When determining a material's hardness, Vickers and Rockwell hardness testers are both utilized, however, there are some significant variations between them：

Indenter

• Vickers: Uses a diamond pyramid indenter with a square base. By doing this, a diagonally measured square indentation is created.
• Rockwell: Uses a variety of indenters, such as cones made of different materials and ball bearings. The material being tested and the intended hardness scale determines which particular indenter is used.

Force

• Vickers: Applies a consistent force, usually between 10 grams and 100 kilograms, for the duration of the test.
• Rockwell: Applies a force in two stages. First, a preload is applied, and then a greater test force. The difference in depth between the preload and test force indentations yields the hardness.

Scale

• Vickers: Single-scale hardness (HV) is used. Multiplying the test force by the indentation's area yields the hardness value.
• Rockwell: Employs a variety of hardness scales, each with a unique indenter and load combination (such as HRB, HRC, and HRD).

Applications

• Vickers: Appropriate for a broader variety of materials, such as polymers, metals, and ceramics. Perfect for case depth work, thin sections, and small parts.
• Rockwell: Generally used for metals, though some scales can also be applied to more durable polymers. Though less adaptable, Vickers is typically faster.