Design Aspects of Jigs and Fixtures

1
Considerations of Design Economics
 The demand for maximum productivity at minimal cost
are a challenge to the tool designer.
 In addition to developing designs for efficient and
accurate jigs and fixtures, the tool designer is
responsible for finding ways to keep the cost of special
tools as low as possible.

 Design economy begins with the tool designer’s ideas

and is carried through to the completion of the tool.

 Design details should be carefully studied to find ways to

reduce costs and still maintain part quality.

2
Preformed Materials:
 Preformed materials can greatly reduce tooling costs by
eliminating many machining operations.
 Whenever practical, preformed materials such as drill rods,
structural sections, pre-machined brackets, tooling plate, and
precision-ground flat stock, should be specified in the design.

Standard Components:
 Commercially available standard jig and fixture components
can greatly improve tooling quality.

 Standard components, such as clamps, locators, supports,

drill bushings, pins, screws, bolts, nuts, and springs, should be
planned into the design to reduce expenses.
3
Secondary Operations:
 Grinding, heat-treating, and machining, should be limited to
areas that are necessary for efficient tool operation.

 Hardening should be limited to areas that are subjected to

wear, such as supports, locators, and moving parts.

Tolerance and Allowance:

 Generally, the tolerance of a jig or fixture should be
between 20 and 50 percent of the part tolerance.

 Overly accurate tooling is economically wasteful and no

more valuable than tooling within the required tolerance.
The only effect on the part is higher cost.
4
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
 The tool designer must furnish management with an idea of
how much the tooling will cost and how much the production
method saves over a specific run.
 Above information is generally furnished in the form of a
tooling estimate, which includes the estimated cost of the tool
and projected savings over alternate methods.

 The estimate also includes any special conditions that may

justify the cost of the tooling, such as close tolerances or high-
volume production.

 For a valid estimate, the tool designer must accurately

estimate the cost and productivity of the design in terms of
materials, labor, and the number of parts per hour.
5
Estimating Tool Cost and Productivity
 The cost of a tool design is to add the total costs of material
and labor needed to fabricate the tool, must be done
carefully so that no part or operation is forgotten.

 One method is to label each part of the tool and list the
materials in a separate parts list.

 Then, using a cost work sheet, list each part and calculate
the material and labor for each operation. The final expense
added is the cost of designing the tool.

 The next step in estimating is calculating the number of

parts per hour the tool will produce. The simplest method is
to divide 1 hour by the single-part time.
6
Calculating the Cost Per Part
A comparison of tool costs or labor
expenses cannot give the tool designer
enough information to determine the
true economic potential of a design.

Calculating Total Savings

To determine the most economical
production method, the tool
designer must compare production
alternatives.

Problem: A flange-plate adapter costs Rs.24/- per part to mill

without a fixture and Rs. 10/- per part when a fixture is used.
Assuming the fixture costs Rs. 12800/-, how much will the fixture
save over a production run of 1500 parts?
7
Calculating the Break-Even Point
The break-even point is the minimum number of parts a tool
must produce to pay for itself.
Any number less than this minimum results in a loss of money;
any number more results in a profit.
It is logical to assume that the lower the break-even point, the
higher the profit potential.

Problem: A lathe fixture costs Rs. 15, 000/- to build and

produces parts at a cost of Rs. 20/-. How many parts
must it produce to pay for itself when compared to an
alternate method that requires no special tooling and is
capable of making the parts at a cost of Rs. 40/- each?
8
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
 The tool designer must consider and evaluate several options
before making a tooling recommendation to management.
 By comparing each method, tool designer can see the tooling
requirements in terms of costs versus savings.

 Then the method that returns the most for each rupee spent
can be selected.

 When preparing this comparison, the tool designer must

weigh all the economic factors in relation to expenses and
productivity.

Typical elements for comparison: Lot Size, Tool Cost, Parts/Hour,

Labor/Hour, Labor/Lot, Cost/Part
9
Problem: Using the listed alternatives, prepare a comparative
analysis for the following tooling problem: A total of 950 flange
plates require four holes accurately drilled 90 degrees apart to mate
with a connector valve. Which of the listed alternatives is the most
economically desirable?

a. Have a machinist who earns Rs.10/- per hour lay out and drill
each part at a rate of 2 minutes per part.

b. Use a template jig, capable of producing 50 parts per hour and

costing Rs.18/-, in the production department, where an operator
earns Rs.6.5/- per hour.

c. Use a duplex jig, which costs Rs. 37.5/- and can produce a part
every 26 seconds, in the production department, where an operator
earns Rs. 6.5/- per hour.
10
Developing the Initial Design
PREDESIGN ANALYSIS
All tool design ideas begin in the mind of the tool designer. A
great deal of planning and research is needed to turn tooling
ideas into practical hardware.

The first step in designing a tool is organizing all relative

information.
Part drawings and production plans are carefully studied to find
exactly what tool is required.
Preliminary plans for the tool are developed, usually by means
of sketches.
The tool de-signer must develop alternatives that are practical
and cost-effective.
Finally, tool drawings are made from the tools that can be built.
11
Overall Size and Shape of the Part
The tool designer must consider how the size and shape of the part influence
the bulk and mass of the tool.

