PCE Instruments’ durometer devices can determine the surface hardness of many different materials, including polymers, elastomers and rubbers. Each durometer or hardness tester measures the depth of an indentation in the material caused by a defined force of a given geometric presser foot. The depth of the indentation reflects the hardness of the material. From metal, plastic and rubber to foam and fabric, different materials are measured using different hardness scales. Shore hardness, especially Shore A and Shore D, is commonly used for determining foam hardness, soft plastic hardness and rubber hardness, like in rubber o-ring testing. Because of the popularity of the Shore hardness method, a durometer is often referred to as a Shore durometer.
