STAINLESS STEEL PRECISION SHIM WASHERS

Precision Shim Washers

Precision Shim Washers are PTS's own branded range of thin, tightly-toleranced washers used for precise spacing and packing rather than general load spreading. Where a standard flat washer is used to distribute the clamping load of a fastener over a wider bearing area, a shim washer is used to fill a specific gap or take up clearance with a known, repeatable thickness — useful for fine alignment, setting bearing preload, or adjusting a fit to a tight tolerance.

Materials
Precision Shim Washers are manufactured in A4 stainless steel only. A4 is specified where consistent tolerance control and corrosion resistance both matter — its higher chloride and chemical resistance suits marine, washdown and chemical-exposure environments, and standardising the precision range on a single higher grade also lets PTS guarantee consistent material properties and tight tolerances across stock.

FAQs
What's a shim washer for, versus a standard flat washer?
A standard flat washer is primarily there to spread the clamping load of a fastener over a wider area and protect the surface underneath. A shim washer serves a different purpose: it's used where a precise, known thickness is needed to fill a gap, set a spacing, or fine-tune a fit — for example under a component that needs accurate alignment or preload.

Why are Precision Shim Washers only available in A4 stainless steel?
A4 stainless is specified where consistent tolerance control and corrosion resistance both matter, which is exactly the combination a precision shim washer needs to perform reliably — its higher chloride resistance suits marine, washdown and chemical environments, and standardising on a single higher grade lets PTS guarantee consistent material properties and tight tolerances across the whole range, rather than splitting stock and quality control across two grades.