3D printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing, is a standout technology for manufacturing jigs and fixtures that frequently surpass conventional components in speed of delivery, cost of production and performance improvements.
Cost of Production
3D printing delivers true-to-CAD parts directly from the design file to significantly reduce production expenses. The advanced material properties available through 3D printing make it possible to forgo machining for a wide variety of applications such as jig and fixtures to directly 3D print effective components.
In instances where machining is required for final components, 3D printing can be deployed for prototyping to accelerate design iterations and lower development costs to ensure a sound investment in final production.
Speed of Delivery
3D printing shortens the supply chain for optimized tools, increases organizational self-sufficiency, and reduces uncontrolled downtimes with the engineering or production environment.
Performance Improvements
3D printing opens new opportunities to improve workflows, enhance worker safety and prolong equipment life. Using 3D printing enables increased complexity and customization for jig and fixture design and production because 3D printing builds parts layer-by-layer, the design approach is not constrained by the same limitation of subtractive manufacturing.
When to Use 3D Printing?
Using 3D printing for your application can bring significant benefits to your profit. The following considerations will help you determine if 3D printing is a good fit for your use cases.
Selecting the Right Solution for your Needs
The key to success with 3D printing is selecting the right solution for your needs. The fastest and most foolproof way to identify the best technology and material combination for your application is to consult with an additive manufacturing expert. Below are some of the areas you may put in consideration for your applications:
- Size and physical requirements
- Precision and accuracy
- Surface finish
- Environment of use
- Temperature consideration
- Humidity and/or fluid contact
- Chemical resistance requirements
- Performance needs
- Load-bearing
- Rigidity
- Vibration
- Soft Touch