While you are probably familiar with the role that shims play in construction to provide a level surface, you may not have known that shims come in a variety of materials, from ad hoc shims devised from whatever product is available at the time to high-quality shims composed of laminate, metal, and even plastic or paper. Shims serve a variety of purposes, and the following list is here to show you what shims are used for and why we sell them; primarily the purpose behind a metal shim.

What Is a Shim?

Shim is the term given to material that is used to fill the space in an area. For instance, construction shims are often used to construct door jams and windows. A shim can be something that you create from what you have on hand (when you are trying to level out a table you are working on) or can be manufactured from metal and used in the manufacturing of large equipment. A shim is a useful part that can accomplish many different tasks. Still wondering about the purpose of a shim? We will outline a few ways that metals shims can be used.

What Are Metal Shims Used For?

We manufacture metal shims of the highest quality, and ship them out to equipment manufacturers around the country. Here are some of the common uses for metal shims:

To fill gaps: Whenever there is a gap in materials, a shim can be used to close that gap and make the materials flush or level. Filling gaps is a common use of shims, especially in construction. If parts are subject to wear, filling the gap with a shim will stop wear from occurring.

To level objects: If an object is not level, a shim may be driven in between two objects in order to level the area. Shims of wood, plastic, and metal are used for this purpose.

To adjust clearance: In many instances of manufacturing, a shim is needed to reduce clearance between two objects. If the level of clearance needs to be adjusted, the shim used will be made in part of foil, which can be removed in layer to adjust clearance between the objects.

In commercial construction and manufacturing: Shims are manufactured in large quantities and used for construction purposes as well as manufacturing purposes. With regards to steel and other types of metal shims, the most common uses for these shims are for automobile manufacturing, for the purposes outlined above.

In automobile manufacturing: Steel shims are used regularly in the manufacturing of automobile parts. Shims allow for a greater flexibility when it comes to the clearance level of a particular part, such as a valve.

In plumbing repairs: Shims are used to align pipes when a plumber needs to do some repairs.

In computer manufacturing: Shims are even used to protect the processor on a computer. These shims are made of copper or aluminum, and will be used to protect the processor from the heat sink by keeping them apart.