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Washers are primarily used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener like a screw or nut. They prevent damage to the surface being joined and cover oversized clearance holes, ensuring a secure and stable connection.
Fender washers feature a significantly larger outer diameter compared to their inner hole size. They are ideal for applications involving thin sheet metals, soft plastics, or wood, where distributing the load over a wider surface area is necessary to prevent pull-through.
Spring washers provide continuous axial tension against the fastener head to absorb vibrations and prevent loosening. Lock washers, such as split or toothed designs, bite into the mating surfaces to physically resist rotational movement and backing off.
While standard flat washers can typically be reused if they are not deformed or corroded, split lock washers and spring washers are designed for single-use applications as their tensioning capability decreases significantly once flattened.
Washers are commonly manufactured from carbon steel, stainless steel, brass, and copper. Specialized applications may also utilize plastic, nylon, or rubber washers to provide insulation or create tight liquid seals.
