Shim Rings DIN 988
It is often the smallest things that can make a big difference, and shims fall into this category.
Excess space between machinery parts can cause them to fit badly. Over time, this can cause problems compromising the effectiveness of the mechanism.
Shim rings are flat washers used in combination when axial clearance must be offset. This could be on a shaft where there is a locking ring/bearing, between which clearance must be offset. They fill up the excess space and make everything run more efficiently.
By combining washers of different thicknesses you can precisely offset the clearance. Shims refer to a broad class of specialty flat washers that are used for positioning and spacing.
While shims look like flat washers they are different in that shims are typically made using more precise materials and production techniques.
Axial play resulting from manufacturing tolerances can be rigidly reduced by using various thicknesses of shim washers.
Advantages
They significantly reduce manufacturing time and costs as they eliminate the need for each component to be precision machined in order to achieve the proper fit and function of the total assembly.
During the assembly process, Shims provide adjustment to compensate for accumulated tolerances that significantly reduces machining and assembly time.
Shims are are used to preserve the faces between mating components cutting down the required machining time during rebuilds / retrofittin
In assemblies where vibration and wear occur, a Shim can act as a low-cost sacrificial item that will take the brunt of the damage and save wear and tear on the costly assemblies. The Shim can be replaced during scheduled maintenance or tear-down.
