Jigs and Fixtures
By S K Mondal

Introduction
⚫ Jigs and fixtures are devices that are used for
production of repeated parts essentially for mass
production.
⚫ Functionality of Jigs or fixtures:
⚫ Locating
⚫ Clamping
⚫ Supporting
⚫ Resistance to cutting forces
⚫ Safety

Jig
⚫ Both jigs and fixtures hold, support, and locate the
work piece.
⚫ A jig also guides the cutting tool.

Fixtures
⚫ Both jigs and fixtures
hold, support, and
locate the work piece.
⚫ A fixture has a
reference point for
setting the cutting tool
with reference to the
work piece.

GATE - 1999
Choose the correct statement:
(a) A fixture is used to guide the tool as well as to locate
and clamp the workpiece
(b) A Jig is used to guide the tool as well as to locate and
clamp the workpiece
(c) Jigs arc used on CNC machines to locate and clamp
the workpiece and also to guide the tool
(d) No arrangement to guide the tool is provided in a jig.

Purpose of using Fixtures and Jigs
⚫ Eliminate marking, punching, positioning,
alignments etc.
⚫ Easy, quick and accurate locating, supporting and
clamping the blank.
⚫ Guide the cutting tool like drill, reamer etc.
⚫ Increase productivity and maintain product quality.
⚫ Reduce operator’s labour and skill requirement
⚫ Enhancing technological capacity of the machine
tools
⚫ Reduce overall machining cost and increase
interchangeability.

Design considerations for Jigs
and Fixtures
⚫ Jigs and fixtures are manually or partially power
operated devices. comprised of several elements :
⚫ Base and body or frame with clamping features
⚫ Locating elements for proper positioning and
orientation of the blank
⚫ Supporting surfaces and base
⚫ Clamping elements
⚫ Tool guiding frame and bushes (for jig)
⚫ Auxiliary elements
⚫ Fastening parts

Fig. Major elements of jig and fixtures

IFS 2018
Explain the functions served by jigs and
fixtures.
[ 7 Marks]

IFS 2018
What is an indexing jig ?
[ 3 Marks]

3-2-1 Locating Principle
⚫ A workpiece, just like any free solid body, has six
degrees of freedom (some researchers have referred
this to the twelve degrees of freedom by considering
the +/- movements in each category)
⚫ For locating it is necessary to arrest all these six degrees
of freedom to ensure the mechanical stability.
⚫ A single locator in Plane 1 would arrest the linear
motion along the X-axis.
⚫ A second locator in the same plane would arrest the
rotary motion about the Z-axis.
⚫ Another locator placed in the same plane would arrest
the rotary motion about the Y-axis.

⚫ Adding one more locator in Plane 1 would not serve any
purpose.
⚫ So fourth locator is placed in Plane 2 which is
perpendicular to Plane 1. This would restrict the linear
motion along the Y-axis.
⚫ The fifth locator is placed in the Plane 2 which can
arrest the rotational motion about the X-axis.
⚫ The sixth locator placed in Plane 2 would not serve any
purpose.
⚫ So, sixth locator is placed in Plane 3 which is
perpendicular both the planes 1 and 2. This would
arrest the linear motion along the Z-axis.

Fig. A
component with
six locators

IES - 2007
According to the principle of location in jigs and
fixtures, how many degrees of freedom are to be
eliminated to have a body fixed in space?
(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 5
(d) 6

Considering 12 DOF
⚫ You must fix all the 12 degrees of freedom except the three
transitional degrees of freedom (-X, -Y and -Z) in order to
locate the work piece in the fixture. So, 9 degrees of
freedom of the work piece need to be fixed.
⚫ Rest the work piece on three non-collinear points of the
bottom surface (XY), and you will be able to fix
the +Z, CROT-X, ACROT-X, CROT-Y and ACROT-Y degre
es of freedom.
⚫ Now, rest the work piece at two points of side surface (XZ),
and you will be able to fix the +Y and CROT-Z and
ACROT-Z degrees of freedom.
⚫ Now, rest the work piece at one point of the adjacent
surface (YZ), and you will be able to fix the +X degrees of
freedom.

