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Home
Design and Technology
Key terms
Plain washer

GCSE Design and Technology · key term

Plain washer

Definition

A flat ring placed beneath a nut or fastener head to spread the clamping load over a larger area.

Used by Edexcel

How each exam board covers it

Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology · 1DT0

Specification 2.7.4 · Paper 1

A plain washer beneath the nut spreads the load over a wider area instead of concentrating it immediately around the hole. A washer can also be placed beneath the bolt head. Larger-diameter repair washers spread the load over an even wider area.
Revise: Assembling Methods

Edexcel Design and Technology past papers

Exam tips

1
Explain what the washer does: a plain washer spreads the clamping load; it does not automatically prevent loosening.

Related key terms

Blind hole
Bolt
Contact adhesive
Curing
Die

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Plain washer — Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology Definition