Plastic Shims
Plastic Shims (colour coded polyester film) have become increasingly recognised in major engineering for shimming, spacing and insulation applications. It is uniquely colour coded for easy recognition on the shop floor and also to avoid the use of a micrometer.
Key Features:
- Easy to fabricate
- Provide a high strength to weight ratio
- Good corrosion resistance
- Low co-efficent of friction
- Excellent resistance to wear
- Safer than standard shimming materials.
- Much higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to metallic alternatives
- Helps to prevent corrosion between dissimilar materials.
Availability
| Sheet sizes (mm): |
609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
| Shim pack A* (mm): |
609x304 1 sheet of each size - 23 sheets supplied |
| Shim pack B* (mm): |
1219x609 1 sheet of each size - 23 sheets supplied |
* denotes thicknesses available in the packs
Please use the colour chart below to select the thickness you require.
Colour denotes the thickness
CLEAR Thickness: .0005" / 0.0127mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
PURPLE* Thickness: .001" / 0.025mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
PINK* Thickness: .0015" / 0.037mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
DARK BLUE* Thickness: .002" / 0.050mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
BLACK* .0025" / 0.063mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
GREEN* .003" / 0.075mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
AMBER*Thickness: .004" / 0.100mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
BROWN* Thickness: .005" / 0.125mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
CLEAR* Thickness: .006" / 0.150mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
PEACOCK BLUE* .007" / 0.175mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
HAZY* .011" / 0.190mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
TINT BLUE* .008" / 0.200mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
SILVER* Thickness: .009" / 0.225mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
WHITE* Thickness: .010" / 0.250mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
GOLD* Thickness: .011" / 0.275mm Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
DARK GREEN* Thickness: .012" / 0.300mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609
|
NATURAL* Thickness: .014" / 0.350mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 |
RED* Thickness: .015" / 0.375mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609 1828x914 |
YELLOW* Thickness: .020" / 0.500mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
LIGHT GREY* Thickness: .025" / 0.625mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914
|
LIGHT BLUE* Thickness: .030" / 0.750mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
TAN* Thickness: .040" / 1.00mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
CHARCOAL GREY* Thickness: .050" / 1.25mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
CREAM* Thickness: .060" / 1.50mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
NATURAL Thickness: .080" / 2.00mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
BLACK Thickness: .125" / 3.00mm
Size (mm): 609x304, 1219x609, 1828x914 |
|
Material Specification 'A'
This specification applies to thickness from .001" to .015" as detailed and are produced colour coded from polyester films ('Melinex', 'Mylar', 'Hostaphan') to meet the particular demands of the engineering, automotive, electrical and electronic industries. Polyester materials are remarkably tough with very high compressive and dielectric strengths, very low water absorption, excellent dimensional stability over a wide range of temperatures and good resistance to most chemicals, ozone, direct sunlight etc.
Thickness & colours
| (23mic) .001" |
Purple |
(75mic) .003" |
Green |
(175mic) .007" |
Peacock blue |
| (36mic) .0015" |
Pink |
(100mic) .004" |
Amber |
(190mic) .0075" |
Hazy |
| (50mic) .002" |
Dark blue |
(125mm) .005" |
Brown |
(200mic) .008" |
Tint blue** |
| (65mic) .0025" |
Black |
(150mic) .006" |
Clear |
(225mic) .009" |
Silver |
| (250mic) .010" |
White |
(350mic) .014" |
Natural |
(275mic) .011" |
Gold |
| (375mic) .015" |
Red (MX) |
(300mic) .012" |
Dark Green |
|
|
Thicker gauges (Matt red .015" to .060") please see material specification 'B'
** .008"(200mic) is a polyester laminate, and may perform differently in some applications.
Typical value of properties
| Property |
Values |
Test method |
| General: |
| Relative density |
1.40 kg/m2 |
ASTM D 1505 |
| Water absorption |
0.60 % (1 week 24ºC) |
|
| Mechanical: |
MD* |
TD* |
|
| Tensile strength |
2000kgf/cm2 |
2600kgf/cm2 |
ASTM D 882 |
| Yield strength |
1000kgf/cm3 |
1000kgf/cm3 |
ASTM D 882 |
| Elongation at break |
125% |
80% |
ASTM D 882 |
| Ultimate compressive strength |
28500 psi (250A) |
ASTM D 695-63T |
| Electrical: |
| Dielectric strength |
6.4kv (23m), 16kv (125m), 23kv (250m) |
ASTM D 149 |
| Surface resistivity |
> 1013 Ω/ |
|
| Thermal: |
| Service Temperature |
-70ºC to 130ºC |
|
| Melting point |
265ºC |
|
| Co-efficient of thermal |
19 x 10-6 (MD*) cm/cm/deg/c |
|
| Expansion (between 20º & 50ºC) |
19 x 10-6 (TD*) cm/cm/deg/c |
|
| Shrinkage (after 5 mins at 190ºC) |
3 % (MD* & TD*) |
|
*MD - Machine Direction *TD- Transverse Direction
Resistant to dilute acids and alkalis, grease, oils, fats, organic, solvents, alcohols, hydrocarbons, kentones, esters, chlorinated compounds.
The above properties are typical values only.
Material Specification 'B'
This specification applies to the thickness range from .015" to .080" and are produced colour-coded from specially reinforced propylene copolymer PP4 which is an excellent engineering material.
Thickness & colour
| (375mic) .015" |
Matt red |
(1000mic) .040" |
Tan |
| (500mic) .020" |
Yellow |
(1270mic) .050" |
Charcoal Grey |
| (635mic) .025" |
Light Grey |
(1500mic) .060" |
Cream |
| (760mic) .030" |
Light blue |
(2000mic) .080" |
Natural |
Thinner gauges (.001" to .015" polish red MX) - please see specification 'A'
Typical values of property
| Property |
Values |
Test method |
| Tensile strength at yeild |
3560 lbf/in2 |
BS 2782 301 G |
| Ultimate compressive strength |
4000-8000 psi |
- |
| Elastic modules in tension |
200.000 lbf/in2 |
ASTM D 790 59T |
| Izod impact strength |
8ft lbf/in notch |
BS2782 306A |
| (1.00mm notch) |
430 J/M notch |
|
| Brittle failures |
None |
|
| Brinell hardness |
9.5 |
BS 240 |
| Softening point |
144ºC |
BS 2782 102D |
| Co-efficient or linear expansion |
11 * 105 per ºC |
|
| Surface resistivity |
>1015 Ω |
BS 2782 102A |
| Volume resistivity |
>1016 Ω cm |
BS 2782 202A |
| Electrical strength |
19kv/mm |
BS 2782 206B |
| Specific gravity |
0.91 - 0.95 |
|
| Water absorption |
0.3 mg (<0.02%) |
BS 2782 502D |
Polypropylene sheet is resistant to aqueous solution of non-oxidising or inorganic compounds, most alcohols, ketones and mineral oils, it is however, affected by concentrated solution of oxidising agents, ethers, esters, chlorinated hydrocarbons, some aromatic compounds, petrol and paraffin.