Points to ponder
⚫ When more than one locator is placed on a surface
(plane), they should be distributed as far apart as
possible on the surface.
⚫ While selecting the surface for the largest locators,
consideration should be given to the largest area of the
workpiece.

GATE - 2005
When 3-2-1 principle is used to support and locate a
three dimensional work-piece during machining,
the number of degrees of freedom that are
restricted is
(a) 7
(b) 8
(c) 9
(d) 10

GATE - 2001
3-2-1 method of location in a jig or fixture would
collectively restrict the workpiece in n degrees of
freedom, where the value of n is
(a) 6
(b) 8
(c) 9
(d) 12

GATE-2013 (PI)
In the 3-2-1 principle of fixture design, 3 refers to the
number of
(a) Clamps equired
(b) Locators on the primary datum face
(c) Degrees of freedom of the workpiece
(d) Operations carried out on the primary datum face

IES 2011
In the 3-2-1 principle of fixture 3 refers to number of
(a) Setups possible
(b) Clamps required
(c) Positions on primary face
(d) Locating positions

IES – 1999
Assertion (A): Spherical washers are used to locate
the job in the fixtures.
Reason (R): 3-2-1 principle should be adopted to
locate the job.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the
correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the
correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Duplex Fixture
⚫ It is a type of multi-station fixtures used primarily for
high speed, high volume production runs where the
machining cycle must be continuous.
⚫ It uses only two stations. Once the machining operation
is complete at station one, the fixture is revolved and the
machining is started at
station two. During this
period, the machined part
is unloaded from station
one and a fresh part is
loaded there, and so on

IFS-2011
What are the functions of jig ? Draw a jig to machine
four holes in a plate. What are two reasons for not
having drill bushings actually touching the workpiece
? What is a duplex fixture ?
[10-marks]

Milling fixtures
⚫ Milling fixtures are the most common type of fixtures
that are in general use today.
⚫ The reason for this is the geometric complexity of the
workpieces that are milled.
⚫ The simplest type of milling fixture is a milling vise
mounted on the machine table.
⚫ However, as the workpiece size, shape, or complexity
becomes more sophisticated, so too must the fixture.
There are a variety of milling fixtures that are in use.
⚫ For Design: The design should permit as many surfaces
of the part to be machined as possible without removing
the part.

Milling fixtures
⚫ Whenever possible, the tool should be changed to suit
the part. Moving the part to accommodate one cutter for
several operations is not as accurate or as efficient as
changing cutters.
⚫ Locators must be designed to resist all tool forces and
thrusts. Clamps should not be used to resist tool forces.
⚫ Clearance space or sufficient room must be allotted to
provide adequate space to change cutters or to load and
unload the part.
⚫ Milling fixtures should be designed and built with a low
profile to prevent unnecessary twisting or springing
while in operation.

IES-2015 Conventional
Explain salient design principles of milling
fixtures with a typical milling fixture diagram.
[10 Marks]

Different methods used for Location
⚫ Flat Locator : Used for location of flat machined
surfaces of the component.

⚫ Cylindrical Locators: Used for locating components
having drilled holes.
⚫ The cylindrical component to be located is gripped by a
cylindrical locator fitted to the jig’s body and inserted
in the drilled hole of the component.

⚫ Conical Locator : Used for locating the workpieces
having cylindrical hole.
⚫ It is superior as it has a capacity to accommodate a
slight variation in the hole diameter of the component
without affecting the accuracy of location.

⚫ Jack Pin Locator : Used for supporting rough
workpieces.
⚫ A suitable method to accommodate the
components which are rough and un-machined.

⚫ Drill Bush Locator : Used for holding and locating
cylindrical workpieces.
⚫ The bush has conical opening for locating purpose
and it is sometimes screwed on the jig’s body for
the adjustment of height of the work.

⚫ Vee Locators: Quick and effective method of locating
the workpiece.
⚫ Used for locating the circular and semi-circular type of
workpieces.

