By Rahul -NTTF Cochin

Failure of jigs and fixture 1

Clamps & Clamping Devices in
Jigs & Fixtures
 Proper designing and making of clamps
is very much important, as faulty clamps
may cause spoilage in the work as well as
injure the operator. Thus clamping devices
are an essential part of both jigs& fixtures
and may either clamp jig to the work piece
or vice versa, but very frequently clamps
hold a work piece in place in a jig or fixture.

Failure of jigs and fixture 2

 Principle of least points
 Point more than necessary should
not be used to secure location in any
one plane. However if more are used
such as for finished surfaces, the extra
ones should only be inserted because
they serve a useful purpose and care
must taken that they do not impair the
location. Extra supports if needed
should be made adjustable also.
Failure of jigs and fixture 3
 Principle of positions
 Locating points should be chosen
as far apart as possible on any work
piece surface. Thus, for a given
displacement of any locating point
from another the resulting deviation
decreases as the distance between
the points increases.

Failure of jigs and fixture 4

 Location of accurate work
 When accuracy require, do not
attempt to locate from a hole or
position previously machined, on
which a wide tolerance is permissible,
but consider the advisability of having
the tolerance tightened so that the
required result on subsequent
operations may be obtained.
Failure of jigs and fixture 5
 Small locating surfaces
 The benefits gained from small locating
surfaces such as on rest buttons, supporting
pins or cylindrical locators are
 Less time for cleaning.
 Reduced chance for lodgement of
disturbing particles.
 A more realistic approach to the mean
plane of a rough surface.
 Some saving in material & labour
Failure of jigs and fixture 6
 The only thing against this benefit
is greater rate of wear causing early
replacement. Therefore, these
surfaces should not be too small,
which also create high specific
pressure on the work piece at such
points.

Failure of jigs and fixture 7

 Necessary replacement
facilities
 All locating points, Which require
replacement due to wear & tear,
should be easily replaceable or
repairable. Pins should driven into
through holes for easily driving them
out to replace. Rest buttons and
cylindrical locaters should similarly be
also pressed into through holes.
Failure of jigs and fixture 8
 SWARF
 All corners that collect small chips
& swarf must be avoided by relieving
them. Undercut should be provided to
all locators where they create a corner
with the surface to which they are
fixed. Numerous kinds of design in
these locators are available to avoid
blind corners at some of these points.
Failure of jigs and fixture 9
 Safety in operation
 One of the most important considerations
affecting the design of tools is the safety of the
operator. Any features, which might cause injury,
must be eliminated. Adequate operating
accessories, such as suitable and efficient levers
and locks, are essential for safety in operation. The
design of drill jigs should provide means of clamping
to the machine table if large drills are used or when
the jig needed not be shifted. Convenient holding
devices should be provided as a safety factor
whenever necessary.


Failure of jigs and fixture 10

 CASE STUDY
 Simple angle plate milling fixtures:
 Objectives:
 To describe simple angle plate milling
fixtures and indicate their purposes.
 To discuss features of design common
to this type of tool.
 To explain the purpose and use of
setting blocks.
 To point out some advantages and
disadvantages of angle plate fixtures
Failure of jigs and fixture 11
 Introductory information
 The work, which can be performed on
milling machines, is varied and extensive,
but for every milling operation some method
must be devised for supporting and holding
the work piece securely while it is being
milled. The work piece may be bolted
directly to the machine table, or if
practicable, it may be held in a milling
machine vice, or it may require a special
holding fixture.
Failure of jigs and fixture 12
 For production milling, each work
piece should accurately located and
clamped in a fixed position so that the
relation between the work and the
cutter is maintained. Milling fixtures
generally should be designed for quick
loading & clamping to reduce to a
minimum the time in which the
machine is idle.
Failure of jigs and fixture 13
 Description of angle
plate milling fixtures
 An angle plate milling fixtures consist mainly of
an angle plate having surfaces which are
perpendicular or at some other required angle to
each other. One surface is bolted or clamped to the
milling machine table; the other surface is used for
locating, supporting, and clamping the work piece.
The angle plate fixture is designed to hold a circular
work piece upon, which a flat surface is to be milled.
The fixture is for milling a shoulder lengthwise on a
rectangular work piece.

