Fixtures and Jigs are used to assemble, align, hold, and fit check parts during the various stages of the manufacturing process. Fixtures and jigs are heavily relied on in order to help maintain the quality of the parts, and production efficiency. Fixtures and jigs should not be overlooked, for they help make the manufacturing process run efficiently.
Fixtures and jigs printed in the Fuse Deposition Modeling (FDM) process can help avoid any halts in the manufacturing process. FDM fixtures and jigs can be produced in days rather than weeks or months when compared to producing fixtures and jigs through traditional machining processes.
FDM fixtures and jigs can be printed in ABS, PC, or ULTEM material. The material can be tailored to your objective. For example, if the part needs to withstand high heat, then the fixture/jig should be printed in ULTEM. Regardless of which material is used, all FDM materials are very durable, and can withstand most handling.
In addition, if there is the potential for several iterations, then one-off FDM’s will be more cost effective than one-off machined fixtures.
Benefits to FDM Fixtures and Jigs: