Save time, reduce cost and improve safety by making jigs, fixtures and other manufacturing tools with 3D printing.
3D printing offers a much more efficient way to create jigs and fixtures, assembly and inspection aids, end-of-arm tooling, soft jaws, and forming dies. That’s because these tools can be printed in hours vs. days or weeks it takes with traditional fabrication methods. Jigs and fixtures manufacturing with strong thermoplastics offers a lighter alternative to metal, and 3D printing’s design freedom allows for optimal ergonomics and user-friendly tool designs.
These 3D printers represent suitable systems for jigs, fixtures and other tooling applications.
H350® powder bed technology provides an economical solution for producing tools and parts at scale, ideal for high-volume jigs and fixtures.
Injection-molding precision, consistent repeatability, and excellent surface finish, using a wide range of engineering-grade materials for high-quality jigs and fixtures.
The F770 delivers large-format FDM printing at an accessible price, making it suitable for creating sizable jigs and fixtures.
The Fortus® 450mc provides industrial-grade printing capabilities with a versatile selection of materials, ideal for complex jigs and fixtures.
With its large capacity and high-performance materials, the F900 is perfect for a variety of tooling applications, including extensive jigs and fixtures.
The F3300® features next-gen FDM technology, offering up to twice the print speed and throughput of older models, making it efficient for producing jigs and fixtures.
All manufacturing operations use jigs and fixtures in some form, but making them with outdated methods is costly and time consuming. As this guide shows, 3D printing offers a better alternative.
3D printed jigs and fixtures offer benefits across multiple industries.
Aerospace companies leverage 3D printed drill guides, ground support equipment and other tools to meet schedules and cut costs.
3D printing allows faster, on-demand tool creation to minimize downtime and keep production lines operational.
Aerospace companies leverage 3D printed drill guides, ground support equipment and other tools to meet schedules and cut costs.
3D printing allows faster, on-demand tool creation to minimize downtime and keep production lines operational.
3D printing’s limitless design capability lets doctors create patient-specific surgical guides for more effective outcomes.
Rachel Trimble, GKN Aerospace
Read the Success Story3D-printed jigs and fixtures are custom tools used to position, hold, guide, or test parts during assembly, machining, or inspection. Additive manufacturing enables faster production and more ergonomic, application-specific designs.
They’re typically lighter, faster to produce, and easier to modify. Unlike machined aluminum, printed tools can be optimized for weight, ergonomics, and complex shapes.
Stratasys offers engineering-grade materials like carbon fiber-filled nylon, ABS, and high-strength photopolymers. Material choice depends on mechanical requirements, thermal resistance, and application environment.
Custom jigs and fixtures can be printed in as little as 24 hours –much faster than traditional CNC machining or outsourced tooling.
Yes. Large-format printers like the F770® and F900® allow for sizable jigs.
Connect with our team to evaluate your tooling needs. We'll help match the right technology and material to your workflow and provide support for design optimization and deployment.
3D printed work holding devices reduce machine setup time by 80% while freeing up CNC capacity.
When a conveyor system needed repair, GM engineers turned to 3D printed replacement parts that reduced weight and cut lead time.
3D printed work holding devices reduce machine setup time by 80% while freeing up CNC capacity.
When a conveyor system needed repair, GM engineers turned to 3D printed replacement parts that reduced weight and cut lead time.
3D printing’s ability to easily tailor the design to the task makes it a perfect fit for customized jigs and fixtures.