Standoff / spacer
No single standard - vendor ranges (Keystone, Wurth, Essentra)
Sizes
M2-M6 in electronics; lengths from about 3 mm to 100 mm
Drive & head
Hex body, or plain tube for a screw to pass through
Materials
Brass, aluminium, steel, nylon
Strength / grades
Chosen by material - brass conducts, nylon insulates
Hole and pilot guidance
Board hole is a clearance hole for the screw; self-tapping standoffs need the pilot hole from the thread-forming chart.
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Where it is used
Circuit board mounting
Male-female or female-female pillars hold a board off the chassis for clearance and airflow
View sourceMotherboard trays in PC cases
Hex standoffs set the board height and provide the earth path
View sourceWatch out for
- Male and female ends must match at both ends of the stack.
- Nylon standoffs strip very easily - barely more than finger tight.
- Mixed standoff lengths bend the board and crack solder joints.