Three-dimensional hardness distribution measurement method and three-dimensional hardness distribution measurement system

A three-dimensional micro hardness distribution measurement method, comprising:

• cutting evenly and mirror-like a surface of a metal member to be measured by a cutting unit that evenly cuts the surface of the metal member mirror-like, the cutting forming a process-modified layer on the surface of the metal member;
• imaging the surface having been cut;
• and
• pushing an indenter for a hardness test into a plurality of points on the surface having been imaged, the cutting, the imaging, and the pushing being repeated,
• wherein
• a cutting depth of the surface is controlled, in the cutting, to a predetermined constant amount,
• indentation depths of the indenter at the plurality of points are controlled, in the pushing, to a predetermined constant amount, and
• the indentation depths are made larger than a depth of the process-modified layer formed on the surface in the cutting,
• wherein, in the pushing, a sampling frequency of a load value in raising the indenter after pushing is made larger than a sampling frequency of a load value in lowering the indenter for pushing, and
• wherein, in the pushing, a sampling frequency of a load value in raising the indenter after pushing is made larger than both a sampling frequency of a load value in lowering the indenter for pushing and a sampling frequency of a load value when holding the indenter.