Spacer Hardware

Applications for Spacers

Spacer hardware is used in a variety of applications. However, they were originally created and designed for use as hardware in electronic equipment such as computers, test equipment, and handheld devices.

Even though this electronic hardware was going into a variety of devices, some standard dimensions became obvious. For example, screws were the preferred method of installing and holding the spacer in place. As a result, the Spacer’s through-hole became standardized around common screw thread sizes. This allowed for spacers to be compatible with other off-the-shelf hardware and made it easy for engineers to quickly add spacers into their designs.

In addition, manufacturers could easily produce a large variety of size combinations. You can now order a spacer in a nearly endless assortment of specifications including:

With so many different spacer hardware combinations available, their use quickly spread to other industries as well. They are now found nearly everywhere and are used as bushings, bearings, washers, tubes, sleeves, frame supports, etc.

Spacers vs. Standoffs

Spacers and standoffs are often used alongside each other in electronics assembly builds to separate components. However there is a key difference between these two products.

Spacers are unthreaded and designed to allow a screw or bolt to pass directly through it. As a result the screw thread used in the assembly does not have to match the spacer, only the inside diameter of the clearance hole.

While standoffs are also used to separate electronic components in an assembly, they are manufactured with threads. Unlike spacers, which have a hole on both ends, standoffs can come in male-male, male-female, and female-female forms, allowing for multiple standoffs to be connected together. While the thread types must match each other in order to connect, standoffs are generally compatible with other standard, off-the-shelf hardware, with custom threads available upon request.

Selection Guide

Ready to select a spacer for your application. Refer to our handy selection guide to discover the most common path to selecting the perfect spacer.