Design of Jigs & Fixtures/Material Used in Jig and Fixture
Jig and fixtures are made from a variety of the materials. There are times where the metals are hardened to resist wear and tear. Sometimes, to prevent damage to workpieces, they are made from nylon/fibre
Below are some of the materials used:
| Material | Description |
|---|---|
| Mild Steel | Contains carbon (<0.3%). Most suitable for most jigs applications as it is the most economical and most widely used material in jigs and fixtures. |
| Carbon Steel | Contains carbon (0.85%~1.18%). Most suitable for workpieces like woodworking tools and hand tools such as files and chisels. It can be hardened to serve as locators and bushings. |
| High Speed Steel | Contains tungsten (18% ~22%) for toughness and cutting strength, chromium (4.3%) for hardening and wear resistance, vanadium (1%) for retention of hardness at high temperature. Most suitable for cutting tools like drills, reamers and cutters. |
| High Tensile Steel | Contains carbon (0.45% ~ 0.65%) and alloys Ni2Cr1M028 (40%). Most suitable for fasteners as well as high-stress machines such as ram presses. |
| Die Steel | Contains carbon (1.5%~2.3) for hardness, high chromium (12%) but alloyed with molybdenum (1%) and vanadium (0.3%~1%) for hardness retention used at high temperatures. Most suitable for forging, casting and extrusion. |
| Oil Hardening Non-Shrinking Tool Steels | Contain carbon (0.9%~1.1%), tungsten(0.5%~2%) and carbon (0.45%~1%). Most suitable for engraving tools and intricate pressing jigs. |
| Cast Irons | Contain carbon (2%~2.5%). Most suitable for milling fixtures, machine slides and guide ways, as they can withstand extreme vibrations. |
| Nylons & Fibres | Most suitable for use in soft linings for lever presses/clamps to prevent dents to workpieces under high-pressure forces. |
| Phosphor Bronze | Most suitable in corrosion-resistant parts such as boiler valves. Commonly used as a sacrificial wear surface in mechanical elements. |
| Aluminum Alloy | Suitable for locating fixtures and jigs. Valued for its ease of machining and light weight. Can experience excessive wear when in contact with harder materials. |