. Irradiation device 70 is moved to XY by stage 23
It can move two-dimensionally in a horizontal plane. As a result, the teaching time of the measurement position with respect to the specimen W having irregularities can be reduced. Since the hardness measurement position can be roughly determined by visually observing the marker light irradiated on the specimen W, the virtual optical axis of the objective lens is set on the specimen W and visually determined as in the related art. It is easier to determine the target measurement position than to perform positioning.

The observation device 45 and the load device 55 are installed on the first and second Z stage devices 40 and 50, respectively, so that they can be individually raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction. The operation of teaching the measurement position is simplified. Further, it is possible to measure the hardness in the concave portion of the specimen W, which was conventionally difficult. That is, the XY stage devices 30, 2
With 0, the optical axis of the observation device 45 is opposed to the measurement position, and the observation device 45 is lowered in the Z-axis direction by the first Z stage device 40. That is, the lens barrel of the observation device 45 is made to enter the concave portion, and the measurement is focused on the measurement position on the surface of the specimen to observe. If the measurement position is appropriate, the position is stored. The observation device 45 is raised, and the target XY coordinate position of the indenter 55a is calculated based on the stored position. The indenter 55a is moved to the target XY coordinate position by the XY stage devices 30 and 20, and faces the measurement position in the concave portion. The indenter 55a of the load device 55 is brought into contact with the measurement position of the specimen W by the second Z stage device 50, and a load is applied to the specimen W via the indenter 50a to form an impression. As described above, the observation device 45 and the load device 55 are moved integrally in the XY plane,
In addition, since the members are individually raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction, it is possible to measure the hardness of the concave portions, which has been conventionally difficult.

In the above-described embodiment, the observation device 45 is an imaging device using the CCD 45a, but may be an optical microscope. In this case, the diagonal length of the indentation is measured not by image processing but by visual observation using an optical microscope. I do. In addition, a plurality of measurement target positions are sequentially determined, and a measurement position is determined by sequentially observing the specimen at the determined plurality of target positions,
Indentations were sequentially formed at a plurality of measurement positions, and the hardness was calculated by sequentially capturing images of the indentations at a plurality of measurement positions. However, the test position was determined by observing the specimen at one measurement target position. Then, an impression may be formed, an image may be taken in, the hardness may be calculated, and then the hardness may be calculated for the next measurement target position in a similar procedure. The irradiation device 70
Is mounted on the X stage 32 and moved two-dimensionally. However, if the specimen is not so large, a scanning mechanism for scanning the light emitted from the fixed irradiation device 70 may be provided. In this case, the scanning mechanism is a mechanism for moving the irradiation light.

FIG. 4 shows a laser beam irradiation device according to the present invention provided in a conventional hardness tester, and a measurement target position is visualized by marker light. As shown in FIG. 4, a specimen is placed on an XYZ stage 301, and a revolver 302, which is rotatably installed above facing the stage 301, has a microscope objective lens 303, an indenter 304, a laser irradiation device 305, Is provided. 306 is the objective lens 3
307, an eyepiece that constitutes an optical microscope together with 03
Is a CCD image sensor for imaging the surface of the test sample.

The procedure for measuring the hardness with the hardness meter shown in FIG. 4 will be described. By rotating the revolver 302, the irradiation device 3
05 is opposed to the specimen, and the specimen is irradiated with a laser spot light. The measurer moves the XYZ stage 301 while visually observing the spot light on the specimen so that the measurement target position of the specimen is irradiated with the laser light. When the measurement target is determined, the revolver 302 is rotated so that the objective lens 303 faces the target position, the focus is adjusted, and the surface of the specimen is observed. If not on the crystal grain boundary, the revolver 302 is rotated so that the indenter 305 faces the measurement position, and the indenter 304 forms an indentation on the measured value.

Also in the hardness meter shown in FIG. 4, the target position to be measured is indicated by visible light, so that the determination of the target position becomes extremely easy.

[0028]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the measurement position can be easily specified by irradiating the test sample with visible light by the irradiation device, so that the measurement position can be easily determined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a hardness tester according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the hardness meter of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view showing another embodiment of the hardness meter;
(A) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 Y stage device 23 Y stage 30 X stage device 32 X stage 40 First Z stage device 41 First Z stage 45 Observation device 50 Second Z stage device 51 Second Z stage 55 Load device 55a Indenter 90 Sample Table W Specimen

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Kudo 13 Edison Hard Co., Ltd., Nakadoji Maedacho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (72) Inventor Yoshiyuki Fujita 13 Edison Hard, Inc. 72) Inventor Toyoichi Maeda 1-term, Kuwabaracho, Nishinokyo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto F-term in Shimadzu Corporation Sanjo Plant (reference) 2H052 AC01 AC34 AD09 AD19 AF02 AF14 AF25

Claims (1)

[Claims] A specimen stage on which a specimen is placed; an indenter for applying a load to the specimen; an observation device for observing the specimen; and irradiation for irradiating an arbitrary position on the specimen with irradiation light. A hardness tester comprising: a device; and a moving mechanism that two-dimensionally moves an irradiation position of the irradiation light within a horizontal plane of the sample stage.