Jigs and Fixtures

Jigs and fixtures are production tools use to manufacture duplicate or interchangeable parts accurately. The correct relationship and alignment between the tool and the work must be maintained. To do this a jig or fixture is designed or built to hold , support and locate every part to ensure that each are machined within specified limit. A jig is a device which holds a component during a machining operation and which provides guides for the cutting tool such that a desired feature can be accurately machined into the correct position and a large number of successive components. A fixture is a component holding device which is clamped to the machine table. Though the component is held in the fixture, there are no tool guides. Therefore, the tool will be set in relation to fixture by separate means. Normally, jigs are used for multipurpose drilling and boring. Fixtures are used extensively in milling operation to the lesser extent in turning, grinding and broaching.

Difference between Jigs and Fixtures Jigs

and supports the work. Also it guides the tool. 2) A jig is mostly employed for drilling and boring. 3) A jig is mostly not fastened to the machining table. 4) A jig will be made of light weight, because the entire jig unit will be moved or turned around to bring the different bushes under the drill.

Fixtures
normally holds the work but does not guide the tool. 2) A fixture is more generally used for milling operations. 3) A fixture is mostly fastened to the table. 4) Fixtures are usually heavy because it has to withstand the large amount of cutting forces that come on it during cutting process.

1) A jig is an application which holds 1) A fixture is an application which

5) Jigs are connected with operation.

5) Fixtures most commonly are

related to specific machine tool.

Functions of Jigs and Fixtures

1) Jigs and fixtures facilitate the holing and supporting components for

2) 3)
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5) 6)
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machining operation. Collect chuck- small screws, cabs, four jaw chucks, for irregular shape component, 3 jaw chucks. They help to locate the component and guide the cutting tools so that a feature is machined on successive component will be accurate and at the same position. They facilitate to accommodate several components at one setting and multiple machining may be carried out. Gang milling, fixture, circular table grinding, round and flat machining. The laborious marking out on each work piece, before machining, a particular feature is eliminated and this increases the production rate. They help to do the loading and unloading of a component fast enough. They minimize the inspection of the finished components for their dimensional inspection and quality control. Most important function of the jigs and fixtures is that they make the assembly of the components easier. This is possible because with use of jigs and fixture, manufacturing tolerances will be uniform. Increases the productivity due to increase in speed, feed and depth of cut. This is because possible with a jig and fixture due to high clamping rigidity. Jigs and fixtures enable to produce the component in economical lots. The cost per piece will be less for a component produced by using jigs and fixtures as compared to a component produced by convectional method.

Principles of Jigs and fixtures Design

a) Location 1. Ensure that the work piece is given the desired constraint. 2. Position the locators so that swarf will not cause mat alignment. 3. Make the location points adjustable if a rough casting or a forgiving being machined. 4. Introduce fool proofing devices such as foaling pins projections etc. to prevent incorrect position of work piece. 5. Make all location point visible to operator from his working position.

b) Clamping 1. Position the clamps to give best resistance to the cutting force. 2. Position the clamps so that they do not cause deformation of the work piece. 3. If possible, make the clamp integral with the fixture body 4. Make all clamping and location motions easy and natural to perform. c) Clearance 1. Allow ample clearance to allow for variation of work piece size. 2. Allow ample clearance for operators hand. 3. Ensure that there is ample swarf clearance and clearance to enable the work piece to be removed after machining. d) Stability and rigidity 1. Make the equipment as rigid as rigid as is necessary for the operation. 2. Provide means of positioning and bolting the equipment to the machine table or spindle is required. e) Handling 1. Make the equipment as light as possible and easy to handle. Ensure that no sharp corners are present and provide lifting points if it is heavy. f) General 1. Keep the design simple in order to minimize cost and avoid breakdown caused by even complication. 2. Utilize standard and proprietary parts as much as possible.

General principles of locations

Diagram showing the six degrees of freedom of a body in space A body in space is capable of moving in six precise ways which are shown in figure.