ISRO-2010
Cylindrical parts are held on planer by
(a) V-blocks and arrestors
(b) Angle plates
(c) V-block, T-bolts and clamps
(d) T-bolt and clamps

Diamond Pin Locator
⚫ Diamond pins are often used for radial location .
⚫ One cylindrical locator (Pin A) arrests five degrees of
freedom, second cylindrical locator at the position B
will arrest the sixth degree of freedom.
⚫ If the two holes are identical in size then any pin can be
made the principal locator. However, if one of the holes
is larger then the principal locator will be placed in the
larger hole.
⚫ The second locator is made slightly smaller than the
hole and relieved from both sides to take care of the
variation in the X direction. The cylindrical surfaces
will locate the part in the Y direction.

IES – 1998, 1999
Diamond pin location is used in a fixture because
(a) It does not wear out
(b) It takes care of any variation in centre distance
between two holes
(c) It is easy to clamp the part on diamond pins
(d) It is easy to manufacture

IES - 2009
A lever having two precisely drilled holes, one
smaller than the other, has to be located in a fixture
using hardened and ground plugs for further
machining in relation to the holes. Select the
correct method of locating the lever from the given
alternatives.
(a) Using two hardened and ground plugs, the smaller
one having flats machined on each side
(b) Using two hardened and ground plugs
(c) Using one hardened and ground plug and one
V-block
(d) Using two V-blocks

IES - 1995
If the diameter of the hole is subject to considerable
variation, then for locating in jigs and fixtures, the
pressure type of locator used is
(a) Conical locator
(b) Cylindrical locator
(c) Diamond pin locator
(d) Vee locator

Setting Blocks
⚫ After the fixture has been securely clamped to the
machine table , the work piece which is correctly located
in the fixture , has to be set in correct relationship to the
cutters.
⚫ This is achieved by the use of setting blocks and feeler
gauges.
⚫ The setting blocks is fixed to the fixture.
⚫ Feeler gauges are placed between the cutter and
reference planes on the setting block so that the correct
depth of the cut and correct lateral setting is obtained.

IES - 2005
Match List I (An Element of Jigs and Fixtures) with List
II (Associating System) and select the correct answer
using the code given below the Lists:
List I List II
A Bush 1. Milling fixture
B. Setting block 2. Turning fixture
C. Diamond pin 3. Radial location
D. V-block 4. Cylindrical location
5. Drill jigs
Codes:A B C D A B C D
(a) 5 4 3 1 (b) 3 1 2 4
(c) 5 1 3 4 (d) 3 4 2 1

IES-2011
With the help of a neat sketch, explain the working of
the diamond pin locator.
[5-marks]

IFS 2018
Describe any two types of locators used in
jigs.
[ 5 Marks]

Ejectors
⚫ Used to remove work from close-fitting locators, such
as full nests or ring nests.
⚫ These devices speed up the unloading of the part from
the tool, which reduces the in-tool time and increases
the production rate.

IES - 2000
Match List I (Components used in jigs and fixtures) with List II
(Their functions) and select the correct answer using the codes
given below the Lists:
List I List II
A. Jack pin 1. To guide the drill bit during machining
B. V-locator 2. For easy removal of the work piece from the
jig or fixture after the machining operation is over
C. Bushes 3. To locate the circular or
semicircular objects in a jig or fixture
D. Ejectors 4. To locate work piece whose dimensions are
subject to variations
Code: A B C D A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 3 4 2 1 (d) 4 3 2 1

Clamping
⚫ To restrain the workpiece completely a clamping device
is required.
⚫ Holds the workpiece securely in a jig or fixture against
the forces applied over it during on operation.
⚫ Device should be incorporated into the fixture, proper
clamp in a fixture directly influence the accuracy and
quality of the work done and production cycle time.

Strap Clamps
⚫ Based upon the lever principles to amplify the
clamping force required.
⚫ By tightening the stud the clamping force is transferred
to the part.
⚫ Heel pin is the fulcrum about which the lever acts
while the clamping force is applied at the stud by
tightening the screw.
⚫ The actual amplification of the applied force depends
upon the distance between the stud and the heel pin
(B), and that between the stud and the part (A).

