trinckle
trickle adds new support generation features
trinckle has released the latest version of its automated design software for 3D printed fixtures.
fixturemate 2.2 is said to focus on improvements to usability and speed of design alongside bug fixes and customer-requested features.
New tools include support pattern automation, designed to save time by multiplying support elements in XY directions. Generated supports will dynamically adapt their height to the workpiece geometry and can be adjusted individually. Adaptive supports will also automatically adjust their height whenever a workpiece is moved or if the base plate height changes, ensuring contact surfaces between the support and the workpiece are maintained.
A new Simplify Geometry option has also been included to simplify complex workpiece geometries by closing unwanted pockets or holes along global axes.
Circular perforated baseplates, commonly used for CMM fixtures, have also been added, giving users the option to choose a circular perforated panel, and a new fit size baseplate option enables users to choose whether to include workpieces in contour settings or let supports and clamps determine the size, which can be useful for larger workpieces.
The update also includes improved visibility features such as random workpiece colours, whereby each workpiece is assigned a random colour by default, making it easier to distinguish, along with larger numbers and letters for better 3D Gizmo readability.
trinckle’s TCT Award-winning fixturemate software has been adopted by the likes of Ford, which is said to have taken its fixture design time down from 2-4 hours to 10 minutes, and Audi, which recently reported design time reductions of 90% for 3D printed jigs and fixtures.
Speaking to TCT earlier this year about the benefits of 3D printed jigs and fixtures, and automated design, Florian Reichle, Commercial Managing Director at trinckle said: “Any company focused on success aims to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and adopting 3D printing for production tooling offers an easy implementation with immediate cost savings.
