3D Printing – Jigs and Fixtures

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing or AM, revolutionizes traditional manufacturing processes by creating objects layer by layer from digital designs. This innovative technology has found applications across various industries, from automotive and aerospace to healthcare and consumer goods. Unlike subtractive manufacturing methods that involve cutting or drilling materials to shape them, 3D printing builds objects by adding material only where needed (that is why it is called ‘additive manufacturing’), reducing waste and allowing for complex geometries. Its ability to produce customized parts quickly and cost-effectively has made it invaluable for rapid prototyping, on-demand manufacturing, and creating intricate designs that were previously challenging to achieve. As 3D printing continues to evolve, it promises to drive further advancements in product development, customization, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

A few of the most commonly used 3D printing technologies of today include:

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): Melts and extrudes thermoplastic filament layer by layer, and is widely used for prototyping and hobbyist printing.
• Stereolithography (SLA): Uses UV light to cure liquid resin layer by layer, offering high-resolution prints suitable for detailed prototypes and dental applications.
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): Utilizes a laser to sinter powdered materials, such as plastics or metals, creating strong and complex parts, often used in aerospace and automotive industries.
• Digital Light Processing (DLP): Similar to SLA but uses a digital light projector to cure entire layers simultaneously, enabling faster printing speeds for production-grade parts.
• Selective Laser Melting (SLM): Melts and fuses metallic powders using a high-powered laser, producing fully dense metal parts with intricate geometries, crucial in aerospace and medical implants.
• PolyJet: PolyJet 3D printing works like traditional inkjet printing, but instead of jetting ink onto paper, the print head jets liquid photopolymers onto a build tray which is subsequently cured by UV light.

Rising Popularity of 3D Printing
are numerous benefits of using 3D printing that has made it very popular in India and elsewhere. A few of them include:

• Prototyping: Allows rapid iteration and testing of designs, reducing time-to-market for new products.
• Customization: Enables personalized products tailored to individual needs, such as medical implants or unique consumer goods
• Complex geometries: Can create intricate and complex shapes that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods
• Cost-effective production: Reduces material waste by only using necessary materials and offers cost-efficient small-batch production runs
• On-demand manufacturing: Enables just-in-time production, reducing inventory costs and storage space requirements
• Innovative materials: Expands possibilities with a wide range of materials, including biodegradable polymers, metal alloys, and composite materials

With these benefits of 3D printing in mind, let us now turn our attention to why it is gaining traction in the making of jigs and fixtures.

Jigs and Fixtures
Jigs and fixtures are specialized tools used in manufacturing to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and repeatability of production processes. They are commonplace in many industries, ensuring consistent and efficient production. Jigs and fixtures both serve the purpose of securing workpieces (the pieces being manufactured) but differ slightly in their function:

Jigs are devices that hold and position workpieces during manufacturing operations such as drilling, milling, or welding. They ensure that the workpiece remains in the correct orientation and location throughout the process, resulting in precise and repeatable outcomes. For example, in automobile manufacturing, jigs are used to precisely drill holes for components like door handles and mirrors in car bodies. This level of precision is important for maintaining consistent and high-quality product output. Jigs offer significant repeatability benefits. With a properly designed jig in place, any operator, regardless of skill level, can achieve identical results. This translates to increased production efficiency, minimized material waste due to errors, and a more streamlined overall manufacturing process. Jigs become particularly valuable in high-volume production scenarios where identical parts are manufactured in large quantities.

Fixtures, on the other hand, are tools designed to securely hold and support workpieces during machining, assembly, or inspection. This ensures stability and minimizes vibration, creating a favourable environment for precise machining operations. For instance, in aerospace manufacturing, fixtures play a critical role in securing complex aircraft components, such as engine parts or wing sections, during milling or drilling processes. These fixtures guarantee that tight tolerances are maintained, ultimately contributing to the overall safety and performance of the aircraft. Similarly, within the automotive sector, fixtures are employed to hold car frames steady during welding operations.

To summarize, the importance of jigs and fixtures lies in their ability to improve manufacturing efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance product quality by ensuring consistency and accuracy in part production. They also contribute to worker safety by providing secure work-holding solutions.

3D Printing of Jigs and Fixtures
The utilization of 3D printing revolutionizes the customization of jigs and fixtures, presenting a rapid and cost-effective solution tailored to specific manufacturing needs. This adaptability ensures precise fittings to match the unique contours and measurements of workpieces, thereby optimizing production accuracy. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that struggle with intricate shapes and internal features, 3D printing excels in creating complex geometries, seamlessly integrating internal channels, lightweight structures, and ergonomic grips into tools to enhance their functionality. Moreover, it significantly reduces lead times by directly translating digital designs into physical objects, bypassing time-consuming processes like milling and drilling. This streamlined workflow not only accelerates tool deployment but also offers substantial cost savings by eliminating the need for specialized tooling and minimizing material waste. Additionally, the on-demand production capability of 3D printing empowers manufacturers to swiftly respond to evolving production requirements, design iterations, or equipment upgrades, thereby minimizing downtime and optimizing overall manufacturing efficiency. Advanced 3D printing technologies facilitate the integration of functional features such as sensors, labels, or RFID tags directly into printed jigs and fixtures, enhancing data collection, tracking, and automation within the manufacturing environment, thus improving process control and quality assurance.

Of course, none of these benefits are possible without a good quality 3D printer. Industry leaders like Stratasys offer a range of 3D printers suitable for producing jigs and fixtures, each tailored to different production requirements. Some of the notable Stratasys 3D printers used for manufacturing jigs and fixtures include the Fortus Series and the F123 Series.

What Next?
Jigs and fixtures require strong and sturdy material for sustained operations. They also affect the accuracy and precision of manufactured components, and so need to be consistent for the entire production lifecycle. New materials like high-temperature thermoplastics and other advanced techniques show promise for creating durable, high-performance jigs and fixtures, expanding possibilities for more demanding manufacturing applications. As cost of 3D printers comes down due to higher demand and competition, more and more manufacturers will turn to 3D printing for their jigs and fixtures requirement. Manufacturers from India stand to gain as the country strives to be number three economy in the world, and the use of 3D printers will surely help accelerate the growth.