BS 18:1987 is a British Standard method for tensile testing of metallic materials at room temperature. It is commonly used to generate baseline tensile properties for material certification, incoming inspection, process validation, and investigative testing.
Because this document has been withdrawn and superseded, labs and purchasing teams often need help matching legacy callouts to current requirements and configuring a comparable test setup. If you need help mapping a drawing or customer requirement to the right test approach, you can talk with our team.
BS 18:1987 — Method for tensile testing of metals (including aerospace materials)
BS 18:1987 defines a room-temperature tensile testing method for metallic materials, including additional provisions intended to support aerospace-related British Standards where needed.
In practice, BS 18 is most often encountered as a legacy reference in older material specifications, product standards, and historical test reports.
Quick definition
BS 18:1987 is a tensile testing standard for metals at room temperature used to determine key mechanical properties from a controlled uniaxial tension test.
Document type: Test method (tensile testing at room temperature).
What it outputs: Mechanical property values derived from a tensile test (for example yield-related and strength/ductility metrics).
What This Standard Covers
BS 18:1987 covers how to run a tensile test on metallic materials at room temperature and which mechanical properties may be determined from that test.
Commonly determined properties: Yield strength and/or proof strength, tensile strength, elongation, and reduction of area (as applicable to the product form and specimen).
Test conditions focus: Room-temperature testing with controlled loading and measurement suitable for mechanical-property reporting.
Why This Standard Matters in Testing
Tensile results tied to a cited standard are frequently used as acceptance criteria in purchasing specifications, manufacturing route cards, and quality documentation. When BS 18 is the referenced method, the edition and test details can affect how results are generated and compared.
This is especially relevant when you are trending data over time, comparing lots from different suppliers, or reconciling older certificates with newer standards such as BS EN 10002-1 or ISO-based methods.
Common Materials, Product Types, or Applications Covered
BS 18:1987 is used for metallic materials (including steels and alloys) across common product forms where tensile specimens can be prepared and tested in uniaxial tension.
Common product forms: Plate/sheet, bar/rod, wire, sections, and tube (where suitable specimens and gripping approaches are used).
Typical use cases: Material certification testing, comparative evaluation of heat treatment or forming effects, qualification support testing, and troubleshooting (for example, confirming whether strength and ductility targets are being achieved).
Common Test or Verification Workflow
A BS 18 tensile workflow typically follows a controlled sequence from specimen preparation through measurement and reporting.
Typical workflow steps: Define the specimen form and gauge length, prepare and mark the specimen as required, verify machine calibration status, align and grip the specimen, apply tensile loading while recording force and extension/strain, determine the required strength/ductility values, and document results in a test report consistent with the cited requirement.
Practical caution: If BS 18 is referenced on a drawing or contract, the acceptance decision often depends on details not captured by a single strength number (for example how yield/proof is determined, how elongation is defined, and how extension/strain is measured). When in doubt, confirm the exact callout and reporting expectations before running production-critical testing.
Equipment Commonly Used for This Standard
BS 18 tensile testing is normally performed on a universal testing machine configured for axial tension, with measurement hardware appropriate to the material form and the properties being reported.
Common equipment: Universal testing machine (UTM) with suitable force capacity, calibrated load cell, grips (wedge, hydraulic, or specialized grips for wire/tube), alignment aids to reduce bending, and tensile extensometry (clip-on extensometer or other strain/extension measurement where required).
Common accessories: Specimen preparation and marking tools, data acquisition/software for force–extension recording, and fixtures/adapters matched to specimen geometry and expected elongation.
If you are selecting a frame capacity, grip type, and extensometer travel for metallic tensile work, you can request a detailed quote for a configuration matched to your specimen geometry and reporting needs.
How to Read This Designation or Revision
Designation format: “BS 18:1987” identifies British Standard number 18 with the 1987 edition year.
Status note: BS 18:1987 is a withdrawn (superseded) standard, and legacy references are commonly updated to later tensile testing standards. When a requirement simply states “BS 18” without an edition year, clarify which edition is intended and whether an updated method is acceptable for compliance purposes.
Related Standards, Methods, or Frameworks
BS 18:1987 is a legacy tensile testing reference that has been superseded in UK/European practice. Many organizations now use later EN/ISO tensile testing methods for room-temperature tensile properties.
Common cross-reference need: Updating contracts, drawings, and internal procedures from BS 18 callouts to the current method specified by the customer, regulator, or product standard.
Talk to a tensile testing specialist
If you are working from an older material spec or certificate that cites BS 18 and need to align equipment, extensometry, and reporting to a current acceptance requirement, contact our team with the exact callout and specimen details.