Precision Shim Stock and Alignment Hardware RFQ Checklist
A practical sourcing checklist for shim stock, slotted shims, key stock, dowel pins, leveling hardware, material choices, tolerances, documentation, and approved alternates.
Shim stock and alignment hardware are small line items that can decide whether a pump, motor, gearbox, skid, fixture, or fabricated assembly goes back together on schedule. A request that says only "shims" or "alignment parts" can miss the thickness, material, slot style, tolerance, corrosion exposure, documentation, and packaging details that make the parts usable in the field.
This checklist is built for maintenance buyers, rotating equipment teams, industrial job shops, and PVF manufacturers that need a cleaner RFQ for precision shim stock, slotted shims, key stock, dowel pins, leveling pads, jack screws, and related hardware. It focuses on the fields Westgate needs to quote practical, domestic, documented, and approval-ready options without slowing the repair or build.
Start with the equipment and alignment problem
A shim should be sourced against the machine or assembly it supports, not only against a nominal thickness. Include the equipment type, baseplate or foot pattern, shaft size when relevant, required correction, operating environment, and whether the request supports an emergency repair, planned outage, production fixture, field install, or replenishment drawer.
That context helps separate loose shim stock from pre-cut slotted shims, laminated shim packs, stainless alignment shims, brass or plastic shim material, key stock, dowel pins, wedges, leveling screws, and other hardware that may belong on the same RFQ.
Define the shim format before the material
Use clear buying language for the format: roll shim stock, sheet shim stock, slotted motor shims, pre-cut shim assortment, laminated shim, custom cut shim, shim washer, arbor shim, feeler stock, key stock, dowel pin, or machine leveling component. If the shape is not standard, attach a drawing, sketch, photo, or sample dimensions.
Material alone is not enough. Stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, copper, aluminum, plastic, and composite shim materials can be supplied in different thicknesses, widths, hardness ranges, and cut formats. The quote should identify both the physical format and the material requirement so purchasing does not receive available material that still needs unplanned shop work.
Control thickness, tolerance, and stack height
For precision work, the RFQ should state exact thickness, tolerance, width, length, slot size, outside diameter, inside diameter, hole pattern, or drawing revision. If the job uses a stack of shims to reach an alignment correction, list the required thickness mix instead of only the final stack height.
Thickness substitutions should be visible before award. A pack made from several thinner pieces may solve the same height but change handling, corrosion exposure, crush behavior, or installation time. State whether Westgate may quote exact thickness only, closest stocked thickness, an assortment kit, or a staged option for buyer approval.
Match material to the service environment
Shim material should follow the environment and machine duty. Stainless options may matter around washdown, outdoor exposure, chemical exposure, or corrosion-sensitive equipment. Brass, copper, plastic, and composite materials may be selected for conductivity, non-sparking concerns, softer bearing surfaces, or isolation requirements. Carbon steel can be practical for many indoor shop and fixture uses when corrosion is controlled.
If the plant or customer has an approved material list, include it with the RFQ. If alternates are allowed, define the boundary up front: domestic only, stainless required, same thickness tolerance, no plastic substitution, no imported material, or quote stocked and documented options separately.
Include adjacent alignment hardware
Alignment work often needs more than shim material. Key stock, dowel pins, pull dowels, jack screws, leveling pads, set screws, washers, nuts, anchors, coupling hardware, threadlocker, anti-seize, feeler gauges, dial indicators, and measuring tools may all belong on the same repair or production RFQ.
For each hardware line, include diameter, length, thread pitch, grade, material, finish, fit class when known, and whether the part is a consumable, spare, fixture component, or pressure-adjacent item. That keeps small missing hardware from holding up the larger machine repair or assembly release.
Name documentation and packaging needs early
Some shim and alignment buys are simple maintenance replenishment, while others need certificates for customer builds, regulated equipment, receiving controls, or quality programs. Name required paperwork in the first RFQ: COC, MTR, country of origin, lot traceability, material data sheet, hardness reference, or customer-specific certificate.
Packaging can matter as much as material when mechanics are working under time pressure. State whether shims should be bagged by thickness, kitted by equipment tag, labeled by drawing item, supplied as an assortment, or released as min-max replenishment stock. A practical quote should separate stocked commercial options, domestic options, documented options, and substitutions that require approval.
RFQ checklist
- Equipment type, baseplate or fixture use, repair priority, and required correction
- Shim format such as roll, sheet, slotted motor shim, laminated shim, washer, or custom cut shape
- Material requirement such as stainless, carbon steel, brass, copper, aluminum, plastic, or composite
- Thickness, tolerance, width, length, slot size, hole pattern, drawing revision, or sample dimensions
- Required thickness mix, final stack height, assortment range, and acceptable substitution boundary
- Key stock, dowel pins, leveling pads, jack screws, anchors, coupling hardware, and measuring tools
- Grade, finish, thread pitch, fit class, hardness, corrosion exposure, and service environment
- Domestic sourcing, approved manufacturer, no-substitution rule, or alternate approval process
- COC, MTR, country of origin, lot traceability, data sheet, or customer paperwork
- Needed delivery date, ship-to ZIP code, kit labeling, bagging rules, and partial shipment limits
Related Westgate resources
Send the alignment list before the machine is waiting
Westgate can quote shim stock, slotted shims, key stock, dowel pins, leveling hardware, domestic fasteners, PVF parts, gaskets, electrical supplies, tools, and related MRO items from one mixed RFQ. Send the drawing, photo, thickness list, prior PO, or maintenance kit requirement and we will flag missing fields before sourcing begins.
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