TEST. Hardness Control of Spoon Molds Made from 5XHM and X12 Steel
Customer. PAO "Pavlovsky Order of Honor Artistic Metal Products Factory named after Kirov" (abbreviated as PAO "Pavlovsky Factory named after Kirov"), Pavlov, Nizhny Novgorod Region.
The company is the largest manufacturer of tableware in Russia and the CIS, producing over 350 product types—about 30% of the market for domestic equivalents.
The factory was founded in 1890 and has won numerous awards confirming the quality of its products. It is a member of the Association "Folk Art Crafts of Russia," recognized as a company of significant cultural and historical value.
Objects of Control. Molds for spoons made from tool alloy stamping steel with a declared hardness of 54 to 60 HRC.
- Mold for a tea (small) spoon - steel grade 5XHM
- Mold for a table (large) spoon - steel grade X12
Task. Selection of optimal equipment for hardness control of the molds in the center of the cavity for the ladle.
Hypothesis and Test Preparation. The samples have a smooth surface (in the control zone), sufficient dimensions, and weight for using the ultrasonic hardness tester TKM.
Given the information, our laboratory specialists conducted hardness measurements using the ultrasonic hardness tester TKM-459C with the standard type "A" sensor.
Results. Five Rockwell C hardness measurements were taken for each object. The average value was obtained.
| Mold / Steel Grade | Weight, kg | Dimensions (length/width/height), mm | Measurement Results Series, HRC | Average Value, HRC |
| small spoon 5XHM | 7 | 135 x 85 x 85 | 57.2 / 58.1 / 60.6 / 58.0 / 56.9 | 58.2 |
| large spoon X12 | 10.5 | 260 x 100 x 80 | 60.0 / 59.7 / 55.7 / 54.4 / 60.6 | 57.1 |
The customer has been sent the obtained results. We are awaiting feedback on the decision to purchase the TKM-459C hardness tester.
Our Recommendations. To control such products, it is necessary to:
- Prepare the control zone if the roughness is high;
- Ensure the sensor is installed perpendicular to the measured surface (using the "U-459" positioning adapter is advisable);
- Follow the recommended distance between indenter impressions - no less than 1 mm.
Contact us for testing our devices on your samples and selecting equipment for quality control of specific products.