A jig's primary purpose is to provide repeatability, accuracy, and interchangeability in the manufacturing of products. A jig is often confused with a fixture; a fixture holds the work in a fixed location. The use of jigs and fixtures makes possible a more rapid and more accurate manufacturing process, reducing overall production costs and lead-times.

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Jigs and fixtures are used to reduce the cost of volume production, as their use eliminates setting up and re-calibration on individual component to be machined. Jigs and Fixtures also ensure repeatable high accuracy, which is key in volume production.

 

From a costing view point, once a part have been ‘jigged-up’, less skilled labour can often be used to carry out the actual CNC machining operations and less frequent quality control is required.

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Of course, the Jigs and Fixtures used need to be accurate in the first instance. This is where Concept Tooling’s 35 years’ experience of designing and manufacturing Jigs and Fixtures instils total piece of mind and confidence in all of our customers.

 

Jigs and Fixtures are all full dimensionally checked, as is the ‘’first- off-tool component before any production can proceed and during production, parts can be checked as frequently as required, on one our specially manufactured ‘go, no-go’ checking gauges.

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Jigs can be simple ‘open’ Jigs, allowing access from one side only, or more complexed ‘closed’ jigs, which allow multiple points of machining accessibility on one of our 5 axis CNC machining centres. Jigs and Fixtures can be manufactured and used in-house at Concept Tooling up to a maximum size of 3.6m(x) x 2.6m(y) x 1.3m(z).

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Physically holding components in position, is geometry dependant, but this can range from simple Brauer type clamps, up to full vacuum assisted jigs and fixtures, or even magnets.

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Depending on the requirement and life expectancy, Jigs and Fixtures can be manufactured using Steel, Aluminium, PU Tooling-Board and cotton reinforced-phenolic resin stock (Tufnol).

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Our Jigs and Fixtures are generally employed to assist in the CNC trimming and machining of Carbon Fibre Components, Vacuum-Formed thermo-plastic components, CNC machined aluminium and plastic part production and ‘Cooling’ and ‘Setting’ jigs for RIM (Reaction injection Moulded) components.