US Patent 7139422 Indentation hardness test system

An indentation hardness test system includes a frame including an attached indenter, a movable stage for receiving a part attached to the frame, a camera, a display, a processor and a memory subsystem. The camera captures images of the part, which can then be provided on the display. The processor is coupled to the movable stage, the camera and the display, as well as the memory subsystem. The memory subsystem stores executable code that instructs the processor to capture a series of real-time images of the part using the camera, obtain associated stage coordinates for each of the images and display a composite image, which includes the series of real-time images assembled according to the associated stage coordinates, of the part.