Lamsco West, Inc. produce an extensive catalog of aircraft shims, including metal shims and non-metal shims, to suit our customers’ every need. The choice of material and of format for your shim will be critical to your aircraft’s performance and safety, and will depend upon the specific requirements of the airframe environment in which it will be used.
 
Metal shims
Metal shims have many advantages, including strength and resistance to impact and to UV light or ozone exposure. Lamsco West, Inc. is able to manufacture shims from a wide range of metals to make stainless steel shims, brass shims, titanium shims and aluminum shims among many others. The specific properties of each metal will be important, depending on the precise use for the shim being produced.
 
Non-metal shims
Non-metal shims may have advantages over metal shims in a range of situations. They are less heavy and frequently less costly to manufacture. They can be extremely effective where the requirement for thermal or electrical insulation is a feature of the environment. Lamsco West, Inc’s range of non-metal materials includes carbon fiber, fiberglass, nylon, composites and phenolic. Non-metal shims are prone to degrading when exposed to extremes of heat or UV light, but have high compressive strength.
 
Shim format
There is a wide portfolio of formats to choose from for your aircraft shims. These include solid shims, where strength is the main characteristic. Laminated shims offer the flexibility of being able to have individual foils peeled off, to enable the tightest of tolerances to be achieved by fine adjustments on the production line. Tapered shims are used where mating parts are angled or curved, meaning that tight tolerances can be achieved even with complex geometries. Shim sets are frequently ordered for spare parts stock; consisting of a number of shims with precise thicknesses marked on each one, they are often invaluable ot have available for situations where shimming had not been predicted.