Type and Condition of Material

 Parts from soft materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, or plastic, are easier
and faster to cut than harder materials.
 Since cutting forces are reduced for these materials, the design of the tool is
directly affected.
 Reduced cutting forces allow lighter, less rigid tools, but the higher production
rate requires faster tool operation.
 The condition of the part material also affects how the part is held and
located. Rolled or extruded bar-stock is more uniform in size than cast parts
and is normally easier to locate.
 Cast parts are sometimes more fragile than solid sections, and clamping
pressure must be reduced to prevent breaking or cracking the casting.
12
Type of Machining Operation
 The particular machining operation to be done specifies the type of tool
to be made.
 In some cases, multipurpose tools can be designed for more than one
operation, such as the drill jig/milling fixture.
 Drill jig for large holes must be made stronger than a jig for small holes.
 Increased cutting forces require added tool strength and rigidity.

Degree of Accuracy Required

The effect accuracy has on the design is
usually reflected in the tool tolerances. The
general rule of tolerance is that 20 to 50
percent of the part tolerance is applied to
the tool. The degree of required accuracy
determines this tolerance.
13
Number of Pieces to be Made
 As a rule, larger production runs justify more detailed and
expensive tooling than do smaller runs.

 This is because the tool will be in service longer and production

speeds are generally higher.

 Longer production runs also require replaceable parts to be

used in making the tool.

 Bushings are included, along with liners and lock screws, in

tools that are used in longer production runs.

 Details, such as locators and clamps, are also affected by the

size of production runs.
14
Locating and Clamping Surfaces
The part drawing must be studied to find the best surfaces to locate and clamp
the part. The order of preference is as below:

1. Holes
2. Two machined surfaces that form a right angle
3. One machined and one unmachined surface that form a right angle
4. Two unmachined surfaces that form a right angle

 One of the prime requirement for a locating surface is repeatability. Parts

must be positioned identically, within the tolerance limits, part after part.

 Clamping surfaces must be rigid and capable of holding the part without
bending. Bending can distort the machining operation.

 If the clamping surface can bend, it must be supported. If a finished surface

is used to hold the part, the clamp should have a cap or pad to prevent
damage to the finished surface.
15
Type and Size of Machine Tool
 The process planning engineer normally selects the machine tool for each
operation.

 However, if a better tool could be used, the tool designer should consult the
process engineer before beginning the design.

 For example, when holes are drilled with a drill jig, a drill press should be
used. Little is gained from using a vertical mill or a jig borer, since the accuracy
is built into the jig, not into the machine tool.

Type and Size of Cutters

 Normally, the type and size of cutters are specified by the process engineer,
but occasionally the tool designer may do this.

 Before the tool designer selects the cutters, every detail about the tools
being used must be known to ensure that the part is properly referenced to
the tool and that enough tool clearance is provided.
16
Sequence of Operations
Quite often the tool designer must design more than one tool for a part.
When this is the case, the sequence of operations must be determined as
well as which tool to design first.
For example, if a drill jig for a part is designed first, then the holes provide an
excellent location for the milling fixture that is needed in the next operation.

PREVIOUS MACHINING OPERATIONS

 This phase of design is closely related to the sequence of operations.

 The tool designer must know what operations, if any, take place before the
operation being planned.

 In this way, locators and clamps can be positioned to take advantage of the
existing machined surfaces.

 This is important when more than one person is designing tools for the
same part.
DESIGNING AROUND THE HUMAN ELEMENT
Design Ergonomics
 Ergonomics is a science that studies the human body and uses what
it learns about how the human body works to determine the best
design of objects, systems, and environmental systems for human
interaction.

 It is important that the designer consider ergonomics during the

design phase and make good use of information that is provided
from the machining technician as well as from industrial engineers
involved in basic motion and time study.

 The designer’s job is a onetime event. Once the design is complete

and any necessary revisions are completed, the design is released
for build and journeys onto the production floor. But the machining
technician will load and unload parts continuously for manufacture
for extended periods.
The following partial list of questions provides a starting point
for the tool designer to consider when planning a tool design.
• Is the operation of the tool smooth and rhythmic?
• Can both hands be used at the same time?
• Are hands clear and free of moving parts?
• Do both hands start and stop together?
• Does the intended motion minimize operator fatigue?
• Can feet be used to lessen hand and arm fatigue?
• Is the tool height appropriate?
• Are controls and clamps within easy reach of the operator?
• Are handles designed to reduce hand and finger fatigue?
• Is safety designed into the tool with respect to the operation of
the supporting equipment?
Safety as Related to Tool Design
The following checklist should be consulted during every step of the
design to ensure that the tool is completely safe to operate.

• Is the tool clear of the cutters during the loading and unloading
operations?
• Are any operator movements required close to a moving or revolving
tool?
• Are chip guards needed to protect the operator and others nearby?
• Are all sharp edges on the tool chamfered?
• Are attached accessories (pins, feeler gauges, wrenches, etc.) far enough
away to prevent tangling in the tool?
• Is the entire operation visible from the operator’s position?
• Could the part be pulled from the tool?
• Is the tool body rigid enough to resist all cutting forces?
• Could the clamping device loosen during the machining cycle?
TOOL DRAWINGS VERSUS PRODUCTIONDRAWINGS

Tool drawings are used to transfer detailed instructions from

the tool designer to the toolmaker.

The form and specifications of these drawings are normally

established within each company to meet particular needs.

However, there are standards and conventions that all

companies follow.

Tool drawings differ from standard production drawings in the

amount of detail shown.

Toolmakers are highly skilled technicians. Therefore, they

require less detailed information on drawings.
See and understand: Fig. 8-30, 8-31 (Book by Edward G. Hoffman)