Patent Document ID: 10163201
Application ID: 15251324
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A hardness tester measuring hardness of a three-dimensional sample by loading a predetermined test force on a surface of the three-dimensional sample with an indenter to form an indentation, and measuring dimensions of the indentation, the hardness tester comprising: a memory configured to associate and store a parts program having defined measurement conditions with respect to the three-dimensional sample, including a test position, with an image file including an image of a shape of the three-dimensional sample; a camera configured to acquire image data of the three-dimensional sample to be measured; a processor configured to: perform a pattern matching process, on the image data of the three-dimensional sample acquired by the camera, using the image file associated with the parts program stored in the memory; determine, as a result of the pattern matching process, whether a pattern matching image file exists, the pattern matching image file having a shape corresponding to the image data of the three-dimensional sample acquired by the camera; retrieve, when the processor determines that the pattern matching image file exists, the parts program associated with the image file from the memory; and a measurer configured to perform hardness testing on the three-dimensional sample to be measured and measures the hardness of the three-dimensional sample, based on the parts program retrieved, wherein the parts program enables replications of a hardness test for the identified shape by logging a procedure for the hardness test, the procedure including at least a test position, one or more measurement conditions, and a test force to be applied, wherein the parts program corresponds to the shape of the three-dimensional sample, and wherein the parts program is retrieved automatically, by the processor, upon successful pattern matching process of the image data.