The Course


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Learning Objectives

  • Understand the basics of instrumented indentation testing and its use in relationship to conventional indentation techniques.
  • Ability to design and perform indentation experiments which are suited to the sample material and its surface characteristics.
  • Recognize unusual material behaviors and understand how to adapt experimental parameters.
  • Interpret indentation data in order to extract meaningful and valid values of mechanical properties with a high level of confidence.
  • Identify potential measurement artefacts and adapt test parameters accordingly.
  • Understand measurement uncertainties and how to minimize them.
  • Appreciate the variation of surface mechanical properties as a function of depth or spatial distribution and understand how to focus on specific layers, phases or inclusions in a heterogeneous material.
  • Be able to interpret relevant applications and case studies, such as: common coating-substrate combinations, multiphase materials, composites, surface-modified layers, and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices.
  • Recognize currently applicable industrial standards and be able to adapt such test methodologies to own specific application.