JP4073700B2 - Hardness tester - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hardness meter, and more particularly, to a hardness meter that is set while observing a measurement location by an indenter.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A hardness meter is known in which a predetermined load is applied to an indenter to form an indentation on a specimen, and the hardness of the specimen is measured from the shape of the indentation. In such a hardness tester, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-45964, the specimen is set on an XY movable mounting table, and the measurement position is determined by a microscope disposed above the mounting table. While forming an indentation on the surface of the specimen with an indenter.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, when determining the measurement position, the virtual optical axis of the objective lens of the microscope is visually aligned with the measurement target position while moving the mounting table in the XY direction by the XY stage. After that, the objective lens is brought close to the specimen and focused, and the measurement target position is accurately positioned while observing the measurement location. Since the mounting table is moved so that the virtual optical axis of the objective lens coincides with the measurement position by visual observation, it may take time for positioning or may not be accurately positioned.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide a hardness meter that can indicate a measurement target position on a specimen by light.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing an embodiment, the hardness meter according to the present invention sets a sample stage 90 on which a specimen W is placed and a plurality of measurement target positions on the specimen W. In this case, the irradiation device 70 for irradiating the marker light that indicates the measurement target position and the irradiation position are two-dimensionally moved in the horizontal plane of the sample stage so that the marker light can be irradiated to any position on the specimen W. It is characterized by comprising moving mechanisms 20 and 30, an observation device 70 for observing a measurement target position on the specimen W, and an indenter 55a that applies a load to the specimen W at the measurement target position .
[0006]
In the section of the means for solving the above-described problems for explaining the configuration of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments of the invention are used for easy understanding of the present invention. It is not limited.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are diagrams showing the configuration of a hardness meter according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view. FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG. 1 and 2, the XYZ axes are taken as shown.
[0008]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hardness meter according to the present embodiment includes a base 11 provided with a mounting table 10, a Y stage guide rail 21 extending on the base 11 in the Y-axis direction, and Y-stage driving device 22, Y-stage guide rail 21, and Y-stage Y stage 23 provided on Y-stage driving device 22 that moves in the Y-axis direction, and X-axis extending on Y-stage 23 in the X-axis direction An X stage 32 that is moved in the X-axis direction by the drive device 31 and a first Z stage drive device that is provided on the X stage 32 and moves up and down in the Z-axis direction on the first Z stage 41 on which the observation device 45 is installed. 42, a second Z stage driving device 52 that is provided on the X stage 32 and moves up and down the second Z stage 51 on which the load device 55 is installed in the Z-axis direction, and a joy for instructing driving of each stage. With a tick 60, provided on the X stage 32, a laser irradiation device 70 for irradiating a marker light for indicating the measurement target position on the specimen is W, the monitor 80 for displaying an image observed by the observation device 45. The specimen W is set on a sample table 90 having a roller on the bottom surface, and measurement is performed with the sample table 90 fixed on the mounting table 10. The sample table 90 is loaded onto the mounting table 10 by the loading device 100.
[0009]
The Y stage drive device 22 has a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Y-axis direction and a Y stage drive motor 22a that rotationally drives the screw rod. The base end of one leg 23a of the Y stage 23 is screwed into the screw rod rotated by the Y stage drive device 22, and the Y stage 23 moves in the Y direction when the screw rod is rotated by the Y stage drive motor 22a. To do. The base end portion of the other leg portion 23b of the Y stage 23 engages with the Y stage guide rail 21 to guide the movement of the Y stage 23 in the Y-axis direction. The Y stage guide rail 21, the Y stage driving device 22, and the Y stage 23 constitute a Y stage device 20.
[0010]
The X stage drive device 31 includes a screw rod (not shown) extending in the X-axis direction and an X stage drive motor 31a that rotationally drives the screw rod. The X stage 32 is screwed onto the screw rod rotated by the X stage driving device 31, and moves in the X-axis direction when the screw rod is rotated by the X stage driving motor 31a. The X stage apparatus 30 is configured by the X stage driving apparatus 31 and the X stage 32.
