Patent ID: 7380443

Claim:
A hardness testing apparatus, which has a test force applying section for applying a predetermined test force at which an indenter is pushed into a surface of a sample, and a plurality of object lenses to display an enlarged image of a dimple formed on the surface of the sample by the indenter on a display and measures a hardness of the sample according to the dimple, comprising: a hardness input section to receive an assumed hardness of the sample assumed by a user; a dimple information input section for receiving information relating to a size of the dimple from the user; an objective lens selection section for selecting one objective lens to be used for observation of the dimple according to the information relating to the size of the dimple inputted using the dimple information input section; and a test force calculation section for calculating a test force, at which the indenter is pushed into the surface of the sample, according to the hardness of the sample inputted by the hardness input section and a magnification of the objective lens selected by the objective lens selection section.