Custom Spacers Manufacturing
Custom spacers manufacturing with thickness held to ±0.005 mm and parallelism to 0.003 mm on ground parts. No MOQ, prototypes in 3–5 days, engineer-reviewed quotes in 6 hours.
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±0.005 mm
Ground Thickness
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3–5 days
Prototype Lead
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0.05 mm
Thinnest Shim
Machined Spacers, Washers & Precision Shims
DEK machines round and hex spacers, threaded standoffs, flat and shoulder washers, and shims from 0.05 mm to 50 mm thick, in aluminum, brass, stainless, alloy steel, Delrin, PTFE and PEEK. They are part of our custom CNC machined parts catalogue.
These parts set the gap in an assembly, so we control thickness and parallelism: ±0.01 mm turned, ±0.003 mm on small Swiss parts. Our guide to types of washers covers standard forms; metal stamping suits very high volumes in thin gauge.
Types of Spacers, Washers & Shims
Spacers, standoffs, washers and shims turned from bar, ground, wire-cut from sheet or milled from plate, in metals and plastics.
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Machined SpacersRound, hex and square spacers with plain or counterbored ends. -
Custom StandoffsMale-female, female-female or threaded through, M2 to M12, #2 to 1/2". -
Flat & Thick WashersNon-standard OD, ID or thickness; thick load-spreading washers. -
Shoulder & Stepped WashersInsulating shoulder and stepped washers for electrical isolation. -
Precision ShimsShims and shim plates from 0.05 mm, ground or wire-cut, round or profiled. -
Tapered & Split ShimsShims for alignment of gearboxes, motors and rails.
Custom Spacers Manufacturing Specs
How DEK combines turning, Swiss turning, wire EDM and grinding to hold spacer and shim thickness and parallelism.
Design Tips for Custom Spacers and Shims
Five rules that keep spacers, washers and shims within tolerance in the assembly, not only on the inspection report.
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Thickness vs Parallelism
Tolerance them separately: a shim at ±0.005 mm thickness with no parallelism callout can still be wedge-shaped.
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Stepped Shim Packs
Order sets such as 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 mm rather than one thick custom shim; alignment is easier, rework cheaper.
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Washer Proportions
Keep washer OD at least 2× ID and thickness at least 0.1× OD in aluminum, or it will dish under bolt load.
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Standoff Thread Depth
Specify thread engagement length, not just overall length; a male-female standoff needs depth at both ends.
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Materials for Auto Assembly
Choose brass or 303 for standoffs assembled by machine; both thread cleanly and do not gall like 304.
What to Call Out on Your Drawing
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OD, ID and Thickness
Give OD, ID and thickness with its tolerance; a simple sketch is enough for a quote on plain spacers.
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Material and Finish
Name the material and finish; note when a shim must stay unplated, since plating adds 5–15 µm per face.
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Parallelism and Flatness
Call out parallelism (0.003 mm ground) and flatness (0.005 mm per 50 mm) where the gap is critical.
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Order Quantity
State quantity: stamping beats machining above roughly 10,000 pieces in thin gauge; below that, machining wins.
Applications & Industries
PCB stacks for electronics, gearbox alignment shims for automation, structural shims for aerospace and insulating washers for new energy power electronics.
