Resistance Weld Tensile‑Shear Test ISO 14273 | Universal Test Machine Manufacturer UnitedTest

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ISO 14273 Resistance Weld Tensile‑Shear Tester | Spot & Projection Weld Testing | UnitedTest

ISO 14273 specifies specimen preparation and test procedures for destructive tensile‑shear testing of resistance spot welds and embossed projection welds. UnitedTest supplies ISO 14273‑compliant testing machines to measure lap‑joint maximum shear force for welding quality validation.

ISO 14273 Resistance welding — Destructive testing of welds — Specimen dimensions and procedure for tensile shear testing resistance spot and embossed projection welds.

ISO 14273 sets out complete laboratory requirements for specimen dimensions, sample preparation, fixture gripping, test loading, and result reporting for destructive lap‑joint tensile‑shear evaluation. This standard quantifies the maximum shear force capacity of resistance spot welds and embossed projection welds, delivering repeatable destructive‑test data for welding process validation, batch quality inspection, weld parameter optimization, and component reliability assessment across metal fabrication workshops.

Tensile‑shear testing per ISO 14273 evaluates real‑world lap‑joint loading conditions, helping engineers verify weld integrity, identify weak welding joints, and qualify production welding parameters. It covers both spot weld specimens and embossed projection weld samples with clear guidance on sample geometry and test execution.

UnitedTest develops and manufactures ISO 14273 compliant tensile‑shear testing machines, equipped with matched gripping fixtures for spot weld and projection weld lap‑joint specimens. Our equipment accurately captures maximum failure shear force, supporting automotive component manufacturing, sheet metal processing, welding laboratory analysis, and industrial production quality assurance.

Test Principle

Two overlapping metal sheets are joined by one spot or projection weld. Opposite tensile forces are applied along the lap direction, generating shear stress across the weld nugget. The test records force‑displacement behaviour until joint fracture, to measure the maximum tensile‑shear strength (TSS) — the peak load the spot weld can withstand under shear loading. The “saturated strength condition” is defined: beyond certain specimen width and overlap length, further increasing specimen size will not raise measured weld strength, giving true intrinsic weld performance data.

Test Specimen Details

Typical dimensions for weld diameter

Sheet thickness t (mm)	Overlap (mm)	Width b (mm)	Specimen length (mm)	Free length between clamps (mm)	Single piece length (mm)
0.5 ≤ t ≤ 1.5	35	45 (30)	175	95	105
1.5 < t ≤ 3	45	60 (30)	230	105	138
3 < t ≤ 5	60	90 (55)	260	120	160
5 < t ≤ 7.5	80	120 (80)	300	140	190
7.5 < t ≤ 10	100	150 (100)	320	160	210

Specimen preparation rules

Use the thinner sheet to select dimensions when sheet thicknesses differ.

Two preparation routes are allowed:

Multi-spot strip: weld several spots in a row, then cut individual specimens; remove the first and last welds from the strip.

ISO 14273 Tensile Shear Test for Resistance Spot and Embossed Projection Welds

Single-weld coupon: weld one spot/projection directly in one specimen.

ISO 14273 Tensile Shear Test for Resistance Spot and Embossed Projection Welds

For embossed projection welds, use single-weld specimens.

Multi-spot strips experience shunting, so welding current is usually higher than for single-weld coupons.

Cutting must not damage the nugget or heat-affected zone.

Enough specimens should be tested for statistical significance; report individual values, mean, and standard deviation.

Applicable range

- Sheet thickness: 0.5 mm ~ 10 mm for metallic materials; maximum weld nugget diameter = 7√t (t = sheet thickness in mm).

- When weld diameter falls between 5√t and 7√t, standard‑size specimens may underestimate real tensile‑shear strength; for saturation conditions, specimen width shall be 7‑10 times nugget diameter.

- For dissimilar‑thickness sheets, specimen dimensions follow the thinner sheet. Weld position tolerance: ±1 mm in all directions.

Test Equipment required for ISO 14273 Tensile Shear Test for Resistance Spot and Embossed Projection Welds

Tensile testing machine

Must comply with ISO 7500‑1, capable of recording force‑displacement curves; force measurement accuracy shall reach ±1 % of reading.

Shim / spacer gaskets

Mandatory when sheet thickness >3 mm or thickness ratio of two sheets >1.4.

Gasket thickness matches specimen sheet thickness to keep specimen alignment inside grips and avoid specimen bending moment.

