Spacers DI10 black

DI10 spacers in the black version are spacer sleeves in polyethylene (PE) that create an exact and repeatable distance between two components in a screw joint. The sleeve is threaded onto the screw and holds the parts apart at a set measure, without stacks of washers or cut lengths of tube that vary from fitter to fitter.

The range is wide; the series covers more than 300 size combinations. The hole diameter runs from 4.3 to 13 mm and suits screws from M4 up to M12, the outer diameter from 10 to 25 mm and the height from 2 to 30 mm. The heights are graded in millimeter steps through large parts of the series, so you can trim a gap to within a millimeter without cutting anything. You pick the size as a variant on the product page. The spacers are sold only in full packs, for most sizes 1000 pieces and for some 500.

Polyethylene is a rewarding material for spacers in particular. It does not pick up moisture and therefore keeps its dimensions whatever the season and the humidity. It insulates electrically, weighs little and takes most chemicals: acids, bases, cleaning agents and alcohols get little grip on PE. At the same time the material is softer than engineering plastics such as polyamide and acetal, which makes the sleeve gentle on painted and sensitive surfaces.

The uses in workshop and equipment industry are many. Circuit boards and electronics that are to be mounted at a distance from a chassis plate. Panels and machine signs that need a defined air gap behind them for cable routing or cooling. Sheets spaced for drainage in outdoor enclosures, fittings that are to be lifted off a wall, sensors and strips that are mounted at a set distance in machine covers. The same sleeve turns up everywhere two parts are to be screwed together without resting against each other.

The black color has a practical point beyond the looks. Black pigmented polyethylene takes UV light considerably better than unpigmented, which makes the black version the first choice for assembly outdoors or behind glass where the sun beats down. In visible assemblies black spacers also blend in against dark panels and circuit boards.

A couple of practical pieces of advice before assembly. PE creeps under high constant clamping force; the spacer is there to hold a distance, not to work as a spring element in a hard tightened joint. Tighten with moderate torque and rather put the clamping force through a metal sleeve running all the way through if the joint calls for high torque, with DI10 as a pure spacing element around it. Check as well that the outer diameter gives enough contact surface against both parts, especially against thin sheet metal where a larger diameter spreads the pressure better.

If you need to glue the spacer in place during preassembly, PE is the wrong material to glue directly; plan for mechanical fastening instead, for example keeping the sleeve on the screw with a washer. Dimensions per size are in the manufacturer's data sheet, and the same series is also available in a white version if the assembly calls for a light color.

The colors can incidentally be used as visual marking. Some of our customers separate assembly steps or machine versions by switching between black and white spacers from the same size series; the sleeve shows in the joint and tells you straight away which configuration is fitted. And since every pack holds many pieces, a few article numbers cover most of the need in a normal assembly hall, which keeps both the store room and the planning simple.

Not sure which combination of hole, outer diameter and height suits your joint? Get in touch with us.