[0011]
The first Z stage drive device 42 includes a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction, and a Z stage drive motor 42a that rotationally drives the screw rod. The first Z stage 41 is screwed onto the screw rod rotated by the Z stage drive device 42, and moves in the Z-axis direction when the screw rod is rotated by the Z stage drive motor 42a. The first Z stage 41 and the Z stage driving device 42 constitute a first Z stage device 40.
[0012]
An observation device 45 that moves up and down in the Z-axis direction by the first Z stage device 40 images the surface of the specimen W with an image sensor such as a CCD and displays the image on the monitor 80. Preferably, the observation device 45 is provided with a focus detection device, and the first Z stage 41 is moved up and down according to the detection result to perform focusing. The measurement device may visually observe the surface of the specimen using the observation device 45 as an optical microscope.
[0013]
The second Z stage drive device 52 includes a screw rod (not shown) extending in the Z-axis direction and a Z stage drive motor 52a that rotationally drives the screw rod. The second Z stage 51 is screwed onto the screw rod rotated by the Z stage driving device 52, and moves up and down in the Z-axis direction when the screw rod is rotated by the Z stage driving motor 52a. The second Z stage 51 and the Z stage driving device 52 constitute a second Z stage device 50. As is well known, the load device 55 installed on the second Z stage 51 includes an indenter 55a and a weight (not shown) for pressing the indenter 55a against the specimen W, and a screw rod is provided by the Z stage drive device 52a. Moves up and down in the Z direction.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control system of the hardness meter. This control system includes a control circuit 201 having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The above-described X stage drive motor 31a, Y stage drive motor 22a, first and second Z stage drive motors 42a and 52a, and an observation device 45 are provided. The CCD 45a, the load device 55, the irradiation device 70, and the monitor 80 are controlled by the control circuit 201, respectively. The control circuit 201 includes an X encoder 30E that detects the position of the X stage 32, a Y encoder 20E that detects the position of the Y stage 23, a first Z encoder 40E that detects the position of the first Z stage 41, and a second encoder. A position signal is input from the second Z encoder 50E that detects the position of the Z stage 51. The control circuit 201 is also connected to the joystick 60 or the keyboard 81 described above. The control circuit 201 stores the position signal acquired by the teaching operation, and calculates the target position of the observation device 45 and the load device 55 from the position signal as will be described later. Further, as will be described later, the diagonal length of the indentation is calculated by image processing to calculate the hardness.
[0015]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. First, the specimen W is set on the sample table 90, and the sample table 90 is loaded onto the mounting table 10 and fixed by the loading device 100 shown in FIG. Marker light is irradiated from the irradiation device 70, and the joystick 60 is operated to drive and position the XY stages 32 and 23 so that the marker light illuminates a desired measurement position. At this time, the irradiation apparatus 70 is sufficiently separated from the specimen W so that the irradiation apparatus 70 does not collide with the convex portion even if the specimen W is uneven. In this case, the optical system of the irradiation apparatus 70 is configured so that the spot diameter of the marker light is about 1 mm even when the irradiation apparatus 70 is separated from the specimen W. The measurer determines the measurement target position by visually observing the marker light. When the target position is determined, a position storage instruction is given by the joystick 60, and the position signals from the X and Y encoders 30E and 20E fetched into the control circuit 201 at that time are stored in a storage device (not shown). Such an operation is performed a plurality of times to teach a plurality of measurement target positions.
[0016]
Next, the XY stages 32 and 23 are driven so that the optical axis of the observation device 45 coincides with the teaching position. An observation device 45 and an irradiation device 70 are integrally installed on the X stage 32, and the relative positional relationship between the two in the XY coordinate system is known. Therefore, the target position of the optical axis of the observation device 45 is calculated based on the measurement target position determined and stored by the irradiation light and the relative positional relationship between the optical axes of the irradiation device 70 and the observation device 45, and the observation device 45 is Accurate positioning.
