väikeste koormustega (tavaliselt alla 2 N) materjali kõvaduskatse (Vickersi, Knoopi jt meetodid) (vt: mikrokõvadus, Knoopi kõvadus, Vickersi kõvadus; vrd makrokõvaduskatse), a microindentation hardness test (such as Knoop or Vickers hardness test) using a calibrated machine to force a diamond indenter of specific geometry, under a test load of 1 to 1000 g force into the surface of the test material and to measure the diagonal or diagonals optically (see: microhardness, Knoop hardness, Vickers hardness; compare: macrohardness test)