I would like to no why we use metal standoffs

[BobJohn6]

I needed to no for school why we use metal standoffs. Rather than the plastic ones.

 

[xFeaRDom]

The first main reason is strength, plastic standoffs used to be used commonly, but that is because the hardware of a computer was much smaller (Weird, huh?) and obviously less powerful, and with this less power, less cooling was needed to keep it within a temperature range. And the overall system (Not including the cases, they're like a tonne of bricks), was much lighter. And these days, metal standoffs are used due to the systems being much heavier, due to overclocking CPUs with heavy heatsinks and fans, the GPUs such as the Nvidia and AMD ones are much larger and more powerful, produce much more heat so more heatsinks and fans are needed to keep it cool.

If you didn't already know, the standoffs nowadays are made of brass, and therefore do not conduct electricity as good as other metals, like copper, so it works as a slight grounding technique as well as, to keep the motherboard off of the side of the case, which will conduct electricity, and basically short-circuit the motherboard and can damage the components.

Another reason, how often do you see plastic standoffs being used nowadays, and it is probably much worse for the environment (I couldn't really care 😉 ) rather than metal, which can be made much easier, and can be stored and found much easier.

There are probably other reasons, but this is what I think/see.

 

[alexoiu]

When assembling two pieces together through screws, if one is metal, then I prefer for the assembling piece to be metal. But, there are plastic standoffs too.
Some would say for grounding, and that the points around the motherboard screw holes are conductive, but then, there are washers and they are not metal.
And the grounding is done through the ATX connector and the wall socket.

The answer for your school class, I guess that is grounding, though.

 

[alexoiu]

"...are made of brass, and therefore do not conduct electricity"
I don't think so.

 

[xFeaRDom]

"...are made of brass, and therefore do not conduct electricity"
I don't think so.

Just what I read up, sounds daft. I meant to type that it does conduct it, just not very well, and that's why it works for extra grounding.

 

[alexoiu]

"...are made of brass, and therefore do not conduct electricity"
I don't think so.

Just what I read up, sounds daft. I meant to type that it does conduct it, just not very well, and that's why it works for extra grounding.

Yes, I agree. It does conduct, although the conductivity is not high.