Jigs and Fixtures – Applications

and Difference Between Jigs

and Fixture
Machine and Mechanism Design / By Suvo / Mechanical Engineering
The terms “jig" and “fixture" are many times referred as the
synonyms of each other, sometimes both the terms are used
together as “jig fixture." Although, both jig and fixture are used in
mass production process, functionally the two are different tools.

What is a Jig?
In simple terms, the jig is a tool that guides the cutting (or
machining) tool. The most common type of jig is the drill jig,
which guides the drill bit for creating holes at desired locations.
Using drill jigs increases production rate drastically by eliminating
the time spent using a square scriber, height gauge, centre punch,
etc. The picture below shows the functionality of a simple drill jig:
Like drill jigs, welding jigs and wood working jigs are also used in
industry quite extensively. Wood working jigs are useful for
creating intricate wooden profiles.

What is a Fixture?
The fixture is a tool which holds the work piece with the machine
bed precisely at the desired location. The fixture also reduces the
nonproductive loading, unloading, and fixing time of the work
piece. For example, you need to use a milling machine for giving a
chamfer at the corner of rectangular work pieces. You can use a
vice to hold it in the desired position, but in that case every new
work piece will take lots of time for fixing it. On the other hand if
you can make a milling fixture like the one shown below and bolt
the fixture to the milling machine bed, then you need not waste
much time for fixing the work pieces every time:
You just place the work piece and it will automatically aligned to
the required angle, and straight away you run the machining
operation, no need to measure the angle, and no need to be
worried about the accuracy.

Conclusion
Both the jigs and the fixtures are used to reduce the
nonproductive time of any mass production process. The principle
of location or the 3-2-1 principle, CAD tools (like ProE), and FEA
tools (like ANSYS) are used for the design of the jigs as well the
fixtures. The jig is used for guiding the cutting tool (like a drill bit),
and for doing so, jigs have components like a bush, which comes
in contact with the cutting tool. On the other hand, a fixture never
comes in direct contact with the cutting tool. Fixtures assure the
position and alignment of the work pieces for getting the required
machining operation done.
Uses of Jigs and Fixtures:
1. Jigs and fixtures are used to reduce the cost of production as there use
elimination being out work and setting up of tools.
2. To increase the production.
3. To assure the high accuracy of the parts.
4. To provide for interchangeability.
5. To enables heavy and complex shaped parts to be machined by holding
rigidly to a machine.
6. To control quality control expenses.
7. Less skilled labor.
8. Saving labor.
9. There use partially automates the machine tool.
10. Improve the safety at work, thereby lowering the rate of accidents
 Advantages of Jigs and Fixtures:
Jigs and fixtures are used in mass production of identical parts. They gives following advantages.

 They improve productivity.

 It gives rapid production work.
 It reduced manufacturing costs.
 Complex and heavy components can be easily machined.
 Owing to high clamping rigidity, higher speed, feeds and depth of cut can be used.
 Jigs and fixtures are increased machining accuracy.
 It reduces in the expenditure due to inspection and quality control of finished components.

Difference between Jigs and Fixture:

S.No. Jigs Fixtures
Fixture holds the component being machined with the
cutters working
1. Jigs incorporate bushes that guide the tools. independently.

They are used in connection with turning, milling,

Jigs are used on drilling, reaming, tapping and grinding, shaping,
2. counter boring operations. planning, and boring operation.

3. Jigs are depended on operation. Fixtures are dependent on specific machine tools.

Fixture are heavier in construction and bolted rigidly on

4. They are lighter than fixture. the machine table.

5. They are more costly compare to fixture. They are less costly.

6. They are not fixed on machine table. They are fixed on machine table.