The weld hardness traverse is a series of Vickers hardness measurements at set intervals across the base metal, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and weld metal on a macro section of the welded joint. It reveals hard and brittle zones that may form in the HAZ, and results are compared with the hardness limits in weld procedure qualification.
The test is performed with a method accredited by TÜRKAK under TS EN ISO/IEC 17025 (EN ISO 9015-1, EN ISO 6507-1); results are issued as an accredited test report.
Determined Values
- Base metal, HAZ and weld metal hardness along the test rows (HV10)
- Maximum and mean values per zone
- Sketch showing the test locations
Applied Standards
- EN ISO 9015-1 – Destructive tests on welds in metallic materials, hardness testing of arc welded joints
- EN ISO 6507-1 – Vickers hardness test
- EN ISO 15614-1 – Hardness limits in weld procedure qualification
Specimens and Reporting
Measurements are made on the etched section prepared for macro examination; the test rows and points are shown on a photo or sketch of the section.