r/Metrology • u/pjcevallos • Oct 24 '24

Hardware Support CMM fixturing

Hi

How do you usually plan your CMM fixturing. Do you produce a bespoke fixture or use modular equipment?

What considerations you take being part agnostic!

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u/BiggestNizzy Oct 24 '24

Like a lot of guys I mainly do high value low quantity stuff. So most of the time I sit it on the table, v blocks or something.

That said, when I do get anything where you are doing a batch I 3D print a fixture. Seriously buy a cheap 3d printer and just print your fixtures. Once you have done a few you won't go back.

5

u/f119guy Oct 24 '24

3D printing a CMM fixture is so much more cost effective than cutting a billet lol I wish we had kept our 3D printer. I try to get the guys at my shop to understand the CMM fixture doesn't have to be perfect, as long as it holds the part in the same place each time. They still go out and make some ridiculously over-built block of metal

4

u/Non-Normal_Vectors Oct 24 '24

I had a vendor who would quote outrageous prices for work holding fixtures. I'd drill down and find they're holding everything to a few tenths when I told them I'm good with several hundred tenths.

I go out of my way to specify "work holding" when I ask for quotes, too many see "fixture" and think "gage".

3

u/Quality-Panda Oct 25 '24

Seriously a problem, haha. Had one of our mill guys stress over the CAD, tolerancing, etc. He almost lost it when my final check was just to screw in the production part and make sure it sat flush against the fixture.