nTopology
nTopology Stratasys
nTopology has announced the launch of the new Masking Fixture Module within the FDM Fixture Generator it introduced in partnership with Stratasys last year.
The Masking Fixture Module is the second output of the collaboration following the initial Assembly Fixture Module tool that was rolled out upon last year’s launch. The FDM Fixture Generator was developed to facilitate the design of 3D printable custom fixtures with just a couple of clicks.
Available for download immediately, the Masking Fixture Module has been designed to turn complex part surfaces into protective plugs, masks and enclosures. Using the FDM Fixture Generator sees up to 90% of the design work required for ‘simple’ jigs and fixtures automated, with nTopology saying that the Masking Fixture Module is able to ‘keep parts safe and clean throughout the manufacturing process without the hassle of designing one-off jigs and fixtures.’ By eliminating the need for manual masking techniques, hours of CAD works is said to be saved with every job.
Per nTopology, the Masking Fixture Module has so far received extremely positive reviews from early customers. Several applications in which the automatic masking function can be of use have been identified, such as protecting critical faces, gaskets, holes, or mating surfaces with tight tolerances during painting, coating or bead-blasting post-processing. In developing the new tool, nTopology and Stratasys worked with several customer to ‘define the project’s scope’, with users in the aerospace and defence industries said to see the potential of the new capabilities in reducing scrap rate and increasing throughput. Meanwhile, a machine shop producing medical devices and aerospace parts has expressed its excitement in using the tool to protect faces during deburring and abrasive processes.
An nTopology blog written on the Masking Fixture Module reads: “Jigs and fixtures account for approximately 10% of all end-use parts 3D printed today. Yet, less than 1% of all fixtures used in factories around the world are 3D printed. That’s not because manufacturers couldn’t benefit from them. The industry needs automated Design for Additive Manufacturing tools that will simplify the design of fixtures and will make them more accessible to the factory floor.”
Want to discuss? Join the conversation on the Additive Manufacturing Global Community Discord.
Get your FREE print subscription to TCT Magazine.
