Clamping mechanism for shear testing apparatus

A shear test device for testing the strength of attachment between a bond and an electronic substrate, comprising:

• an x-y table to which the substrate is adapted to be attached;
• a test tool;
• a drive mechanism that provides relative movement in a test direction between the table and the test tool;
• a baseplate, the test tool attached to the baseplate by a resilient connector allowing for movement of the test tool relative to the baseplate in an axial direction which is perpendicular to the test direction;
• at least one abutment that is rigidly fixed relative to the baseplate, the least one abutment being in contact with the test tool;
• and
• a clamping device rigidly fixed relative to the baseplate and moveable between a rest position wherein the clamping device is not forced against the test tool and an actuated position wherein the clamping device is forced against the test tool to maintain the test tool fixed in position relative to the baseplate in the axial direction, such that when the drive mechanism provides relative movement in the test direction between the table and the shear test tool to cause the shear test tool to shear the bond off the substrate during a shear test, the at least one abutment provides an additional clamping force on the shear test tool.