Product Introduction
Headed shear connector studs manufactured to ISO 13918 and AWS D1.1/D1.1M for drawn‑arc stud welding in composite steel‑concrete frames. The studs — frequently called welding anchor studs or shear studs — are welded through the profiled metal deck or directly to the steel beam flange, creating a mechanical shear connection between the structural steel and the cast‑in‑place concrete slab. This connection eliminates slip at the steel‑concrete interface and enables full composite beam behaviour.

Material & Mechanical Properties
Fabricated from weldable low‑carbon steel to chemistry limits that ensure a stable arc and full‑penetration weld. After welding, the fusion zone meets the tensile and bend‑test requirements of the applicable structural welding code. The shank cross‑section and weld combine to develop a shear capacity that forces any overload into a ductile failure mode away from the weld itself.

Dimensions & Identification

• Nominal diameter range: 10 mm – 25 mm (metric) and equivalent imperial sizes

• Length before welding: 40 mm – 300 mm

• Head form: cheese head per ISO 13918

• Marking: manufacturer’s identification glyph embossed on the head for full traceability

Ceramic Ferrules
Each stud is supplied together with a cordierite ceramic ferrule. The ferrule contains and shields the molten pool during the drawn‑arc cycle, stabilises the fillet geometry, and survives the extreme thermal shock of the welding process without melting or fracturing.

Installation & Weld Verification
Installation is performed with a drawn‑arc stud welding gun after the steel deck is laid over the beam. The gun lifts the stud, draws an arc that melts the stud tip and a local area of the beam flange, then plunges the stud into the weld pool — burning through the deck without a pre‑drilled hole.
Weld integrity is verified visually (360° flash, fillet size) and by a mechanical bend test: striking the side of the welded stud with an iron mallet bends it to a prescribed angle. A properly welded stud remains attached and deforms without fracturing at the weld interface. A stud that breaks off under this shear‑bending test indicates an unsound weld and must be replaced.

Application Suitability
Composite floor and roof decks in multistorey steel‑framed buildings, bridge decks, industrial mezzanines, wind turbine tower foundations, and any steel‑concrete hybrid structure where the structural engineer specifies a shear connection to resist longitudinal shear. The stud quantity, diameter, and height are determined per beam by the structural design.