Four Popular Types of Washers Used for Industrial Applications

Posted by Staff - Soldertraining on 2nd Feb 2022

Washers are valuable types of equipment or accessories, that are useful for industrial applications. They can be manufactured for specific purposes and product requirements to meet the industrial end-use. The washers are thin, disk-shaped plates with holes in the middle. They can be both metallic or non-metallic and are placed beneath a nut, joint, axle bearing, or other threaded fasteners. The washers act as spacers and are placed between the screw and the surface to prevent leakage and corrosion, relieve friction, isolate, and avoid loosening. They also help to distribute pressure and minimize the vibrations the machine or equipment produces.

Washers are made of various materials and come in varying diameters, thickness, grades, and finishes. These washers are manufactured as per various specifications to suit different applications. The custom Kapton washers are made from a polyimide film. It exhibits reliable stability in a vast temperature range and offers improved thermal conductivity and dielectric qualities. The Kapton washers find extensive use in medical, electrical, aerospace, and other applications. Kapton is a valuable material as it is flame retardant, does not have any melting point, and to a certain extent, it is chemically inert.

If you skip on using the recommended washers, it can drastically reduce your product’s lifespan and efficiency. The various types of washers include:

Flat washers

Spring washers

Lock washers

Fender washers

C-washers

D-shaped washers

Countersunk or finishing washers

SAE washers

Torque washers, and

Shoulder washers

Lock washers help to secure fasteners that tend to rotate or lose friction. These washers may be of different types but function according to the same principle. Its design helps exert a load, partially deform, and lock a fastener in place. Some lock washers bite into the bolt and nut with their ends. It is instrumental in transportation industries, including aerospace and automotive. It also finds use in domestic appliances, like washing machines.

Flat washers are also known as Type A plain washers. These are slender, flat, circular washers with holes in their center, resembling a ring shape. The role of these washers is to increase the screw's bearing surface area size and reduce the surface pressure applied on the fastened object. Standardized flat washers are generally designed by using imperial or metric dimensions. When distributing the fastener's load, these washers help to reduce the heat and friction generated during the tightening process. It finds use in various domestic and industrial applications.

Spring washers are manufactured by cutting out a particular portion of the flat washer that gives it a twisted shape. It enables it to take the spring action. Spring washers are metallic. These washers provide an axial load to fasteners if vibration or thermal expansion, limiting movement. Applications that prefer flexibility generally use this washer. Therefore, it finds extensive use in the aerospace industry.

Fender washers have a larger outside diameter as compared to their inside diameter. The name comes from the automotive industry, where these washers help mount fenders. It helps to distribute load across a large surface area evenly. Fender washers are flat washers whose outer diameter is three times its inner diameter.

To Conclude:

These are the few types of washers used across various industries. The specific washers are used with fasteners to serve multiple vital purposes based on end-use.