Custom Metal Spacers and Standoffs Manufacturer

Precision Metal Spacers & Standoffs Manufactured to Customer Drawings

We manufacture custom metal spacers and standoffs to customer drawings and specifications. We make spacers from materials such as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, brass, and copper. We manufacture round and hex spacers, including hollow, threaded, unthreaded, sleeve, stud, and standoff types. Every metallic spacer is manufactured to meet exact dimensional tolerances and performance standards.

We manufacture spacers through CNC turning and CNC milling according to part requirements, and additional machining operations such as drilling, tapping, threading, chamfering, and deburring are performed as required. We support both metric (mm) and imperial (inch) sizes.

Request a Quote Today for Custom Metal Spacers

What Are Metal Spacers?

A spacer is a component used to separate two parts in an assembly. A metal spacer creates a precise gap between two objects. It is available in threaded and unthreaded forms. Spacers are commonly manufactured in cylindrical and hexagonal shapes. Common spacer materials include aluminum, brass, steel, stainless steel, and copper. Spacers are used in electronics, automotive, and machinery applications.

Metal Spacer Specifications & Capabilities

Item	Details
Material	Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Brass, Copper, Carbon Steel, and customer-specified material grades
Manufacturing Process	CNC turning and CNC milling according to part requirements. Drilling, tapping, threading, chamfering, and deburring performed as required.
Dimensions	Custom OD, ID, length, wall thickness, and overall dimensions according to customer drawings
Finish	black anodised (aluminum), nickel plating, bead blasting, powder coating, and customer-specified finishes, depending on the material
Thread Type	Metric (ISO), UNC, UNF, and customer-specified thread types
Thread Size	Metric: M2, M2.5, M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, etc. Imperial: #2-56, #4-40, #6-32, #8-32, #10-24, 1/4-20, and other UNC/UNF sizes
Tolerance	Typical tolerance ±0.1 mm; tighter tolerances available according to customer drawings and critical dimension requirements
Inspection	Dimensional inspection of critical dimensions according to customer drawings and specifications
Material Certification	Available on request
Packaging	Bag, carton, pallet, and custom packaging
Typical Lead Time	Approximately 3-4 weeks depending on quantity, part complexity, and surface finish
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)	Depends on part complexity, material, manufacturing process, and production requirements
Drawings Accepted	STEP (3D), PDF, DXF, and DWG files
Tooling Ownership	All custom tooling is customer-owned and is never reused for other customers.

Types of Metal Spacers and Standoffs

Metal spacers are available in different shapes to suit various assemblies and fastening applications.

Threaded Metal Standoffs

Threaded metal standoffs are manufactured with internal threads, external threads, or both. Common configurations include female-female, male-female, and male-male standoffs. Frequently used where secure spacing and repeated assembly and disassembly are required. Common applications include electronics, control panels, and instrument and equipment assemblies.

Unthreaded Sleeve Spacers

Plain hollow spacer sleeves without any threads. Installed over a bolt shank to maintain a fixed gap between two components. Commonly used in machinery, automotive, fabricated assemblies, and structural applications.

Round Metal Spacers

Round metal spacers are unthreaded, cylindrical spacers. Used to maintain precise mechanical clearance and align components. Unlike threaded standoffs, these metal spacers for bolts feature a smooth, unthreaded inner bore that allows bolts and screws to pass through without engaging any thread

Hex Metal Spacers

Hex metal spacers have a six-sided hex design used to separate mechanical and electronic components, allowing them to be tightened securely with a wrench. Unlike round spacers, their flat hex sides provide an excellent gripping surface for tools during assembly. They are available in threaded and unthreaded designs.

Flat Metal Spacers

Thin flat shaped spacer used to create small and accurate gaps. Used for alignment, levelling, height adjustment, and reducing clearance variations. Suitable where only a small spacing adjustment is required.

Small Metal Spacers

Miniature spacers manufactured for compact assemblies. Commonly used in PCB assemblies, electronic devices, sensors, and precision instruments. Available in small diameters and short lengths for compact assemblies.