Three axes XX, YY and ZZ are mutually right angles. The component is assumed to have flat faces. The body when in a state of freedom may be traversed parallel to each of these given axes in two opposite direction without rotating. Such a movement is called movement of translation. Again the body may rotate about any of these three axes in two opposite directions without moving along any one of them. These movements are called rotational movements. The sum of these movements gives six degrees of freedom of a body in space.

To constraint the body which is space having 6 degrees of freedom, relative to a fixed body, all that is necessary is to provide six locating buttons as shown in fig. The pegs which are hemispherical on the supporting ends constraint the components in the following ways.

1. a) b) c) 2. a) b) c)

The three pegs should be placed in the base of the fixed body will Prevent the rotation about an axis parallel to OX. Prevent the rotating about an axis parallel to OY. Prevent the translation in a direction parallel to OZ axis. The two pegs in vertical face of the body will Prevent rotation about an axis parallel to OZ. Prevent translation in a direction parallel to OY. The single peg in the second vertical face of the fixed body will prevent any translation movement on the OX axis.

Thus six constraints are provided to constraint the movements of a body relative to a fixed body. The remaining three are constrained by clamps. The six point location method is based directly on this principle. Since there are 3 pegs in one plane (XOY) , 2 pegs in another plane (XOZ) and 1 peg in the third plane (YOZ) , this is also called 3-2-1 location scheme.

Locating Devices

Flat Locator: - In case of a flat locator, two faces of the jig body are used for locating the component as shown in fig. Locating buttons: - Locating buttons can be either press fit or screwed tight. Generally press fit type is use to get more accurate location. This type is used for locating flat surfaces as shown in the figure. Cylindrical Locator: - This locator is used for loading as well as supporting the component. These are having only a fix height above the jig or fixture body. These may be used to locate a flat finished surface or finished hole shown in fig. The shank diameter is smaller than head diameter to avoid locator being forced in to the jig body during loading.

Spring loaded locator (Jack pin locator) :- Such locator are employed for locating jobs and for raising the jig body to support the work beneath the clamp. This jack pins enable the component to be supported at convenient height. Spring loaded type locators are used in connection with the components having features subjected to variations. Ex. Un machined rough casting, forging etc. The pin is operated through a compression spring and it positions automatically as is raised by compression spring, situated beneath it.

Conical Locator: most commonly used having shoulder end which is provided to prevent locator being pushed into the fixture body by the work. Used where the tolerance of the hole is wider. V-Block Locators: A component in operating a circular or semi circular profile may be located by means of a v-block. There are 2 types, fixed and sliding. May be used for clamping as well as locating, if the vertical faces are inclined up to 3. Fixed v block is screwed to the jig body by means of cap head screws and dowel pins. The 3 taper given ensures that the top hangs the component for clamping purposes. Sliding V-block locator is operated by hand screw with all sliding parts made of steel and should be hardened and grooved.

CLAMPING: Principle: 1) should press against strong portion of w/p without distorting the w/p. 2) should hold the work firmly and transmit the clamping through the work, directly over a fixed support point. 3) Clamping pressure should be kept low and should be sufficient to hold the work against 2 cutting forces. 4) Movement of clamp for loading and unloading purpose should be kept minimum. 5) Clamps should be simple and easy to operate and shouldnt interfere with positioning of removal of the component. 6) Should be sufficiently strong to prevent bending. Clamping Devices: Lever clamp (solid clamp): clamp is prevented from rotation by pin at the hub end. Clamp is released from the w/p and then supported there by. The compression spring under the clamp; spring is prevented from entering the hole in the clamp by washer. Clamp is rotated about the stud to release the w/p. (with hub and pin): the clamp is similar to the one above but clamp is flat because a heel pin is introduced. This pin engages in clamp plate to prevent it from rotating during clamping. Hinged Clamp: this is easy 2 operate and the latch and stud movement are controlled; the latch is in the fully open position when faces indicated by X are in contact; Here a hand nut is used 2 clamp to he w/p.2 way clamp is and extension of latch type clamp. C type clamp: a C washer used for clamping the components having initially finished hole. Captive C Clamp: Essential feature common in both cases is that once the clamp has been removes about one turn to release or block the clamp and is therefore quick clamping. The plain washer shown in fig may be secure to the fixture body by means of a small chain to prevent it from being lost. Equalizing Clamp: When 2 w/p are to be clamped and where their heights are likely to vary a equalizing clamp is useful and it can also be used in conjunction with the latch type clamp.1) distribute single clamping force equally to several points on w/p. 2) Distribute one clamping force evenly over a w/p. 3) to clamp on rough surfaces on the surface of diff heights. 4) To Clamp one or several work pieces. Quick Clamps: This type of clamps can be employed to advantage when no great variation in the position of the component force to be clamped is