Failure of jigs and fixture 14

 Purpose
 Angle plate milling fixtures are
generally used when milling surfaces,
grooves, slots etc. On flat and
comparatively thin pieces at an angle
to some other finished surfaces.

Failure of jigs and fixture 15

 Features of design
 Angle plate fixtures may be made from cast iron
angle plates, or structural steel angles. Other angle
plates for fixtures may be built up by welding flat
plates of hot-rolled, cold-drawn or other steel plate.
Major factors determining the choice of the cast or
welded types are cost and time. The time required
to make a pattern (especially when but one casting
is to be made) and the time required to mould and
cast and to machine the working surface is an
important consideration.

Failure of jigs and fixture 16

 This total time and the possible
delays in making the cast type should
be compared to the time needed to cut
off the steel, weld the pieces, relieve
the strain by heat treatment, and to
true up the working surfaces by
machining.

Failure of jigs and fixture 17

 The welded cold –drawn steel body has
desirable features. Its un finished surfaces
are smoother than those of castings; It can
be made lighter because steel is stronger
than cast iron; and it can be case hardened
to resist wear. Further more, less material
needed be to removed from welded bodies
to make surface smooth, flat, square or
parallel.
Failure of jigs and fixture 18
 However, one disadvantage is that
the welded steel bodies require a
normalizing or an annealing heat
treatment to relieve all stresses
caused by the welding heat. After
normalizing and before any machining
is done, it is desirable to sand blast the
surfaces to remove all scale and to
improve the appearance of the tool.
Failure of jigs and fixture 19
 For accurate performance, milling
fixtures are aligned with the table of the
machine. One or more keys or tenons are
inserted and fastened in a slot milled in the
bottom of the fixture. The tenons fit in to the
T-slots in the table, and the fixture is
secured with strap clamps and T-bolts. The
strap clamps and bolts are milling machine
equipments and are not a part of the fixture.
Failure of jigs and fixture 20
 The shape and the condition of the work
piece for which a fixture is to designed
govern the method of locating it in the
fixture. A previously finished surface,
shoulder, groove, or hole may be utilized for
locating if it has a definite relation to the
surface to be milled. When holes in the part
are used for locating, they may be fitted over
hardened locating pins or plugs in the
fixture.
Failure of jigs and fixture 21
 Various methods have been devised for
the quick clamping of parts in C fixture. A
single strap clamp with a support under one
end may be satisfactory for an inexpensive
fixture for low production. The clamp can be
tightened by means of Nut on a stud. Some
means are usually provided to set the milling
cutter in the proper position to remove the
correct amount of stroke.
Failure of jigs and fixture 22
 This can be done by the use of
one or more hardened and ground set
blocks, which are dowelled and
fastened accurately and securely to
the body of a fixture. These blocks are
placed in a definite relation to work
locators in the fixture. The setting
faces of the blocks are usually ground
to the required dimension after assy.
Failure of jigs and fixture 23
 To set cutter in position for depth, one of the
cutting edges is positioned directly over the ground
face of the set block. The Knee of the machine is
then raised until a feeler gauge of a given thickness
will pass or fit between the cutter edge and the
setting block. The Knee is then clamped retain this
setting. To set a cutter in a correct lateral position,
the saddle of the milling machine is adjusted, so
that the same or another feeler gauge will just fit
between the side of the milling cutter and another
face of the same block or on a second set block.

Failure of jigs and fixture 24

 The saddle is then clamped to retain the cutter
setting. Thus the cutter properly located with
relation to depth and to lateral position; duplicate –
milling operation may then be performed. Setting
cutters with set blocks eliminates the cut and try
method by which the first few pieces may be
spoiled. it also possible to frequently and easily
check the set up for accuracy. The fixture should be
designed to have the thrust of the cutter against the
solid portion of the fixture or against stops attached
to the fixture, and not against the clamps.

Failure of jigs and fixture 25

 Advantages & Disadvantages
 The advantages of an angle plate milling fixtures are
 It can be designed to positively locate each work piece in
the same position
 The cutter can be set so that all work pieces will be
uniform, there by reducing gauging and inspection time.
 Rapid locating and clamping methods, and fool proofing
features can be incorporated in the design.
 The thrust of the cutter is usually against the solid vertical
member of angle plate.

 The disadvantage of an angle plate fixture is that it is

limited in the height at which it can be used and still retain
rigidity.

Failure of jigs and fixture 26

Failure of jigs and fixture 27