Over the past century, manufacturing has made considerable progress. New machine tools, high-performance cutting tools, and modern manufacturing processes enable today’s industries to make parts faster and better than ever before. Although work holding methods have also advanced considerably, the basic principles of clamping and locating are still the same.

Mass production methods demand a fast and easy method of positioning work for accurate operations on it. Jigs and fixtures are production tools used to accurately manufacture duplicate and interchangeable parts. Jigs and fixtures are specially designed so that large numbers of components can be machined or assembled identically, and to ensure interchangeability of components.

The economical production of engineering components is greatly facilitated by the provision of jigs and fixtures. The use of a jig or fixture makes a fairly simple operation out of one which would otherwise require a lot of skill and time. Both jigs and fixtures position components accurately; and hold components rigid and prevent movement during working in order to impart greater productivity and part accuracy. Jigs and fixtures hold or grip a work piece in the predetermined manner of firmness and location, to perform on the work piece a manufacturing operation.

A jig or fixture is designed and built to hold, support and locate every component (part) to ensure that each is drilled or machined within the specified limits. The correct relationship and alignment between the tool and the work piece is maintained. Jigs and fixtures may be large (air plane fuselages are built on picture frame fixtures) or very small (as in watch making). Their use is limited only by job requirements and the imagination of the designer.

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