Core Test Parameters & Mandatory Stipulations

Output data: maximum tensile‑shear force (TSS), force‑displacement curve, nugget diameter, fracture mode.

Saturated‑strength note: To achieve saturated strength state, specimen width ≈10 × nugget diameter, lap overlap length ≈5 × nugget diameter.

Reporting outputs: individual peak force, mean value, standard deviation of replicates; individual / mean / standard deviation of weld diameter; written description of fracture mode (plug fracture, partial‑plug fracture, base‑metal fracture, interfacial fracture etc.).

Test Procedures of ISO 14273 Tensile Shear Test for Resistance Spot and Embossed Projection Welds

1. Prepare specimens following standard geometry rules, verify weld positional tolerance.

2. Mount specimen into tensile‑machine grips. Fit matching‑thickness shims if thickness criteria trigger this requirement, to maintain correct alignment.

3. Run tensile‑shear test at room temperature; continuously record test force versus displacement throughout loading until joint failure.

4. Capture peak tensile‑shear force value (TSS). Measure fractured weld nugget diameter and document fracture mode.

5. Repeat on multiple replicate specimens.

6. Compile test report with all mandatory items.

Test Applications (Industry Fields)

This destructive test is widely applied in industries using resistance spot / projection welding:

- Automotive body‑in‑white manufacturing (most typical application for spot‑weld quality validation)

- Railway vehicle, agricultural machinery

- Home appliance manufacturing, sheet‑metal structural components

- Welding procedure qualification, incoming‑material evaluation, batch quality inspection, welding‑parameter optimisation, product‑safety verification for spot‑welded assemblies.

Related Stadard:

ISO 14272	Resistance welding - Destructive testing of welds - Specimen dimensions and procedure for cross tension testing of resistance spot and embossed projection welds
ISO 14273	Resistance welding - Destructive testing of welds - Specimen dimensions and procedure for tensile shear testing resistance spot and embossed projection welds
GB/T 39167	Test method of tensile shear for resistance spot and embossed projection welds
ISO 14270	Mechanized peel test for spot‑weld joints.
ISO 10447	Resistance welding — Testing of welds — Peel and chisel testing of resistance spot and projection welds
ISO 14271	Vickers hardness testing of resistance spot/projection/seam welds.
ISO 14323	impact tensile shear and cross-tension testing.
ISO 14329	failure types and geometric measurements for resistance spot/seam/projection welds.
ISO 14324	fatigue testing of spot-welded joints.

Keywords: ISO 14273 tensile shear test for resistance welds, resistance spot weld destructive tester, embossed projection weld tensile‑shear testing machine, lap joint weld strength test rig, spot weld maximum shear force measurement equipment, metal weld joint destructive quality tester, automotive spot weld validation machine, projection weld specimen dimension test apparatus, sheet metal welding lab test instrument, resistance welding process qualification tester, welded joint failure load analyzer, industrial weld batch inspection equipment, UnitedTest ISO 14273 compliant weld tensile shear tester

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Vice Tensile test fixture for plastics is based on the test standatd ASTM D638, determination of the tensile properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics in the form of standard dumbbell-shaped test specimens when tested under defined conditions of pretreatment, temperature, speed.

Q1: What is ISO 14273 test, and why is it important?

A: ISO 14273:2016 is an international destructive‑test standard for tensile‑shear testing of resistance‑spot and embossed‑projection weld lap joints on metallic sheets (0.5 mm‑10 mm thickness). It measures the maximum tensile‑shear strength (TSS) of spot‑weld nuggets.

It is critical because spot‑welds dominate load‑bearing performance for automotive body‑in‑white, rail vehicle and sheet‑metal assemblies. Standardised TSS data validates welding parameters, compares material batches, confirms production quality, and provides safety‑relevant baseline data for structural‑integrity assessment. Without this standardized test, lab‑to‑lab results cannot be reliably compared.

Q2: What is “saturated strength condition” mentioned in ISO 14273?

A: Saturated strength condition describes the state where further increasing specimen width or overlap length will no longer raise the measured weld tensile‑shear strength. Under saturated conditions, test results reflect the true intrinsic weld performance rather than specimen‑size effects. Annex A recommends specimen width ≈10 × nugget diameter and overlap length ≈5 × nugget diameter to reach saturation for typical steel materials.

Q3: Can I use the smaller alternative specimen width (values in parentheses in standard table)?