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Aerospace
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Medical
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Automotive
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Robotics
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Semiconductor
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Electronic
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Telecom
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Drone & UAV
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Energy
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Oil & Gas
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Marine
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Industrial Equipment
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Construction
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Agriculture
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Consumer Products
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Military & Defense
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Mining
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AerospaceNon-flight-critical brackets, cabin hardware and fittings under AS9100D, in 7075 aluminum, Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718, with FAI.Learn More -
MedicalInstrument shafts, handles and cannulas in 316L stainless, titanium and PEEK under ISO 13485, with lot traceability as standard.Learn More -
AutomotivePrototype and low-to-mid-volume sensor housings, valve bodies and shafts in aluminum, 4140 and 4340 alloy steel, stainless and brass.Learn More -
RoboticsJoint housings, harmonic drive flanges and gripper fingers in aluminum and hardened steel, with 5-axis milling in one setup.Learn More -
SemiconductorChamber components, wafer handling fixtures and vacuum flanges in 6061 aluminum, 316L, PEEK and Kovar, with burr-free edges.Learn More -
ElectronicConnector bodies, heat sinks, RF shields and precision pins in aluminum, brass and copper, held to ±0.01 mm on contact features.Learn More -
TelecomWaveguide components, filter housings and RF enclosures in aluminum and copper alloys, with silver or nickel plating for conductivity.Learn More -
Drone & UAVMotor mounts, gimbal frames and landing gear fittings in 7075 aluminum, titanium and magnesium to cut weight without losing stiffness.Learn More -
EnergyBattery end plates, busbars, inverter housings and fuel-cell fittings in aluminum, copper and stainless, machined flat and burr-free.Learn More -
Oil & GasValve components, manifold blocks, downhole tool parts and flanges in 4140, 17-4 PH, duplex 2205 and Inconel, with hardness specs.Learn More -
MarinePropeller shafts, pump parts and deck hardware in 316 stainless, bronze and aluminum bronze, chosen first for corrosion resistance.Learn More -
Industrial EquipmentGripper plates, linear guide mounts, cam followers and machine frames in aluminum and steel, with fixtures kept on file for repeats.Learn More -
ConstructionStructural brackets, anchoring hardware and hydraulic fittings in mild steel, alloy steel and aluminum, zinc plated or powder coated.Learn More -
AgricultureGearbox housings, shafts, sprayer nozzle bodies and sensor mounts in cast iron, steel and stainless for abrasion and moisture.Learn More -
Consumer ProductsKnobs, handles, enclosure parts and audio hardware where the machined surface shows, anodized, bead blasted or polished to sample.Learn More -
Military & DefenseOptical mounts, enclosures and accessory rails in aluminum, steel and titanium, with material certification and FAI reports.Learn More -
MiningWear plates, bushings, crusher components and hydraulic fittings in hardened alloy steel, bronze and stainless for dust and vibration.Learn More
Why DEK for Custom Washers Manufacturing
Spacers and shims are low-value parts that cause high-value problems when their thickness is wrong.
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Every Batch Measured
Every shim batch is checked on a height gauge and CMM at FAI rather than sampled by eye.
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Processes In-House
Thin-shim wire EDM, surface grinding and Swiss turning are in-house, so ground spacers and custom standoffs ship together.
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Verified Material
Incoming bar and sheet are spectrometer verified, and material reports are available on request.
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Fast, No MOQ
No MOQ, prototypes in 3–5 days, and simple spacers can ship in as little as 1 day.
Engineer-Reviewed Quotes
Every drawing is reviewed by an engineer and quoted within 6 hours, with feedback on thickness, parallelism and thread callouts before machining starts.
Certified Quality on Every Shim
ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485 and AS9100D certified, with CMM inspection at FAI.
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AS9100DAerospace Quality Management System
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ISO 9001:2015Quality Management Standard
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ISO 13485Medical Devices Quality Management
Materials & Finishes for Spacers
Metals, insulating plastics and finishes named for spacers, washers and shims. Pick by load, conductivity and environment.
Surface Finishes
Engineering Plastics
Need another alloy or finish? Ask our engineers.
View AllFrequently Asked Questions
Answers on shim thickness, standoff threads and machining versus stamping.
Get a Quote for Custom Spacers Manufacturing
Send a drawing or a simple sketch. An engineer reviews it and returns a quote within 6 hours, with no MOQ.
- OD, ID, thickness and its tolerance
- Material and finish
- Quantity, from one piece
- Simple spacers ship in as little as 1 day
- Prototypes in 3–5 days
Ready to Scale Your Project?
Get started with a stable process and controlled quality. Let's discuss your project.
