What is shim?

A shim is a thin and usually flat piece of material that is often used to fill gaps between two objects or surfaces. Shims can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic, wood, metal, or rubber, and are typically used in construction, engineering, and manufacturing applications.

Shims are often used to level or align two objects that might have slight imperfections or variations in size. For example, a wooden shim might be used to level a door frame or window, while a metal shim might be used to adjust the spacing between gears in a machine.

There are also specialty shims, such as tapered shims or horseshoe shims, that are designed for more specific applications. Tapered shims gradually increase in thickness, making them useful for aligning slopes or angles, while horseshoe shims are shaped like a horseshoe and can be easily inserted or removed from tight spaces.

Overall, shims are an important tool for achieving precision and stability in a wide range of applications.