likely. Clamping action is rapid, being achieved by a simple downward movement of the lever. The amount of eccentricity needs to be carefully determined and cam rise must not be too rapid and adequate mechanical advantage must be obtained throughout the stroke. Toggle Clamp: A small fork movement produces a large clamp movement but when the linkage is in the clamping position a large movement at right angles to the direction of the clamping force is necessary to unlock the clamp. Magnetic Clamp: Are used to hold intricate irregular components during machining. Table acts as a temporary magnet when lever is operated ON position. It can hold only ferromagnetic objects with the magnetic force. Pneumatic Clamps: The use of compressed air as a source of power readily persists labour and time saving devices to be used in the jigs & fixtures both for locating and clamping the components as well as removing the swarf. It is also used for ejecting the component after machining operation has been completed. Hydraulic Clamping: The equipment necessary for hydraulic circuits are readily available in the form of pump motors, valves and pipe lines. JIG BUSHES: Part of the jig through which the cutting tool such as a drill is operated and located are called jig bushes. Their dimensions are standardized so that they may be available commercially. Jig bushes are made of MS but are always hardened before use. Due to wear they are unserviceable after sometime. Most of the wear occurs due to the chip and rate of wear depends on the material being drilled. Design of bushes: a) Provide adequate chamfer or radius at the top of the bore for easy entrance of cutting tool. b) Chamfer all the bushes at the bottom of their external diameter for easy entrance into bush plate. c) Sharp edges should be removed. D) The size of the tool to be used for the particular bush should be stamped on the bush itself or on the adjustable bush plate for reference. E) Where ever possible the base on the drill bush may be used for locating the components. Fixed Bushes: Plain fixed bush is used mainly when a hole is produced with one tool. A headed bush is used when the length of the bush has to be increased relative to the depth of the bush plate, if there is

no scope for increasing the depth of the bush plate.

Fixed with shaped Ends: This type of bush is used when the bottom of the bush requires shaping to suit the profile of the component to prevent deflection of the tool. Extended drill bush: If the length of any bush exceeds the recommended the bore should be relieved to ensure to normal guiding length. Linear Bushes: act as a hardened guide, also used guide tools, usually the largest in any combination. Linear bushes are drives into bush plate. If they are abnormally large, they may be push fed and re-screwed by means of one or more screws. Renewable bushes & slip bushes: When 2 or more tools are to be cut on the same axis as when drilling and then reaming a hole, slip bushes are used. A slip bush is used for latch tool and is located in a linear bush. The slip bush is prevented from rotating and running up the cutting tool by a retaining screw. When a large diameter cutting tool is also to be used the tool is usually guided by a linear bush. A renewable bush can only be taken out of the linear by removing the retaining screw. It is used in place of an ordinary drill bush is frequently renewed due to wear.

DRILL JIGS: Plate or template Jig: It is located and clamped directly on the w/p and bolted in position. The local jig is a plate that is bolted to the facing to be machined; the w/p is located and clamped to a base that is suitable for a no of operations. Post Jig: Used to locate the w/p from its bore by means of a post. Used for drilling and reaming. A C washer is used in this example to obviate the need to remove the hand nut. Pot Jig: w/p is only in the pot to support the flange and the drill plate is directly in the w/p bore. Box Jig: Used when holes are required to be machined in several faces in a small w/p. The box is closed ad clamped by latch. Suitable jet is provided to give good seating when drilling all faces and suitable swarf clearance parts are incorporated.