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Stainless Steel Slotted Shim Questions

Where can I view your online Stainless Steel Slotted Shim

View the Stainless Steel Slottted Shim section of our online catalog.

What are slotted motor shims used for?

Primarily they are used under motor feet to adjust the height of a motor. This allows for the accurate alignment of the shafts between pumps and motors. They can also be used to help level equipment during installation.

Why should I use precut slotted shims?

Precut slotted shims save money. Precuts decrease time and labor costs and ultimately reduce machine downtime. Precuts also eliminate the work involved in the hand cutting, flattening and deburring of shim stock. Precision Brand Slotted Shim is made of a corrosive resistant, stainless steel. These shims are made with a tab which allows for safe and easy installation and removal.

What types of companies might benefit from using precut slotted shims?

Any manufacturing plant that has numerous pumps and motors, which are maintained on a routine schedule, will benefit from them. Paper mills, refineries, utilities, food processors and large OEMs have experienced cost savings by using precut slotted shims. Industries that have developed predictive maintenance programs (using laser alignment and/or vibration analysis equipment) have found both time and cost savings with precut slotted shims.

What competitive advantage does Precision Brand® Slotted Shim offer?

Precision Brand realizes that quality and thickness tolerances are the two most important considerations when manufacturing shims. PBP publishes and guarantees thickness tolerances that are tighter than any other shim on the market and that are superior to the industry standards. Our material is produced using special gauge charts that require special millruns. This assures your customers of the tightest tolerances and the highest quality when using Precision Brand®.

Why are thickness tolerances so important?

Think about it. If you are using precision alignment equipment to determine the soft foot (gap) under a motor foot, you will want to install shims that are as close as possible to that gap’s thickness. With our guaranteed thickness they will be “right-on” when you do that final check. This will save time of having to do another measurement rotation.

Aren’t all precut slotted shims marked with an “actual” thickness?

No, the thickness marked on most shims is just nominally close. Nominally close can be defined as whatever thickness tolerance is acceptable to that manufacturer. This means that the thickness can vary considerably from what is marked on the shim. Using Precision Brand® shims gives your customers the advantage. Remember that PBP is the only shim manufacturer to publish and guarantee slotted shim tolerances.

What about shims that claim to be marked with an “exact” thickness like .098 instead of .100?

There are two things to remember when working with these shims. First, the off-size marking is probably not correct due to the variations that occur in the stainless steel rolling process. The only way this marking could be correct would be if each shim was measured and stamped individually. As you can realize, this is neither feasible nor economically possible for any shim manufacturer. Beware whenever you encounter a shim with a non-standard, “off-size” decimal thickness. Remember that these shims were originally intended to be “on-size” and ended up “off-size”. Second, when stacking numerous shims to make a shim pack, it is much easier to think in terms of “on-size”, closer tolerance shims. To illustrate this, let’s do two math problems:

Solve for X: 20+20+20+20+X=100 (on-size shims) OR Solve for X: 22+19+20+19+X=100 (off-size shims)

Working with “on-size” shims eliminates the time spent searching for that “perfect combination”.

How do I know that I am getting the best?

Prove it to yourself. Mic your shims with a micrometer or a caliper to determine the thickness (especially .050 and thicker!). Make sure to check in more than one spot to look for consistency throughout the shim. Compare these findings to what the shim is labeled. While you are checking, also look for burrs and crown (non-flatness). These two conditions can create false readings in the equipment that will lead to wasted shimming time. Put Precision Brand Slotted Shim to the test and I am sure that you will find it to be the best!

Are 6″ x 6″ and 8″ x 8″ Stainless Slotted Shims Available?

Yes, you can view them on line.

To view the 6″ x 6″ size E shims click here.

To view the 8″ x 8″ Size H shims click here.

Can I order shims which are thicker than .125″?

Yes, thicker stainless slotted shims are available on special order. Shims may be cut up to 1/2″ thick depending upon the actual shim size. Contact the customer service department at Precision Brand Products, Inc. for a special order quote.

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