Screw Clamps
⚫ A much faster way of applying clamping is to make use
of either a swing washer or a cee-washer if the
workpiece has a bore for clamping.
⚫ A swing washer can be used to clamp a part having a
hole.
⚫ This helps in loading and unloading the part quickly.
⚫ The only condition is that the hole used for clapping
should be larger than the nut used for clamping.
⚫ A cee-washer is similar to a swing washer, which
remains loose unlike a swing washer. Other-wise,
application is very similar.

Cam Clamps
⚫ Provide clamping force because of the contour of the cam
surface that comes into contact with the plate used for the
clamping.
⚫ Plate is pushed down by the cam against the spring
pressure to hold the part in place.
⚫ Cam clamps are quick in operation.
⚫ Cam clamps are of three types, eccentric cam, flat spiral
cam and cylindrical cam.
⚫ The design shown in Fig. is flat spiral and is the most
commonly used clamp.
Fig. A cam clamp used
for quick and easy
clamping a part

⚫ The design shown is indirect pressure clamping where
the pressure is transmit to the part through the plate.
This is more stable and the vibrations during
machining do not affect the a part clamping.
Fig. An example of a
fixture held by a cam
clamp

Toggle Clamps
⚫ A toggle clamp is a quick acting mechanical linkage where
two of the elements make up a toggle action.
⚫ Toggle clamps are mainly used because of their fast action
for clamping and unclamping, their ability to completely
clear the work piece and the force Fixture amplification
possible for clamping.
Fig. A push-pull
type toggle
clamp

Equalizers
⚫ When the clamping force is to be applied at more than
one location then an equalizing clamp is useful. In this
type of clamp the link arm system is being used to
apply an equally divided clamping force to a pair of
clamps acting on the same component. It is also
possible to use this system of clamping to clamp two
parts.
⚫ This is particularly useful in a condition where the
operator may be denied easy access to one or other of
the clamps.

Fig. An equalizing clamp

IES - 1995
Match List I with List Ii and select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List I (Task) List II (Recommendation)
A. Three components in a straight 1. Clamp with a
floating pad.
line should worked in one loading
B. Unloading of clamp element from jig is essential
2. Quick action nut
C. Clamping of rough surfaces 3. Cam clamp
D. Need for heavy clamping force 4. Equalising clamp
5. Strap clamp
Code: A B C D A B C D
(a) 5 2 3 4 (b) 4 2 1 5
(c) 1 4 2 3 (d) 4 1 5 3

IES - 2005
Which one of the following is the most significant
property to be considered in the selection of
material for the manufacture of locating pins and
drill jig buses used in jigs and fixtures?
(a) Wear resistance (b) Elasticity
(c) Shear strength (d) Tensile strength

IES - 1996
Assertion (A): A workpiece with rough un-machined
surface can be located in a jig or fixture on three
supporting points.
Reason (R): Indexing is made accurate by
supporting on three points.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the
correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the
correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

IES - 1996
Consider the following statements:
The cutter setting block in a milling fixture
1. Sets the cutting tool with respect of two of its surfaces.
2. Limits the total travel required by the cutter during
machining.
3. Takes location from the location scheme of the
component.
(a) 1,2 and 3 are correct (b) 1 and 2 are correct
(c) 2 and 3 are correct (d) 1 and 3 are correct

IES - 1993
The floating position of the holding fixture in a
rotary transfer device is used to
(a) Improve the accuracy of location
(b) Reduce the tendency to over index
(c) Reduce the cycle time
(d) Improve upon the acceleration and deceleration
characteristics

GATE – 2009 (PI)
Match the following:
(a) P-1, Q-3, R-1, S-2 (b) P-1, Q-2, R-3, S-4
(c) P-1, Q-4, R-3, S-2 (d) P-4, Q-3, R-2, S-1
Device Function
P. Jig 1. Helps to place the workpiece in the same
position cycle after cycle
Q. Fixture 2. Holds the workpiece only
R. Clamp 3. Holds and positions the workpiece
S. Locator 4. Holds and positions the workpiece and
guides the cutting tool during a machining
operation

Jigs and Fixtures
Q. No Option Q. No Option
1 C 6 C
2 D 7 D
3 B 8 D
4 B 9 C
5 C