Custom Metal Spacers

Manufactured according to customer drawings and specifications. Customizable material, OD, ID, length, wall thickness, threads, tolerances, and surface finish. Suitable for OEMs where standard catalogue spacers do not meet design requirements.

Common Spacer Materials

Metal spacers are available in different materials such as brass, copper, aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel. Each material has its own characteristics and uses.

Aluminum

Aluminum is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and offers a good balance of cost and performance. Common aluminum spacer configurations include threaded standoffs, unthreaded sleeve spacers, round spacers, and hex spacers. Aluminum common grade for spacer is 6061 and 6063. Aluminum spacer are used where low weight is important. Aluminum provides a good balance of strength and corrosion resistance.

Brass

Brass provide good machinability and corrosion resistance. Common brass spacer configurations include hex spacers, round spacers, and threaded standoffs. Brass provides a balance of machinability, mechanical strength, cost, and corrosion resistance. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications where good corrosion resistance is required.

Brass also provides reliable thread strength for threaded spacers and standoffs. Brass threads generally withstand repeated assembly/disassembly better than aluminum. It is mostly used in PCBs, computer hardware, industrial controls, and automotive dashboards. Common brass grade in spacer is C36000.

Copper Spacer

Copper is more expensive than most other spacer materials. Copper's gummy nature increases machining difficulty and cost. Copper spacers are available in both threaded and unthreaded types. Copper spacers are mainly selected when the application requires high electrical conductivity, grounding performance, and thermal dissipation. Common applications include electrical control panels, power distribution equipment, and grounding assemblies.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel provides excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and durable threads. Common grades include 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel. Stainless steel spacers offer an excellent balance of corrosion resistance, strength, thread durability, and long service life. Stainless steel spacer used in marine, food processing, and outdoor applications. Common stainless steel spacer configurations include male-female standoffs, female-female standoffs, and round spacers.

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel provide excellent strength, high load capacity, cost efficiency, and thread durability. Mostly used in mechanical components and automotive assemblies. Common carbon steel grades used for spacers are AISI 1010 and AISI 1018.Common carbon steel spacer configurations include round spacers, hexagonal spacers, and threaded standoffs.

Metal Spacer Material Comparison

Property	Aluminum	Stainless Steel	Carbon Steel	Brass	Copper
Common Grades	6061, 6063	304, 316	AISI 1010, AISI 1018	C36000	C11000
Density (g/cm³)	2.70	8.00	7.85–7.87	8.50	8.96
Corrosion Resistance	Good	Excellent	Poor (unless coated/plated)	Good	Good
Electrical Conductivity	High	Low	Low	Good	Excellent
Thermal Conductivity	High	Low	Moderate	Good	Excellent
Machinability	Excellent	Moderate	Good	Excellent	Moderate
Typical Applications	Electronics, aerospace, general industrial equipment	Marine, food processing, outdoor equipment, chemical processing	Machinery, automotive assemblies, industrial equipment	PCBs, electronics, industrial controls, threaded standoffs	Grounding, electrical equipment, power distribution, thermal managemen

Quality Control and Inspection

Inspection is carried out at multiple stages to ensure parts meet drawing requirements. Dimensional checks are performed using vernier and digital calipers, height gauges, Go/No-Go gauges, and thread plug/ring gauges.

Material verification is supported through material test reports provided by the raw material supplier, when required.

Basic dimensional inspection reports are provided on request. Profile inspection and CMM measurement are supported through qualified partner facilities when specified by the customer.

Inspection methods and reporting levels are defined based on drawing requirements and order scope.

Custom Metal Spacer Manufacturing

We make custom metal spacers according to customer requirements and drawings. Both supported prototype and production quantities, but one-time small-quantity production order not accepted.

Materials

We support materials like aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, and copper spacers according to customer requirements.

Dimensions

Custom dimensions include outer diameter (OD), inner diameter (ID), and length according to customer requirements.

Thread Options

Metric, UNC, UNF, and BSP threads are available. We manufacture male, female, through-bore, and unthreaded spacer designs.

Shapes & Designs

Custom spacers are available in round, hex, sleeve, and threaded standoff designs, including male-female and female-female configurations.