A: The parenthesized narrower‑width specimens reduce measured tensile‑shear strength by approximately 10 % and shall only be used upon mutual written agreement between manufacturer and customer. Results from these reduced‑size coupons are not true saturated‑strength values and cannot be used for general‑purpose qualification without prior consent.

Q4. What materials and thicknesses are covered?

A: Any metallic sheet in lap-joint form, with individual sheet thickness 0.5 mm to 10 mm. The weld/nugget diameter limit is 7√t, where t is sheet thickness in mm. Table 1 dimensions are optimized for weld diameters up to 5√t; larger nuggets need wider specimens for saturated strength condition.

Q5: When must shim / spacer gaskets be fitted in test fixtures?

A: Shim plates with thickness matching the sheet thickness are mandatory if:

- Sheet thickness ＞ 3 mm, OR

- Thickness ratio of the two joined sheets ＞ 1.4.

Gaskets align offset lap‑joint specimens, prevent bending moment, avoid false low‑strength readings caused by misaligned gripping.

Q6. What is TSS?

A: Tensile Shear Strength in ISO 14273 means the maximum force recorded during the lap-shear test, usually in kN. It is a force value from the test specimen, not necessarily a classic stress unless you normalize it by sheet thickness, nugget area, or effective shear area.

Q7. Why do multi-spot strips need higher current?

A: Because adjacent unwelded electrodes create a parallel current path — shunting — so part of the current bypasses the target nugget. Multi-spot strips usually need higher welding current than single-weld coupons. First and last welds are removed because they are not representative.

Q8: What common test errors lead to unreliable ISO 14273 results?

A: 1. Weld position offset beyond ±1 mm tolerance.

2. Skipping shim gaskets for thick sheets or large‑thickness‑ratio dissimilar sheets.

3. Using multi‑spot‑panel edge welds without discarding first/last spots.

4. Specimen cutting introducing heat damage to weld nuggets.

5. Insufficient specimen replicates with no statistical calculation.

6. Using non‑saturated specimen geometry for large‑diameter welds (5√t ~ 7√t), which may underestimate true weld strength.

Q9: Why choose UnitedTest ISO 14273 Resistance Weld Tensile‑Shear Testing Machine?

A: UnitedTest is a professional manufacturer of universal material‑testing machines, delivering complete test solutions for ISO 14273:2016 tensile‑shear destructive testing of resistance spot‑weld and projection‑weld lap joints.

Resistance spot‑weld joints are widely used in automotive body‑in‑white, railway vehicles, home appliances and sheet‑metal structural components. ISO 14273 defines standardized specimen geometry, test‑procedure and reporting rules to measure maximum tensile‑shear strength (TSS) of spot‑weld nuggets. Reliable test equipment is essential to generate repeatable, audit‑ready test‑data for welding‑parameter validation, batch‑quality inspection and structural‑safety verification.

UnitedTest’s universal tensile‑testing machines fully satisfy ISO 7500‑1 machine‑calibration requirements specified by ISO 14273. We supply custom‑designed test fixtures, matched‑thickness shim‑gasket sets for offset lap‑joint clamping, and English‑language FastTest test software. The system records real‑time force‑displacement curves, calculates peak tensile‑shear force, average value and standard deviation, and supports direct ISO‑14273‑format test‑report export.

Our test machines cover multiple load‑range options to handle metal sheet thickness from 0.5 mm up to 10 mm, matching the full application scope of ISO 14273:2016. Test‑engineers can perform saturated‑strength‑condition testing, compare different welding‑process outputs, characterize weld‑failure modes and document weld‑nugget‑strength statistics.

Key Advantages of UnitedTest ISO 14273 Test Solution

✅ Complies strictly with ISO 14273:2016 and ISO 7500‑1 accuracy standards

✅ Custom lap‑joint fixtures and dedicated shim‑plate kits for dissimilar‑thickness sheet specimens

✅ FastTest software outputs force‑displacement curves, TSS peak‑load, mean and standard‑deviation calculation

✅ Supports single‑spot‑specimen and multi‑spot‑panel‑derived coupon testing workflows

✅ Suitable for automotive laboratory, welding‑procedure qualification, incoming‑material inspection and third‑party‑test‑lab usage

✅ Global‑project support: English‑language software, international‑voltage options, overseas‑after‑sales support.

Send your sheet thickness, material, nugget diameter, required load capacity, and reporting format. We will propose the right UTM model, grips, shims, and software configuration.

We offer customization to meet your specific needs. Our expert team will collaborate with you to develop the perfect product for you