Jigs, Fixtures, Hand Tools
Tier 1 Automotive Supplier Achieves ROI on Metal 3D Printer Within 6 Months
Mahle acquired a laser powder bed fusion machine from Xact Metal to alleviate interruptions to its internal machine shop and reliance on suppliers for manufacturing aids.
Peggy Malnati
MMT, Contributing Writer, MoldMaking Technology
Medical Molder Relies on 3D Printing to Speed Development of Inspection Fixtures
Medical molder Medbio uses FFF and SLA 3D printers in designing (and sometimes producing) its inspection fixtures.
Read MoreVideo: Enabling the Digital Inventory with 3D Printing
Würth Additive Group’s Digital Inventory Service (DIS) platform aims to make it easy and secure to store part files in digital inventory, and deploy the data for manufacturing as required. See a demo in this video filmed at IMTS 2024.
Read More3D Printed Calibration Fixtures for Ultrasonic Flowmeters
Calibrating industrial flowmeters requires temporarily attaching equipment to pipes to check the flow and make adjustments. Emerson shares how 3D printed fixtures can simplify the connection and make calibration faster, easier and more accurate.
Read More3D Printing Aids Fixturing of Ultrasonic Flowmeters
Ultrasonic flowmeters can measure flow through a pipe without access to its interior. Emerson has found that 3D printing offers a fast and affordable way to fixture these meters in a variety of situations, whether for permanent installation or temporary calibration.
Read More8 Ways the Plastics Industry Is Using 3D Printing
Plastics processors are finding applications for 3D printing around the plant and across the supply chain. Here are 8 examples.
Read More7 Lessons From General Atomics on AM for Aircraft Part Production
A manufacturing leader overseeing the way additive manufacturing is transforming unmanned aerial systems (UASs) offers observations about succeeding with 3D printing as an aircraft production process.
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When Advocacy Leads to Adoption: How Pella Applies (and Manages) AM Capacity
The window and door maker offers a picture of successful, widespread 3D printing adoption across the different needs of a manufacturing organization. The outreach and education effort worked. Now, here is the next phase.
Peter Zelinski
Editor-in-Chief, Additive Manufacturing
AMGTA Commissions Its First Life Cycle Assessment Research Project
The study will be ISO 14040 compliant and compare the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of a jet engine low pressure turbine bracket produced through traditional manufacturing methods with one that is produced via additive manufacturing.
Read MoreStratasys, nTopology’s Fixture Software Simplifies AM Modeling, Design
FDM Assembly Fixture Generator automates design of jigs and fixtures, enabling engineers to quickly turn a part file into a ready-to-print fixture with a simple drag-and-drop function.
Read MoreWith This 3D Printed Block, EBM Is an Aid to CNC Machining
Holding the part is a challenge of machining for additive manufacturing. This medical manufacturer prints fixture tooling tailored to its additive parts.
Read MoreWebinar: Replacing Machined Jigs With 3D Printed Parts
Join our webinar, hosted by Formlabs, on August 15 to learn how companies are leveraging 3D printed jigs and fixtures to shorten supply chains, the step-by-step process for 3D printing a jig and strategies you can use to make 3D printed parts go further.
Read MoreSPE Names First AM Winner in Automotive Innovation Awards Competition
SPE’s Automotive Division added Additive Manufacturing as a category for 2018. The first winning application used 3D printing to create a window alignment fixture.
Read MoreDrilling Jig an Example of How 3D Printing Assists Machining
A machine shop benefits from 3D printing as a means of efficiently making custom hardware to aid both the process and the machines.
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Combining Metal and Polymer for Better 3D Printed Tools
Applications prone to wear call for more durable tooling than 3D printed polymer alone, but full metal is not always necessary.
Peggy Malnati
MMT, Contributing Writer, MoldMaking Technology
Video: 3D Printed Hand Tools in Action on Pella Corporation Factory Tour
Examples include an invention for quickly installing window and door weather stripping, a fitting for giving the proper angle to a nail gun, and a clip for which the color is an important feature.
Peter Zelinski
Editor-in-Chief, Additive Manufacturing