Surface Finish

Available finishes include natural, zinc plating, nickel plating, anodizing, and other as per requirements.

Drawing Support

We accept PDF, STEP, DWG, and DXF drawing files for custom manufacturing.

Quality Requirements

All custom metal spacers are manufactured according to customer drawings. Material test reports and dimensional inspection reports are available on request.

Metal Spacer Applications

Spacers are used in many different applications. The use of spacers depends on the spacer material, thread types, load requirements, corrosion resistance, and operating environment.

Electronics & PCB Assemblies

Spacers are used in PCB assemblies for maintaining spacing between circuit boards and electronic components. Spacers help support stacked PCBs and maintain electrical clearance. Also provides secure mounting inside control panels and electronic enclosures.

Industrial Machinery & Equipment

In machinery and equipment, spacers help align brackets, bearing housings, covers, guards, and machine assemblies.

Automotive Assemblies

Used in Automotive assemblies, mount sensors, electronic modules, and brackets. Spacers maintain proper clearance and alignment during assembly.

Telecommunications Equipment

Used in network equipment, RF modules, communication devices, antenna assemblies, and rack-mounted equipment. They provide stable mounting and maintain spacing between components.

Electrical & Control Panels

Metal spacers are used in electrical cabinets, switchgear, power distribution equipment, terminal assemblies, and control panels.

Aerospace & Defense

Metal spacers are used in lightweight assemblies, avionics, structural mounting, and precision equipment.

Medical Equipment

Metal spacers are used in diagnostic equipment, laboratory instruments, and medical electronic devices.

Marine & Outdoor Equipment

Stainless steel metal spacers are commonly used in marine equipment, outdoor enclosures, marine control systems, and coastal installations where corrosion resistance is important.

Metal Spacers FAQ

1. What is the difference between a spacer and a standoff?

A spacer is typically an unthreaded component used to maintain a fixed distance between two parts. A standoff performs the same spacing function but includes internal and/or external threads, allowing components to be securely fastened together using bolts. Standoffs are commonly used in PCB assemblies and electronic enclosures, while spacers are widely used in mechanical assemblies.

2. How do I determine the correct spacer length?

The spacer length should equal the required distance between the two mating components after assembly. When selecting the length, consider the desired clearance, component thickness, compression requirements, and the fastener's thread engagement. A spacer that is too short may compress the assembly, while one that is too long can reduce clamp load and affect alignment.

3. How do I prevent galvanic corrosion when selecting metal spacers?

Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are in electrical contact in the presence of moisture and an electrolyte. To reduce this risk, select spacer materials that are compatible with the mating components whenever possible. If dissimilar metals must be used, protective coatings, anodizing, passivation, plating, and bushings can help electrically isolate the metals and minimize corrosion.

4. Can custom spacers be manufactured without special tooling?

Yes. Most custom machined metal spacers can be produced directly from customer drawings using CNC turning, eliminating the need for dedicated tooling. This makes custom dimensions, thread combinations, and tolerances practical for prototypes as well as medium-volume production. Special tooling may only be required for certain high-volume manufacturing processes and highly specialized designs.

5. When should I use a heavy-wall spacer instead of a standard spacer?

A heavy-wall spacer should be selected when the assembly is subjected to higher clamp loads and greater mechanical stress. Standard-wall spacers are generally suitable for lighter-duty applications where loads are lower and a thinner wall provides sufficient strength.

6. How do I select the correct inside diameter (ID) for a metal spacer?

The inside diameter should provide adequate clearance for the fastener passing through the spacer while maintaining proper alignment. In most applications, the ID is selected to provide a clearance fit around the bolt rather than an interference fit. The appropriate clearance depends on the fastener size and the assembly requirements specified in the design.

Request a Custom Metal Spacers Quote

To request a metal spacers quotation, send your STEP (3D) file along with a PDF drawing and RFQ details.

Please include:

• Material specification
• Quantity requirement (one-time, repeat, or blanket order)
• Surface finish requirement
• Required delivery timeline
• Shipping terms (EXW, DAP, DDP)

Send your RFQ and drawings to receive a quotation with pricing and indicative lead time..