[0017]
First, the XY stages 32 and 23 are driven so that the observation device 45 is aligned with the first measurement position. The CCD 45a of the observation device 45 images the first measurement location and displays it on the monitor 80 to determine whether it is appropriate as a measurement location. If appropriate, the position is stored in the storage device as the first measurement position. Also in this case, as described above, the position signals of the X and Y encoders 30E and 20E captured in the control circuit 201 are stored. For example, when the observation position is on the crystal grain boundary, it is not appropriate as a hardness measurement point, so the XY stages 32 and 23 are driven by the joystick 60 to change the measurement position. If the measurement position is appropriate, the joystick 60 instructs to store the position, and similarly stores the position signals from the X and Y encoders 30E and 20E. Such an operation is performed on all the measurement points, and teaching at a plurality of hardness measurement positions is completed.
[0018]
An observation device 45 and a load device 55 are integrally held on the X stage 32, and the relative positional relationship between the two in the XY coordinate system is known. Therefore, based on the XY coordinate position stored as an appropriate measurement position by teaching and the relative positional relationship between the optical axis of the observation device 45 and the indenter 55a of the load device 55, the measurement position to be loaded by the indenter 55a is determined. It is possible to calculate and position the indenter 55a to that position. As described above, when teaching at a plurality of measurement positions is completed, actual hardness measurement is started.
[0019]
First, the X stage 32 and the Y stage 23 are moved to oppose the indenter 55a to the first measurement position, and the load device 55 is lowered to a predetermined height by the second Z stage driving device 52 to provide the indenter 55a. Contact the surface of the specimen W. In this state, a weight built in the load device 55 is applied to the indenter 55a to form an indentation on the specimen W. When the indentation is formed, the load device 55 is raised by the second Z stage driving device 52, and the indenter 55a is opposed to the next measurement position by the XY stage devices 30 and 20. Similarly, an indentation is formed on the specimen W with the indenter 55a. Indentation is formed at each of a plurality of measurement positions determined by teaching in advance by repeating such an operation.
[0020]
Next, the indentation formed at a plurality of measurement positions is imaged by the CCD 45a of the observation device 45, and the image is processed to calculate the length of the diagonal line of the indentation, thereby calculating the hardness. Therefore, first, the X stage 32 and the Y stage 23 are moved so that the optical axis of the observation device 45 is opposed to the first measurement position. In order to adjust the focus of the observation device 45 to the indentation, the observation device 45 is set to a predetermined height by the first Z stage driving device 42. In this state, an image picked up by the CCD 45a is taken, binarized, and stored in the buffer memory as a digital image. When the capturing of the image at the first measurement position is completed, the XY stages 32 and 23 are moved, the observation device 45 is opposed to the second measurement position, and an impression at the second measurement position is imaged. Store in memory as an image. Such processing is repeated to store images of indentations at all measurement positions. Predetermined image processing is performed on all stored images to calculate the diagonal lengths of the plurality of indentations, and the hardness of the plurality of measurement points is calculated based on the load applied by the indenter 55a and the diagonal lengths.
[0021]
According to such a hardness meter, since the observation device 45 and the load device 55 are moved in the XY plane without moving the specimen W, the mounting table for the specimen W even if the specimen W is enlarged. 10 is not enlarged accordingly. As a result, the hardness meter can be reduced in size.
[0022]
Even if the surface of the specimen W is uneven, if the irradiation device 70 is sufficiently separated from the specimen W, the X stage 32 and the Y stage 23 do not raise and lower the irradiation device 70 in the Z direction each time the unevenness is present. The irradiation device 70 can be moved two-dimensionally in the XY horizontal plane. As a result, the teaching time of the measurement position with respect to the uneven specimen W can be shortened. Since the hardness measurement position can be roughly determined by visually observing the marker light irradiated on the specimen W, the virtual optical axis of the objective lens is set on the specimen W as in the past. Compared to positioning, it becomes easier to determine the target measurement position.
