Methodology for High Accuracy Installation of Sustainable Jigs and Fixtures

The ability to accurately measure the components of jigs and fixtures during their installation determines the state of their precision, especially for large size products and applications. This matter is crucial in mass customisation where small batches of products and components with high variety in design are manufactured. Product quality should be in harmony with rapid changeover philosophy as compromising quality for speed is not forgivable for sensitive components and assemblies such as those seen in the aerospace industry. It is necessary for the installation of the jigs and fixtures to be highly accurate in order to minimise the use of tolerance budget due to variations in jigs and fixture positioning. Major overhead costs for jigs and fixtures particularly in the aerospace industry led to the development of the concept of flexible and reconfigurable jigs and fixtures. Reusability of reconfigurable jigs and fixtures makes them attractive for sustainable solutions as their components can be reused for several variant of a product or assembly. The main drawbacks of this type of jigs and fixtures have been their poor accuracy and reliability. In this paper accurate positioning of the key components of sustainable jigs and fixtures is investigated. The factors affecting the performance of the jigs and fixtures are reviewed from the installation stage. The paper introduces a methodology for minimising uncertainties in positioning of the holds and clamps for flexible jigs and fixtures.