Product Description：

Multi hole circular shim plate is a precision metal shim with multiple mounting holes for accurate positioning and fixing. Manufactured through etching or CNC machining, this circular shim offers high precision hole patterns and stable performance. It is widely used in complex assemblies requiring multiple fixing points.

Key Features：

Fixture positioning

Equipment assembly

Automation systems

Industrial tooling

Mechanical structures

Custom Multi-Hole Shim Plates: Solving Complex Fixture Positioning

In modern mechanical design, engineers are increasingly moving away from simple, standard fastening patterns. As machinery becomes more compact and specialized, the need for components with complex geometries—such as specific bolt patterns, mounting tabs, or intricate cutouts—has grown significantly.

For manufacturers, this presents a challenge: how do you produce a Custom Shim Plate with a non-standard hole pattern without incurring the high cost and long lead times of hard tooling?

The answer lies in advanced digital manufacturing. Specifically, the Multi Hole Circular Shim Plate represents a shift towards agile production, allowing for complex fixture positioning without the constraints of traditional stamping.

The Challenge: Complex Hole Patterns and Tooling Costs

Traditional manufacturing methods, such as punching or stamping, rely on physical dies. If your design requires a plate with five holes arranged in a specific pentagon pattern, or a mix of threaded and clearance holes, a custom die must be manufactured.

The downsides of traditional tooling include:

• High Initial Cost: Designing and machining a progressive die is expensive.
• Long Lead Times: Tooling can take weeks to produce and test.
• Inflexibility: If you need to change the hole position by even 1mm, the die is often useless, requiring a complete redesign.

For low-to-medium volume production or prototype phases, this makes complex parts economically unviable.

The Solution: Digital Tooling via Chemical Etching

At our factory, we overcome these limitations by utilizing Chemical Etching (Photo Chemical Machining). This process uses "digital tooling"—essentially a computer-aided design file—to control the machining process.

This makes the production of a Multi Hole Circular Shim Plate incredibly efficient, regardless of the complexity.

Why Etching is Ideal for Complex Geometries:

• No Hard Tooling: We do not need to build metal dies. The "tool" is the digital file, which can be modified in minutes.
• Simultaneous Processing: The chemical spray etches all holes and the outer轮廓 at the same time. This ensures that the positional tolerance between holes is exceptionally tight, as there is no cumulative error from moving the part between different punch stations.
• Burr-Free: Even with multiple holes close together, etching leaves no burrs, eliminating the need for secondary deburring operations.

Application Focus: Precision Fixture Positioning

One of the most common applications for these complex shims is in automation fixtures and jigs.

In an automated assembly line, a part often needs to be located precisely in X, Y, and Z axes before a robot can interact with it. A Custom Shim Plate acts as the interface between the machine base and the workpiece.

Case Study: The Multi-Hole Locator
Imagine a fixture that requires:

• Three mounting holes for stability.
• One large central aperture for a sensor.
• Two small slots for cable management.

Producing this via stamping would be a logistical nightmare. However, using our etching process, we can produce this Multi Hole Circular Shim Plate (or square/rectangular variant) as a single, integrated component. This reduces the number of parts in the assembly, lowers inventory costs, and ensures that the sensor and mounting points are perfectly aligned every time.

Material Versatility

While Stainless Steel (SUS304) is the standard for these plates due to its rigidity and corrosion resistance, our process allows for a wide range of materials depending on the application's needs:

• Aluminum: For applications requiring lightweight components.
• Polymers (PEEK/PET): For electrical insulation in electronic fixtures.
• Brass/Copper: For conductive grounding plates.

Conclusion

The Multi Hole Circular Shim Plate is more than just a spacer; it is a precision positioning element. By leveraging chemical etching, we allow engineers to design complex, multi-functional plates without the penalty of high tooling costs. Whether for a prototype or a specialized industrial fixture, digital manufacturing ensures your components are delivered fast and with micron-level accuracy.

Customize Your Fixturing Today

Don't let tooling costs limit your design. If you need a Custom Shim Plate with complex hole patterns or tight positional tolerances, we are ready to help. Contact Luna on WhatsApp at 12132219094 to discuss your design and get a quote today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the positional tolerance between holes?
A: Using our digital etching process, we can typically hold a positional tolerance of ±0.02mm between features, which is superior to many traditional punching methods for complex parts.

Q: Can you combine different hole types (e.g., threads and plain holes)?
A: Yes. We can etch the clearance holes and then use secondary CNC processes to add threads or counterbores to the same plate.

Q: Is there a minimum distance between holes?
A: Generally, we recommend a bridge width (the material between two holes) of at least the material thickness to maintain structural integrity, though we can go smaller for specific applications.

Q: How quickly can I get a prototype of a complex shim?
A: Since there is no tooling to manufacture, we can often produce prototypes within 3 to 5 days after drawing approval.