Nanoindenter – precise measurement of mechanical properties
Modular nanoindenter for mapping, in-situ testing and controlled environmental conditions. Real-time observation
and high-speed mapping provide reliable results – from the laboratory up to synchrotron beamlines
and advanced local mechanical characterisation workflows where property gradients matter more than bulk averages.
Nanoindenter ASA for high-resolution nanoindentation, mapping and in-situ testing under controlled environments.
Insights: Nanoindenter
Setup, in-situ configurations and high-density mapping
Standalone setup with precise drives and automated test routines.In-situ: real-time observation of deformation (e.g. slip events, cracks).Fast mapping – e.g. an aluminium–Inconel interface.
A unified system with advanced technology
Nanoindenter ASA provides advanced solutions for mechanical characterisation of materials. Its modular design adapts to
specific requirements and enables testing under extreme temperatures and controlled humidity. Thanks to in-situ
real-time observation and high-speed mapping, you obtain precise, reproducible results. The system can be used in the SEM,
under an optical microscope or at synchrotron beamlines. Benefit from locally resolved property measurements and raise your
research to the next level – from instrumented indentation according to ISO 14577 to advanced inverse-FEM-assisted evaluation workflows.
“High-speed mapping and in-situ observation make microstructures visible – from the first slip event to crack initiation.”
Technical functions of Nanoindenter ASA
Function
Description
Mapping
High-speed mapping of hardness and elastic modulus with thousands of test points – ideal for microstructural gradients, welds and multiphase materials.
Micro-tensile tests
Locally resolved stress–strain analysis on microstructures – suitable for thin films, micro-components and specimens with limited geometry.
Micro-scratch
Adhesion and wear testing of coatings: determination of critical loads, crack/delamination onset and tribological interactions.
In-situ
Real-time observation in the SEM, under an optical microscope or at a synchrotron (including XRD) – clear correlation of deformation and crack events.
Environmental control
Temperature modules up to 1000 °C, LTM CRYO down to −150 °C, humidity cell (5–95 % r.h., up to 70 °C) and a liquid cell.
Core functions in detail
Mapping, in-situ analysis and modular environmental control.
Overview of the application sections below: in-situ, mapping, use cases and environmental control.
In-situ
The example shown illustrates how slip planes in the material deform in real time and lead to serrations in the load–displacement
curve. With real-time observation, such serrations can clearly be attributed to the underlying deformation mechanisms.
Without in-situ imaging, this behaviour might be mistaken for measurement noise. Crack events can also be identified unambiguously.
In-situ measurements therefore provide extensive information for interpreting material response in mechanical tests, including
advanced local mechanical evaluations.
Mapping
High-speed testing changes the way surface properties are characterised by nanoindentation. Maps can be acquired at very high
speed and with outstanding resolution. This is increasingly used to map multiphase materials, interfaces and graded properties
(for example across a weld). The example below shows a fast mapping run across an aluminium–Inconel interface with a diamond indenter.
Fig. – Nanoindentation mapping
Use cases for Nanoindenter ASA
The modular Nanoindenter ASA is highly versatile and ideal for a wide range of applications in materials research.
Ex-situ: stand-alone operation of the nanoindenter without additional systems.
Micro-CT: integration into micro-CT systems with additional evaluation of 3D measurement data and plastic stress–strain curves via i3D technology.
In-situ SEM: real-time observation by mounting the system inside a scanning electron microscope.
In-situ light microscope: cost-efficient in-situ testing under an optical microscope.
In-situ synchrotron, XRD: compatible with synchrotron beamlines for comprehensive materials investigations.
Further possible integrations: EBSD, DIC, AFM, µ-Raman spectroscopy.
Control of environmental conditions
Nanoindenter ASA offers a range of options to control environmental conditions and test materials under different scenarios:
Temperature modules at 400 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C with setpoint accuracy better than 0.1 °C.
LTM CRYO for temperatures down to −150 °C.
Humidity cell for relative humidity between 5–95 % and temperatures up to 70 °C.
Liquid cell: for example to test biomaterials in hydrated state, hydrogels or tribological interactions in liquids.
How reliable is mapping in heterogeneous materials?
Thanks to the high point density, multiphase regions, interfaces and gradients can be captured reliably.
Statistical robustness across thousands of points minimises outliers; plausibility is supported by image documentation
and optional 3D topography data – an excellent basis for advanced local material studies.
Which in-situ setups are supported?
Nanoindenter ASA is designed for in-situ measurements in the SEM, under an optical microscope and at synchrotron beamlines
(including XRD). Additional integrations such as EBSD, DIC, AFM or µ-Raman are also possible.
Can I test under temperature, humidity or in liquids?
Yes. Temperature modules up to 1000 °C, LTM CRYO down to −150 °C, a humidity cell (5–95 % r.h., up to 70 °C)
and a liquid cell are available. This allows realistic conditions to be reproduced for nanoindentation and related mechanical tests.
