To design a fixture that actually works in your production, we need: (1) part drawing (3D CAD preferred, 2D with GD&T acceptable); (2) production process description (what operation the fixture is for — welding, machining, assembly, inspection, testing); (3) machine/equipment details (CNC machine model, welding robot model, CMM model, etc.); (4) production volume (parts/day, parts/year) — this determines the level of automation and clamping; (5) changeover requirements (how many different parts, how often); (6) quality requirements (tolerance on critical dimensions, CPK targets); (7) any existing fixture photos or problems you've experienced. The more information you provide, the better the fixture design.

Typical timeline: (1) Design phase: 3–5 days for simple fixtures, 7–10 days for complex fixtures (with FEA and SMED optimization); (2) Customer design review: 1–2 days (we send 3D CAD for your approval); (3) Fabrication: 10–15 days for simple fixtures, 15–25 days for complex fixtures (with heat treatment and grinding); (4) Quality verification: 2–3 days (CMM inspection, repeatability test, trial production); (5) Total: 15–25 days for simple, 25–40 days for complex. Rush service: 7–15 days for simple fixtures (additional fee). We provide a detailed timeline with every quote.

Yes — fixture improvement is one of our most common services. We'll: (1) inspect your existing fixture (CMM measurement of locator positions, repeatability test); (2) identify the root cause of variation (datum selection, clamp placement, locator wear, fixture rigidity); (3) design improvements (new locators, additional clamps, hardened surfaces, adjustment features); (4) fabricate and install the improvements; (5) verify improvement with repeatability test. Typical improvement cost: 30–50% of a new fixture, with 80–90% of the performance benefit. If the fixture is fundamentally flawed (wrong datum concept), we'll recommend a new fixture instead of wasting money on improvements.

Two types of inspection gauges, each with pros and cons: (1) Go/no‑go gauge — fast (2–5 seconds per part), low cost, but only tells you pass/fail, not the actual dimension. Best for high‑volume production of non‑critical dimensions, or for screening before CMM. Risk: parts at the edge of tolerance may pass the gauge but fail CMM. (2) Variable gauge — measures the actual dimension with a dial indicator or digital readout (10–30 seconds per part), higher cost, but provides actual measurement data for SPC (Statistical Process Control). Best for critical dimensions, or for processes where you need to track trends. We recommend: variable gauges for critical characteristics (safety, fit, function), go/no‑go gauges for non‑critical characteristics and for fast screening. We can also design hybrid gauges with variable measurement on critical dimensions and go/no‑go on non‑critical.

Yes — for every inspection gauge, we provide: (1) Gauge R&R study using AIAG method (10 parts, 3 appraisers, 3 trials); (2) results: %GRR (≤10% for critical, ≤30% for non‑critical), ndc (number of distinct categories, ≥5 required); (3) bias study (gauge accuracy vs. CMM reference); (4) linearity study (accuracy across measurement range); (5) stability study (accuracy over time). For critical gauges, we also provide: (6) CMM correlation report (R² ≥ 0.95); (7) master part with CMM report for daily verification; (8) calibration procedure and schedule. All Gauge R&R data is provided in Excel format for your quality system.