Standoffs and spacers are both fasteners, types of electronic or panel hardware.
Let’s start with a look at standoffs. These fasteners have:
- A body and and two threaded ends
- Are Internally threaded, female opening, OR externally threaded, male post or both
- Are commonly used to mechanically support, electrically connect, and position components within assemblies
- Can be round, square, or hex shaped
You may call them by brand names which can be substituted by generic equivalents. Popular brands include: Amatom, Concord, Globe, H.H. Smith, Lyn-tron, Microplastics, Keystone, PEM, RAF, Unicorp.
Now look at spacers. Spacers are:
- Unthreaded with an inside clearance hole
- Used to mechanically support, electronically connect and position components within assemblies
- Can be round, square, or hex shaped
What are Standoffs and Spacers Used For?
Here’s some other info about standoffs and spacers. They’re used in electronic hardware, serving as the standard for connecting and mounting circuit boards, gears, panels, and doors, for a lot of different reasons, such as to:
- Position parts properly within an assembly
- Reduce component contact
- Elevate stacked sections
- Ensure enough room for heat to dissipate
- Separate or create space between two objects
Selecting Standoffs and Spacers by Attribute
When you need to select Standoffs and Spacers, start by considering the four primary attributes of both types of fasteners, and an additional attribute of Standoffs.
- Fastener shape – hex, round, or square?
- Outer diameter of the body – the most common body diameter is ¼, but many other sizes are available
- Body length – standard body lengths range from ¼ x 2″
- Thread size or clearance hole -cClearance holes and thread generally range from #2 through ¼, but special lengths and sizes are also available
- Standoffs have a fifth attribute, thread type or gender, including:
- Female-female: either fully threaded or partially threaded on each end
- Male-female: internal female threads on one end and male threads on the other; threads are usually the same size
- Male-male: external threads on both ends; may be different thread sizes
Selecting Standoffs and Spacers by Material
Besides attributes, you’ll want to consider the materials standoffs and spacers are made from and their common platings. Let’s take a look.
Common materials include:
- Aluminum – popular because of its ratio of weight to strength; light, non-magnetic, performs well in severe temperatures, and has insulating properties.
- Brass – used in making high-quality standoffs, conductive, resists corrosion, and non-magnetic. Costlier and heavier than aluminum, usually plated zinc or nickel; can be soldered for grounding.
- Plastic/nylon – superlight, nonconductive, resistant to chemicals and solvents. Note that nylon absorbs moisture, which can affect dimensions and other properties.
- Steel – used for its strength, heavier than aluminum, it doesn’t resist corrosion like stainless steel, aluminum or brass. It’s often zinc plated for added resistance to corrosion.
- Stainless Steel – strong, conductive, and nonmagnetic, it offers excellent corrosion resistance
Common platings include:
- Clear anodized
- Nickel
- Gold iridite
- Zinc plated
There are over 20 common plating’s available in all. Not all materials and plating may be available off the shelf in all sizes.
How are Standoffs and Spacers Measured?
To measure a Standoff or Spacer, start with the outside diameter of the body, the length of the body and the thread size.
Then, find out if the Standoff is a female-female, male-female or male-male.
As an example, a typical Standoff might measure:
1/4 hex X 1/2 long X 8-32 thread male-female aluminum standoff
The length of the male threaded post is standard, which means it’s not called out and you cannot specify it in an off the shelf product.
OEM parts vs. Functional Equivalents?
The exact standoff type described above, 1/4 hex X 1/2 long X 8-32 thread male-female aluminum standoff, is found branded by at least 10 manufacturers. You can check out MF Supply’s handy cross reference tables by material here to see if the OEM fastener you need is available as a generic alternative:
https://www.mfsupply.com/Standoffs-and-Spacers-s/1832.htm
MF Supply is a distributor for Amatom, Concord, Lyn-tron, Microplastics and RAF and a full range of brand names and equivalents.
If you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality manufacturer of standoffs and spears, you can count on MF Supply . To find more information about which type of fastener is right for you, reach out to them today. They supply some of the most common and unusual Standoffs and Spacers, including a full range of commercial and mil-spec parts in both inch and metric, special sizes, materials, and platings. They live up to their tagline: Finding the right screw for you!