When you start building lots of something, you’ll know the value of accurate fixturing. [Chris Borge] learned this the hard way on a recent mass-production project, and decided to solve the problem. How? With a custom fixturing tool! A 3D printed one, of course.
Chris’s build is simple enough. He created 3D-printed workplates covered in a grid of specially-shaped apertures, each of which can hold a single bolt. Plastic fixtures can then be slotted into the grid, and fastened in place with nuts that thread onto the bolts inserted in the base. [Chris] can 3D print all kinds of different plastic fixtures to mount on to the grid, so it’s an incredibly flexible system.
3D printing fixtures might not sound the stoutest way to go, but it’s perfectly cromulent for some tasks. Indeed, for [Chris]’s use case of laser cutting, the 3D printed fixtures are more than strong enough, since the forces involved are minimal. Furthermore, [Chris] aided the stability of the 3D-printed workplate by mounting it on a laser-cut wooden frame filled with concrete. How’s that for completeness?
We’ve seen some other great fixturing tools before, too. Video after the break.
Never thought about this, really cool. Great use of plastic, wood, metal, and I guess concrete. The inverted bolt design is really clever.
It’s nice to see a maker with more than one hammer. (Stop 3D printing flat panels, that’s what the laser cutter is for!)
That said, the dude just re-invented woodworker dog holes and over-engineered them. Mind you woodworkers themselves recently seem to have done the same thing with MFT.
The simplest system is wedges, as seen here: https://youtu.be/aYh992zQU0A?si=TI_Y3OrmOvIFvFbT&t=313. You usually make them from scrap, with about a 12:1 ratio. You don’t really need those square pieces, the wedges work fine against the dog (the big round pin). Cheap, fast, works – who says you can’t have all three?
I made some for my laser cutter which amuses me no end.
Just to add in that video he uses a square piece & two wedges. If you are using the square you only need one one wedge – as the square can rotate it acts like a wedge. Dude seemed to have missed the point of the square.
Here’s how it works: https://youtu.be/myongDkzO0g?si=Gr_G03Ms5HpSFncm&t=133
As a minor nitpick I’d have offset the pin in the square so as you get four different spacing rather than the three his has, but eh.
I did have the same thoughts about the 3D printed panel. That said, if you don’t have a laser cutter and do have a 3D printer, might as well use what you have. I find myself in that situation every other project. Maybe its time to try to find a cheap usable laser cutter…
I haven’t seen the wedge idea before. Also very clever. I’m not going to die on the hill of bolts being better, in most ways they probably aren’t. I could see both being useful for different reasons.
Thanks for sharing, I had no idea.
Stencil8 works really well if you can find someone to mill the jig for you.
https://github.com/Hoektronics/Stencil8
You know it’s real technical when you see the word ‘cromulent’ It truly embiggens comprehension.
Sir, this is Hackaday.
This looks like the ultimate game of Battleship.