Custom machined part
Plastic washers
- Job
- Spread, protect & isolate
- Forms
- Flat, shoulder, cup & thrust
- Food lines
- Detectable grades
- Starting point
- Drawing, old washer or sizes
Custom plastic washers, CNC machined in the size, thickness and plastic your assembly needs. Made to your drawing or from the washer you’re replacing, from one piece to production runs.
- ±0.002"–±0.005" on critical dimensions
- Family owned in Aurora since 1986
- Expedited service for breakdowns
Washer forms
Four common shapes
Common examples. If yours is a different shape, send the drawing and we’ll machine it.
- DIAGRAM: flat washer, section view, no dimensions
Flat
A plain disc with a hole, in the OD, bore, thickness and plastic you need.
Tell us OD, bore and thickness.
- DIAGRAM: shoulder washer, section view, no dimensions
Shoulder
A flange with a short barrel that centers the fastener in its hole.
Tell us Flange size, barrel length and the hole it fits.
- DIAGRAM: cup washer, section view, no dimensions
Cup
A recessed face that seats a fastener head and spreads its load.
Tell us Head size, recess depth and outside size.
- DIAGRAM: thrust washer, section view, no dimensions
Thrust
A sliding bearing face that takes axial load between turning parts.
Tell us Axial load, speed, lubrication and what it runs against.
What a washer does
Four jobs at the fastener
A washer sits between a fastener and the part it holds. Most do one or two of these jobs. Not every washer seals, locks or damps vibration.
- A
Spread the load
Spreads bolt-head or nut force over a wider area, so a softer part isn’t crushed or dented.
- B
Protect the face
Keeps the fastener off a coated, painted, finished or plastic surface.
- C
A non-metal bearing face
Gives the fastener a smooth plastic surface to seat or turn against.
- D
Isolate the fastener
Insulates a bolt from an electrical assembly, often as a shoulder washer. Tell us the specification and grade; ratings come from those.
Similar parts
What’s its main job?
Shoulder washers can look like spacers. What the part does decides which one it is.
- Spreads load, protects or isolates at the fastener Washer (this page)
- Sets the distance between two faces Spacer
- Seals a fixed joint Gasket
- Holds a part, or backs up an O-ring Retainer ring
Replacing a washer?
Why a washer stops doing its job
What you see on the old washer points to what the new one needs. These are things to check, not a diagnosis.
| You see | Likely cause | Tell us | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The joint loosened | The washer slowly thinned under constant clamp load (creep), so the bolt lost tension. | The fastener, how tight it was set, and the temperature. | |
| Flattened or squeezed out | A soft plastic such as unfilled PTFE has flowed out under the fastener. | The current material and the clamp load. | |
| Swollen or soft | Nylon and some other plastics take on water in wet or washdown service. | Moisture, washdown and cleaners. | |
| Cracked at the bore | Chemicals and high stress at the bore together can start a crack. | Chemicals present and how the fastener is fitted. | |
| Worn face (thrust) | A thrust washer is sliding against something and wearing. | What it runs against, speed, lubrication and axial load. |
Getting a quote
Start with what you have
Any one of these is enough to get a quote started. Pick yours to see what helps.
Send the drawing and we machine to it.
- Quantity
- Plastic, if specified
- Drawing revision
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send the old washer, with the fastener if you can.
- What it sits against
- How it failed
- Quantity
A flattened, swollen or cracked washer may not show its original thickness or material.
Send what you know. We’ll ask for the rest.
- OD, bore and thickness
- Any shoulder or recess
- The fastener size
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Plastics for washers
Chosen by the job it does
- Nylon Tough and economical. It takes on moisture, which we allow for.
- Acetal Stiff, with low moisture uptake, so it holds thickness well.
- PTFE Chemically inert and slippery. Soft, so it can cold-flow under clamp load.
- G10 A rigid glass laminate for electrical insulating washers.
- ULTEM Strong at temperature, with good electrical properties.
- PEEK High strength, heat and chemical resistance.
- UHMW Slippery and wear-resistant, for low-load thrust faces.
- Detectable grades Metal- and X-ray-detectable plastics for washers on food-line equipment.
Machined in Aurora
How your washers are made
±0.002"–
±0.005"
On critical dimensions, depending on the plastic.
- Bores, shoulders, cups and steps CNC turned; counterbores and shaped outsides machined as drawn.
- Specs and CAD files kept, so the next order matches the last.
Evaluating a supplier? See the shop and how we check the work.
Buyer questions
Plastic washer FAQs
Something else? Call (630) 904-2525.
Yes. Washers on food-line equipment can be machined from metal- or X-ray-detectable plastics. They work with different inspection systems, so tell us which your line uses.
We hold ±0.002" to ±0.005" on critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. We review your drawing and confirm the critical dimensions, such as thickness and bore, with your quote.
Timing depends on the washer, plastic and quantity, and comes with your quote. For an emergency breakdown, ask about our expedited service.
Not a washer?
Find the right part
We machine almost any plastic part. If yours isn’t listed, describe it in a quote request.
Standard quote
Ready to send your washer details?
Experienced help from your first quote to the finished part.