-By Gagan Saluja
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are all the rage these days but have you ever heard about 3D printing? It is one of those new technologies that is currently spreading like wild-fire due to its effectiveness. It can create products without any human intervention just like a CNC machine, but better. Better in terms of the raw material used, achievable accuracy, reduction of defects, and human errors, the list goes on and on. There are a lot of things you can make with the help of a 3D printer, provided your product fits inside the permissible workspace. But today, we are going to discuss the jigs and fixtures using 3d printing tech.
You might have heard about the headlines that “BMW realized a cost cut of 57% by using 3d printed jigs and fixtures” or about Dixon Value, which made a whopping 97% reduction in manufacturing cost using 3d printed grips and jigs. But what are these jigs and fixtures? Jigs and fixtures in a broad sense are production tools used to hold the workpiece to produce duplicate or interchangeable parts. They differ in the sense that in a fixture is used to support or hold the workpiece; on the other hand, a jig is used to do the same in addition to guiding the tool to the workpiece.
Here the U-shaped body is a fixture, it will only support the workpiece. As there are no boring holes, so it will not be able to guide the boring bar.
This image is similar to the previous one but instead of a fixture, we have a jig here. It will hold the workpiece and in addition to that, it will also be able to guide the boring bar.
So now we have a basic idea of what jigs and fixtures are and how they are used in the industry. But why would anyone 3D print this structure when I can make it with traditional tools?
Time is Money:
Traditionally, a jig or fixture is made from aluminum or steel and they undergo a lot of machining process before being employed in the manufacturing line. The whole process can take up to 15–20 days using standard machining tools. This same jig or fixture can be made with the help of a printer in just 1 or 2 days with a high level of accuracy(Industrial FDM — ±0.2 mm, SLA — ±0.05 mm, and SLS — ±0.1 mm), and this is an enormous cost saving for the manufacturer in terms of the material selected and less production time.
Variety of materials:
The materials used in 3d printing are generally polymers, though If required you can also make metal products, but that’s a different story. This polymer exceeds many metals in terms of chemical resistance, heat resistance, UV light stability, shock resistance, and many more. This polymer also provides soft contact with the workpiece. Using a metallic fixture can cause marring or scratch to sensitive products.
A safe worker is a happy worker:
Jigs, fixtures, grips, and other tools require manual handling by workers, and creating lightweight parts that can be easily transported is one of the main aims of a manufacturer. As tools are designed ergonomically, which will mean a safer environment for the workers and will further contribute towards the overall production efficiency of the plant.
3d printed tool can be a lot better than the traditional tools which were clunky, expensive, required a lot of machining, and a crazy amount of time when compared to a 3d printed alternative. Industries are already making use of this technology by replacing traditional metal counterparts where ever possible.