[0023]
Since the observation device 45 and the load device 55 are respectively installed on the first and second Z stage devices 40 and 50 so that they can be individually moved up and down in the Z-axis direction, Teaching operation becomes easy. Moreover, the hardness in the recessed part of the test body W which was difficult conventionally can be measured. In other words, the optical axis of the observation device 45 is opposed to the measurement position by the XY stage devices 30 and 20, and the observation device 45 is lowered in the Z-axis direction by the first Z stage device 40. That is, the lens barrel of the observation device 45 is entered into the recess, and the observation position is focused on the measurement position on the surface of the specimen. If the measurement position is appropriate, the position is stored. The observation device 45 is raised and the target XY coordinate position of the indenter 55a is calculated based on the stored position. The indenter 55a is moved to the target XY coordinate position by the XY stage devices 30 and 20, and is opposed to the measurement position in the recess. The indenter 55a of the load device 55 is brought into contact with the measurement position of the specimen W by the second Z stage apparatus 50, and a load is applied to the specimen W through the indenter 50a to form an indentation. Thus, since the observation device 45 and the load device 55 are integrally moved in the XY plane and are individually moved up and down in the Z-axis direction, the hardness of the concave portion, which has been difficult in the past, can be measured.
[0024]
In the above embodiment, the observation device 45 is an imaging device using the CCD 45a, but it may be an optical microscope. In this case, the diagonal length of the indentation is measured by visual observation using an optical microscope instead of image processing. In addition, a plurality of measurement target positions are sequentially determined, a specimen is sequentially observed at the determined plurality of target positions, a measurement position is determined, and indentations are sequentially formed at the plurality of measurement positions. The images were sequentially captured and the hardness was calculated, but the specimen was observed with respect to one measurement target position, the measurement position was determined, an indentation was formed, the image was captured and the hardness was calculated, You may make it calculate hardness with the same procedure with respect to the following measurement target position. In addition, the irradiation device 70 is installed on the X stage 32 and moved two-dimensionally. However, if the specimen is not so large, a scanning mechanism for scanning the light emitted from the fixed irradiation device 70 may be provided. Good. In this case, the scanning mechanism is a mechanism for moving the irradiation light.
[0025]
FIG. 4 is a diagram in which a laser beam irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is provided in a conventional hardness meter, and a measurement target position is visualized by marker light. As shown in FIG. 4, a specimen is placed on an XYZ stage 301, and a revolver 302 that is rotatably installed above the stage 301 includes a microscope objective lens 303, an indenter 304, a laser irradiation device 305, and the like. Is provided. Reference numeral 306 denotes an eyepiece constituting an optical microscope together with the objective lens 303, and reference numeral 307 denotes a CCD image pickup device for picking up an image of the surface of the specimen.
[0026]
A procedure for measuring the hardness with the hardness meter shown in FIG. 4 will be described. The revolver 302 is rotated so that the irradiation device 305 faces the specimen, and the specimen is irradiated with laser spot light. The measurer moves the XYZ stage 301 while visually observing the spot light on the specimen so that the laser beam is irradiated to the measurement target position of the specimen. When the measurement target is determined, the revolver 302 is rotated so that the objective lens 303 faces the target position, and the surface of the specimen is observed by focusing. If it is not on the grain boundary, the revolver 302 is rotated so that the indenter 305 faces the measurement position, and the indenter 304 forms an indentation in the measured value.
[0027]
Also in the hardness meter shown in FIG. 4, since the measurement target position is indicated by visible light, the determination of the target position becomes very easy.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the measurement position can be easily determined because the measurement position can be indicated by irradiating the specimen with visible light by the irradiation apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1A and 1B are diagrams showing a configuration of a hardness meter according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a right side view of FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the hardness meter of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the hardness meter, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view. Explanation】
20 Y stage device 23 Y stage 30 X stage device 32 X stage 40 First Z stage device 41 First Z stage 45 Observation device 50 Second Z stage device 51 Second Z stage 55 Load device 55a Indenter 90 Sample Table W Specimen

Claims (1)

A sample stage on which the specimen is placed;
In setting a plurality of measurement target positions on the specimen, an irradiation apparatus for irradiating marker light that indicates the measurement target positions;
A moving mechanism for two-dimensionally moving the irradiation position in the horizontal plane of the sample stage so that the marker light can be irradiated to an arbitrary position on the specimen;
An observation device for observing the measurement target position on the specimen;
An indenter that applies a load to the specimen at the measurement target position .

Images