What is Jigs and Fixture

With the rapid advancement in manufacturing technology, consumerism has increased over the years. Therefore, to meet the higher demands, manufacturers have come up with innovative methods of producing high-quality products at a much faster rate.

The production process has observed the introduction of inventive manufacturing concepts such as Lean Production System, Cellular Manufacturing, Single Minute Exchange of Dies, and Tact Time Analysis. These creative approaches require the need for a horde of efficient, cheaper tools, and work-holding devices.

The manufacturing company requires a simple work positioning strategy and devices for correct operations. This is to ensure:

Non-complexities in assembly and unit cost reduction,
Reduction in the massive manufacturing cost, and
Increase their profitability.

The industry has resorted to easing upthe supply chain in a bid to maintaining a low amount of inventory. This resulted in the emergence of better and cost-effective work-holding devices which ensure better quality products, increase throughput, and reduce lead time. The requirement for production standard work-holding devices has paved the way for two specific terms named:?Jigs?and?Fixtures.

The jig is the device which guides the tool, while the fixture is a tool that securely and firmly holds the job in position during machining operations.

Jigs

In simple terms,?a jig is a tool that guides the machining tool.

A common type of jig is the drill jig, which guides the drill for making holes at desired locations. Using drill jigs increases production rate drastically.

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Fixtures

A fixture is a tool which firmly grips a workpiece on the machine bed accurately at the desired location. The fixture also reduces the loading, unloading, and fixing the time of the workpiece, which significantly reduces the non-productive hours.

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Difference between Jig and Fixture

“Jig” and “Fixture” are many times referred to as the synonyms of each other while sometimes both of them are used together as jig fixture. Although both jig and fixture are used in the mass production process, functionally the two are quite different tools.

Let us go through the main points which differs a Jig from a fixture

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Jig
	
Fixture



A jig controls and guides the machining tool

	

A fixture holds and supports the component precisely for machining operations




Jig ensures accuracy, repeatability, and interchangeability

	

The fixture provides a reduction in error by holding a component firmly on a table




Jigs are usually on the lighter side

	

The fixture is bulky, rigid and heavy




Jigs can be put in place and held by hand pressure

	

Fixtures are always placed firmly on a machine table




Drilling, reaming, tapping, boring are some of the standard jig functions

	

Fixtures are used explicitly in milling machine, slotting machine and shapers




Jigs cost more

	

Fixtures are not that cost-savvy compared to Jigs




Jigs require intricate design operations

	

Fixture design operations are relatively less complicated

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Advantages of Jigs and Fixtures

Jigs and Fixtures have made manufacturing processes less time consuming, more precise, and hassle-free from a human factor perspective. The benefits of jigs and fixtures including but not limited to, the following:

Increase in production
The consistent quality of manufactured products due to low variability in dimension
Cost reduction
Inter-changeability and high accuracy of parts
Inspection and quality control expenses are significantly reduced
The decrease in an accident with improved safety standards
Due to relatively simple manoeuvrability, semi-skilled workers can operate these tools which reduce the cost of the workforce.
The machine tool can be automated to a reasonable extent
Complex, rigid and, heavy components can be easily machined
Simple assembly operations reduce non-productive hours
Eliminates the need for measuring, punching, positioning, alignments, and setting up for each work-piece thereby reducing the cycle and set up a time
Increases technological capacities of machine tools
More than one device can be used simultaneously on a work-piece
Setting of higher values of some operating conditions like depth of cut, speed, and rate of feed can be attained because of the increased clamping capability of jigs and fixtures.

Both jigs and the fixtures are used to ease up machining operations and reduce the non-productive time of any mass production process. The principle of location or the?3-2-1 principle,?CAD?tools, and FEA tools are used for the design of both jigs and fixtures. In the next article, we will go through more detailed information about 3-2-1 principle and design standards of jigs and fixtures.?s