Note- Introduction and Design principles of fixtures are
explained and incorporated in Module-1 PDF.
What is a Fixture?
A fixture is a device which holds and locates a workpiece during an inspection or
for a manufacturing operation. The fixture does not guide the tool.
In construction, the fixture comprises a different standard or specially
designed work holding the device, which is clamped on the machine able to hold
the work in the position. The tools are set at the required positions on the work by
using gauges or by manual adjustment.
Types of Fixtures
Following are the 10 different types of fixtures:
1. Turning fixtures.
2. Milling fixtures.
3. Broaching fixtures.
4. Grinding fixtures.
5. Boring fixtures.
6. Indexing fixtures.
7. Tapping fixtures.
8. Duplex fixtures.
9. Welding fixtures.
10. Assembly fixtures.
Fixtures are usually named after the type of machining operation for
which they are designed and employed.
Boring Fixture
The operation can be performed in one of the following two ways:
By keeping the boring bar (tool) stationary and feeding the
touting workpiece on to the bar.
By keeping the workpiece stationary and feeding the
rotating boring bar into the work.
Accordingly, therefore, the boring fixture is made in two
common designs.
One of these incorporates the principle of a drilling jig, and in this, the
boring bar (tool) is guided through a pilot bush. such fixture is also
often referred to as boring jigs. the other design facilitates holding of
the workpiece incorrect position, relative to the boring bar.
Although this fixture incorporates almost all the common principles of
jig and fixture design, their construction need not be as sturdy as that
of the milling fixtures, because they never have to bear as heavy
cutting loads as involved in milling fixtures, because they never have
to bear as heavy cutting loads as involved in milling operations.
Turning fixtures
It is quite easy-to-hold regular workpieces on lathes in standard job
holding devices like chucks and collects, between the center and on
mandrels or faceplates. But irregularly shaped components offer a lot
of difficulties in holding them correctly.
Simple odd shaped jobs can be held in chuck also, say by proper
adjustment of jaws in a four-jaw chuck or by using shaped soft jaws.
However, workpieces having complicated shaped have to be
necessarily held in position with the help of turning fixtures. These
fixtures are normally mounted on the nose of the machine spindle or
on a faceplate and the workpieces held them.
whenever necessary, the fixture may have to be provided with a
counterweight or balance the unbalance fixture. These fixtures should
be carefully designed, to be rigid enough, with minimum overhang
should grip the workpieces very firmly, should not carry any dangerous
projections for the machine operator or tool or both and should be able
to provide proper support to him to thin and weak sections of the
workpieces during the operation.
Milling fixtures
These fixtures are used on milling for carrying out different milling
operations on workpieces. The fixture is properly located on the table of
the machine and secured in position by means of bolts and nuts.
The table is shifted and set in the proper position, in relation to the
cutter. The workpieces are located on the base of the fixture and
clamped before starting the operation.
Since the cutting forces involved are quite high, and also intermittent,
the clamping elements. Proper locating of the fixture on the machine
table is usually achieved with the help of two tenons provided under
the fixture base. These tenons enter a T-slot of the table to provide the
required location. The fixture base can then be secured to the table by
means of T-bolts and nuts.
Broaching Fixtures
These fixtures are used on different types of broaching machines to
locate, hold, and support the workpieces during the operations, such
as keyway broaching operations, such as keyway broaching, hole
broaching, etc. The use of a clamping plate as a fixture for internal
pull-type hole broaching.
Grinding Fixture
Several different forms of fixtures are used in grinding machines to
locate, hold, and support the workpieces during the operations. These
fixtures may be the standard work-holding devices, such as chucks,
mandrels, chuck with shaped jaws, magnetic chucks, etc.
For example; a vertical surface grinder with a rotary table will normally
have a rotary fixture secured to its table. Similarly, a plain or string
fixture may be provided on a surface grinder with the reciprocating
table. A drill grinding attachment is a glaring example of a standard
fixture used for grinding of drill geometry.
Whatever be the types of fixtures designed for grinding operation, it
should have provisions for supply and exit of coolant, mounting of
wheel dressers and should be properly balanced, if it is a rotating
fixture.
Advantages of using jigs and fixtures in
mass production work.
The following are the advantages of jigs and fixtures in mass
production work.
1. Eliminates the making out, measuring, and other setting
methods before machining.
2. It increases the machining accuracy because the workpiece
is automatically located and the tool is guided without
making any manual adjustment.
3. It enables the production of identical parts which are
interchangeable. This facilitates the assembly operation.
4. It increases the production capacity by enabling a number
of workpieces to be machined in the single set up, and in
some cases, a number of tools may be made to operate
simultaneously. The handling time is also greatly reduced
due to the quick setting and locating of the work. The
speed, feed and depth of cut for machining can be
increased due to high clamping rigidity of jigs and fixtures.
5. It reduces the operator’s labour and consequent fatigue as
the handling operations are minimised and simplified.
6. It enables a semi-skilled operator to perform the operations
as the setting operation of the tool and the work is
mechanised. This saves labour costs.
7. It reduces the expenditure on the quality control of the
finish products.
8. It reduces the overall cost of machining by fully or partly
automating the processes.
Advantages of Jigs and Fixtures
The advantages of jigs and fixtures are:
1. Increases the machining accuracy because the workpiece is
automatically located and the tool is guided without making
any manual adjustment.
2. It increases the production capacity by enabling a number
of workpieces to be machined in the single set up and in
some cases, a number of tools may be made to operate
simultaneously.
3. The handling time is also greatly reduced due to the quick
setting and locating of the work.
4. The speed, feed and depth of cut for machining can be
increased due to high clamping rigidity of jigs and fixtures.
5. Enables the production of identical parts which are
interchangeable. This facilitates the assembly operation.
6. It eliminates the marking out, measuring and other setting
methods before machining.
7. These devices reduce the operator’s labour and consequent
fatigue handling operations, are minimized and simplified.
8. It reaches the semi-skilled operator to perform the
operation as the setting operations of the tool and the work
are mechanized. This saves labour cost.
9. It reduces the expenditure on the quality control of the
finished products.
10. Reduces the overall cost of machining by fully or
partly automizing the processes.
