Tooling comes in many shapes and sizes. Whether you need a jig, fixture, or end-of-arm tool, you simply want a tool that gets the job done quickly and efficiently. No business can afford to get bogged down on tooling design and sourcing, so here’s how you can use additive manufacturing to your advantage – to make the tool you need fast and get back to value-added work.
Traditional tooling production comes with several challenges:
Let’s examine each challenge in more detail, including how additive manufacturing can solve it (with real-world examples).
Find out how to realize a significant reduction in time and cost by making your custom tools via additive manufacturing.
Some tooling applications can be easily constructed with off-the-shelf components. But as the complexity of the design increases, so too does the cost. Machining complex fixtures such as soft jaws out of metal pieces can be time consuming, and using a CNC mill incurs a hefty opportunity cost.
Additive manufacturing allows you to create the exact fixture you need at a reasonable cost, because it isn’t limited by the physical and geometric constraints of traditional machining. You can create complex shapes on a 3D printer due to the additive, layer-by-layer nature of the process. This means you can optimize fixture design to best fit the task, the operator, or both.
Take advantage of additive manufacturing economics which favor low volume.
Thogus Products found that they could save about 80% in both cost and lead time when printing their own fixtures, compared to machining them traditionally. This helps Thogus offer injection molding services for less, which is critical, since “low price wins” in their industry.
Usually going hand-in-hand with high cost, fabricating tooling using conventional means often causes long lead times.
Take end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for example. Certain common EOATs are easily accessible off the shelf. But in many cases, you might prefer a custom tool that is designed for your particular application or need. You could outsource it to a job shop, but the lead time could be weeks, or longer. Alternatively, you can 3D print it and it will be ready for you in the morning!
Sometimes overlooked, another big challenge with traditional manufacturing is the freedom to design and create a tool that’s truly perfect for the job. The traditional method might involve making a tool that’s easy to machine so that it’s “good enough,” for the sake of time, cost, or both. Unfortunately, good enough doesn’t mean it’s ergonomic, lightweight, or optimal.
Additive manufacturing takes the completely opposite approach. You can design and print your jigs with custom geometry to perfectly fit your application. And in many cases, you’ll have the tool in hand faster and for less. Once the guide rails of designing for manufacturability are off, you can really focus on what’s best for your application.
Liberty Electronics, for example, favors printing custom ergonomic and lightweight jigs to reduce the likelihood of employee injury. Aside from the obvious human benefit, this means higher productivity and employee retention. In particular, 3D printed tooling provided Liberty Electronics with:
Physical storage space and its cost, along with end-of-life disposal, are often areas of concern with traditional jigs and fixtures.
With 3D printed parts, you can store old tools on digital libraries. Store the source files instead of renting or maintaining storage spaces for tons of equipment.
Aside from the previous benefits of 3D printed tooling (lower cost, design freedom), Medtronic found it beneficial to store digital versions of these tools, alleviating the costs associated with physical storage.
Attracting and keeping workers is an ongoing problem in manufacturing. Individuals skilled in disciplines like CNC machining are becoming scarcer while the demand for their services only increases.
Additive manufacturing offers an efficient alternative. The effort to learn and operate 3D printers, particularly FDM systems, is minimal compared to the skill requirements for machinists and CNC operators. Additionally, the printer doesn’t need oversight during the print operation.
Additive manufacturing changes the game when it comes to production aids and tooling, with the following key benefits:
Whether you’re trying to create the right jig, fixture, EOAT, investment casting master pattern, or other production aid, consider how you can leverage 3D printing to make it better, cheaper, and faster.
Want to learn more? Download our white paper to find out how to realize a significant reduction in time and cost by making your custom tools via additive manufacturing.
