trinckle’s fixturemate is now exclusively available within the latest release of Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print Pro software.
The TCT Award-winning tool, which automates the design of custom fixtures, has been integrated following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two companies back in April. The aim is to simplify the creation of 3D printed jigs and fixtures on the production floor with a singular end-to-end workflow that can be used without the need for CAD skills.
Dr. Ole von Seelen, CCO at trinckle, said: "AM in manufacturing faces a strange paradox – the people who know exactly what needs to be made often can't make it, and the people who can design for AM often aren't close enough to the problem to fully understand the manufacturing requirements. fixturemate bridges that gap by giving design capabilities to the people working directly on the manufacturing floor. They can create the tools they need in minutes, without any CAD experience, and have them 3D printed and ready for use within hours.”
According to a press release, the launch is just the first step in this strategic collaboration with more tools already in development.
Florian Reichle, CEO and Co-Founder of trinckle commented: "This release marks only the first live milestone. Expanded functionality for expanding the breadth of fixture designs are already in the works as users provide feedback, and we are excited about the possibility of introducing solutions for other allocation areas as part of a broader collaboration between Stratasys and trinckle.”
Victor Gerdes, Vice President of Software Strategy at Stratasys, added: "Removing the need for specialized CAD skills gives our customers more flexibility in how they use their manufacturing workforce to develop complex fixtures and tooling. That means real savings in both time and training. By integrating this capability directly into GrabCAD Print Pro, we’re extending the value of our solutions into the critical design stage of manufacturing."
trinckle’s 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 about the benefits of 3D printed jigs and fixtures, and automated design, Reichle 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."
