Making a Fixture PT4

Here is an example of the fixture we use to cut the inside and outside brackets.

• Encoder Covers
• Bearing Retainers
• X-Y Motor Adapters
• Z Motor Spacers

That is about 40-45 gallons of chips.

It's about 4-5 days worth of chips.  The only way it would possible is with the use of a fixture based system.

• When it comes to using a fixture type system, making the fixture is only half the battle, you still need to set and apply the proper offsets.  And of course remember those offsets every time you run the fixture (cherish your offsets).

• Fixturing your parts is not something you learn over night, play around with it, make some small fixtures first before making big ones.

• With a fixture based system, your code can mature.  We have 3 types of code here:

• Prototype:  Run the very first time, usually inefficient and pretty scary to run, keep your hand on the E-Stop.
• Virgin:  Clean production code, fairly efficient, cutter rapids 0.1 above the surface, keep your hand on the E-Stop.
• Mature:  After 5 clean virgin runs, with no code changes, code is considered to be mature.  At which watching point the machine is optional.

• When it's all said and done, a properly implemented system of fixtures and offsets can result in part change over times of about 5 minutes.  That means you can run part A in the morning and part B in the afternoon without a big hassle.