Manufacturer Profile: Amatom
About Amatom
Amatom Electronic Hardware is a division of Carey Manufacturing which focuses on the production of PCB hardware and related components. Since it’s start in 1957, Amatom has built a reputation for innovative and dependable products. In fact, Amatom’s comprehensive product offering makes Amatom a go to source for electronic hardware.
Captive Screws
Handles
Standoffs
Amatom Products
- Handles
- Standoffs
- Spacers
- Jack Screws
- Captive Panel Fasteners
- Washers
To configure products view Amatom’s online catalog.
Amatom Manufacturing Capabilities
Amatom manufacturers products from many materials including aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and brass. In addition, Amatom offers a wide variety of finishes and platings to meet application specific requirements. Regardless of the material or finish Amatom is able to offer competitive lead times and prices on custom and standard products by utilizing in-house CNC machining.
Amatom Distributor
bisco industries is proud to be an authorized Amatom distributor. bisco stocks thousands of Amatom electronic hardware components, all available for same day shipment. To search stock and get pricing visit biscoind.com.
What is a Standoff?
Standoff Fastener Description
Standoffs are fasteners used to create space between printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies and are the standard fastener for mounting PCBs to prevent electrical shorts. Standoffs are similar to spacers but differ in that they are threaded.
Standoff Fastener Styles
Standoffs may be cylindrical, square or hexagonal in shape and come in male, female, male-male, or male-female styles. Standoffs are fabricated from various materials such as aluminum, brass, stainless steel and nylon. In addition, standoffs are often plated to meet application specific requirements.
Standoff Fastener Application Example
One application example for standoffs is the fastening of a motherboard (PCB) to a metal enclosure. In a typical scenario, male-female standoffs are fastened into pre-drilled metal ringed screw holes in the motherboard while the opposite end of the standoff is fastened to the enclosure wall. Mounting the motherboard in this manner prevents it from short circuiting.
Standoff Fastener Manufacturers
- Accurate Screw Machine (ASM)
- Amatom
- Bivar
- Concord Electronics
- ITW Fastex
- Keystone Electronics
- Lyn-Tron
- RAF Electronic Hardware
Configuring Standoff Fasteners
Since standoffs come in so many styles, sizes, and materials configuring the correct standoff for your application can be challenging. To aid you in configuring standoffs and other electronic hardware bisco has recently updated it’s RAF product catalog. Users can now browse and filter standoffs by style, material, diameter, length, thread size, and finish. Visit bisco’s online RAF product selector to learn more.
What is a Spacer?
Spacers are unthreaded cylindrical fasteners fabricated from a variety of materials including brass, stainless steel, and nylon. Similar to standoffs, spacers differ in that they are unthreaded. Spacers fall under the broader categories of electronic hardware and printed circuit board (PCB) hardware as spacers are primarily used to separate (space) PCBs. Spacers protect PCBs from heat damage by creating space for cooling air flow while also allowing PCBs to be stacked.
How Are Spacers Manufactured?
Spacers are typically fabricated using computer numerical control (CNC) machining or automatic lathe machining. CNC machining utilizes computer programs to control the machining process while automatic lathe machining automates the machining process through mechanical means. In either method the raw material is inserted into the machine and then rotated at varying speeds while cutting tools remove excess material until the final product is produced.
Leading Spacer Manufacturers
Only Have a Product Description?
RAF and Lyn-Tron both offer convenient product configurators to help you find a manufacturer item number. Once you’ve located the item number or if you already have it, be sure to visit biscoind.com to get pricing and availability information.
Reduce Costs by Using Captive Screws
What is a Captive Screw?
Captive screws are designed to lock into a hole while allowing the fastened components to be detached without the complete removal of the screw. Thus a captive screw can be locked in place on a parent component without being fastened to a child component. Captive fasteners are typically locked in place using thread locking, press-fitting, or broaching.
Advantages of Using Captive Fasteners
Captive screws help control costs by minimizing damage to machinery from loose screws and by reducing the need for replacement fasteners. Captive screws also help make repairs easier by allowing easy access to components.
Captive Screw Configurations
Captive fasteners are available in a variety of configurations and designs.
| Style | Locking Style | Drive Style | Materials |
| Flush Captive Screws | Flare-In | Philips | Steel |
| Spring-Loaded Captive Screws | Broaching / Spline | Slotted | Stainless Steel |
| Low Profile Captive Screws | Thread Locking | Socket | Brass |
| Knob Captive Screws | Soldering | Torx | Aluminum |
| And More… | And More… | And More… | And More… |
Captive Screw Manufacturers
bisco industries offers captive screws from industry leading manufacturers including:
To find the right captive fastener for your application search biscoind.com or contact our customer service team today!
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