
3D printing jigs and fixtures provides three main benefits to any manufacturing process: better speed, lowered costs and increased functionality with the added advantage of new designs.
Speed: Jigs and fixtures can be 3D printed in as little as a few hours in comparison to the days it takes to manufacture them using traditional methods. This shortens the supply chain thereby providing immediate access to the tools needed for further manufacturing processes.
Cost: The reduced cost of printing makes investment in tooling redundant thereby giving this process an edge over the others. An added advantage is that the designs of the prototypes can be created and changed at a relatively low price before the final, approved designs are printing thereby reducing the cost of production even further.
Functionality: 3D printing enables increased complexity and customisation that opens new design capabilities for creating jigs and fixtures with geometries that may be impossible to machine.
