Stainless Steel Shims

Stainless steels are engineering materials with good corrosion resistance, strength, and fabrication characteristics. American Metals stock many thicknesses of the standard grades of stainless steel, please contact us for a custom quote of your shims requirements.

Common Stainless Steel Grades for Shim Applications

Type 17-7 alloy is a chromium-nickel-aluminum precipitation hardening stainless steel used for applications requiring high strength and a moderate level of corrosion resistance. The 17-7 alloy has been available for many years and has found application in aerospace and many spring type applications requiring high strength. Please visit 17-7 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 17-7 stainless steel.

Type 301 has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and ductility. 301 grade stainless is a common material for shims. Please visit 301 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 301 stainless steel.

Type 302 resists oxidation, easy fabrication, easy to clean, high strength with low weight. Used for utensils, cookware, and stainless flatware. Please visit 302 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 302 stainless steel.

Type 304, 304L serves a wide range of applications. It withstands ordinary rusting in architecture, it is resistant to food processing environments, it resists organic chemicals, dyestuffs, and a wide variety of inorganic chemicals. Please visit 304 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet and 304L Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 304/304L stainless steel.


Type 305 low work hardening, high strength to weight ratio, attractive finish, easy to fabricate and clean, excellent for free spinning and cold heading. Typical uses are spring clips, mechanical components. Please visit 305 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 305 stainless steel.

Type 316, 316L contains slightly more nickel than type 304 giving it better resistance to corrosion than type 304, especially in chloride environments that tend to cause pitting. 316L has superior intergranular corrosion resistance after welding or stress relieving. Easy to maintain, good pitting resistance, superior creep strength, and close tolerances. Typical uses include marine environment components, conveyors, and food processing equipment components. Please visit 316 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet and 316L Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 316/316L stainless steel.

Type 321 immune to high temperatures, stabilized by Titanium, resists intergranular corrosion, high strength. Used for aircraft afterburners, exhaust manifolds, cabin heaters, flash boilers, firewalls, and stack liners. Please visit 321 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 321 stainless steel.

Type 410 corrosion and heat resistant, resists scaling, easily welded, high impact strength, and resists oxidation. Commonly used for turbine blades, cutlery, kitchen utensils, fasteners, screens, bushings, and valve parts. Please visit 410 Stainless Steel Technical Data Sheet for more information including chemical and mechanical properties of 410 stainless steel.

Type 430 has lower alloy content than type 304 and is used for highly polished trim applications in mild atmospheres. Has good formability, ductility, low work hardening, corrosion resistant, oxidation resistant, good thermal conductivity, attractive finish, and excellent for drawing. It is used in nitric acid and food processing. Other common uses include heat exchangers, vaults, tubing, builder’s hardware, kitchen trims and appliance trims.

Stainless Steel Laminated Shims

 

 

 

 

Thickness of shims made from laminated stainless steel shim stock can be adjusted in the field.by peeling off one layer of lamination a time. Following description of the aluminum laminated shim stock material is based on AMS-DTL-22499. Other specifications include BOEING BACS40- series, BELL 120- series, LOCKHEED/BOEING 5PTC series, VOUGHT NORTHROP GRUMMAN GS and CVC series.

 

 

Material (Composition 3):
Grade 302 Stainless Steel conforming to QQ-S-766 , Class 302, Condition A or
Grade 302 Stainless Steel conforming to MIL-S-5059 , Composition 302, Condition A

Type 1 - All Laminations
Type 2 - One-half Solid Stock
Type 3 - Three-fourths Solid Stock

Class 1 - .002" Laminations
Class 2 - .003" Laminations