Workflow
Design a 3D-printed jig, drill guide, or fixture
Create a CAD draft for a 3D-printed jig, drill guide or fixture that locates a workpiece consistently. Define the reference surfaces, tool path, clamping and removal space before choosing the final shape.
Set up your part in PurCad
Enter your measurements in millimetres. This prepares a request in the editor; review it before starting generation.
Define how the jig locates and releases the workpiece
- Measure datum faces, locating features, clamp paths, and insertion or removal direction.
- State the workpiece material, expected force, and areas that must stay clear of tools.
- Prototype the contact surfaces before cutting, drilling, or clamping valuable work.
Describe the datum and repeatable operation
Identify the surface or edge used for location, the hole or cut pattern, tool diameter and required offsets. Include clamping space and how the jig is removed. The datum should be measurable on both the workpiece and generated fixture.
Separate locating, guiding and holding features
Generate a simple base with stops and guide features first. Add handles, ribs or replaceable inserts only after the pattern is correct. Keep offsets, spacing and guide diameters as named parameters.
Check alignment and tool clearance
Use section view through guide holes, measure from the datum and verify that a drill or cutter can enter without colliding. Test the fixture on scrap material and inspect accumulated tolerance over repeated positions.
Tooling wear and cutting forces are outside geometry alone
Printed guides may wear, soften or deflect. Choose bushings, material and clamping based on the real operation. High-speed cutting and machine fixtures require qualified process design beyond PurCad's CAD checks.
Practical questions
What is the difference between a jig and a fixture?
A jig commonly guides a tool or operation, while a fixture primarily locates and holds the workpiece. Both depend on explicit datum surfaces, access, and safe restraint rather than appearance alone.
What should a CAD jig prompt include?
Include the workpiece dimensions, datum faces, tool path or access, clamp and release direction, fasteners, clearance, and any load limit. These details make the fixture’s functional interfaces reviewable.