Rods & Pistons

This fixture was built as a trade show display for a CMM manufacturer.  Each piston & connecting rod group is set 90 degrees apart.  The Base Platform is 15” square.

Crank Shaft

Crank shafts are heavy but otherwise easy to hold.  The general requirements are parallel or perpendicular to the table, allow the crank shaft to spin to set rotation timing and then set an endstop or possibly allow the CMM to set the end.

For this fixture the endstop is established by the CMM.  Parallel to the table is set by plastic spherical location pads (acorn nuts & set screws) on main journals.  The rotational timing is set by a stop on a counterweight.  With a 30+ pound part clamps are not usually required.

Motorcycle Tank

Left & right motorcycle gas tank sections are held on separate fixtures that can be joined to position the tank halves aligned to each other.

Connecting Rods

We’ve fixtured connecting rods in the past; this project was different.  The customer requested one fixture design for eight different sizes.  With a few simple changes to adapt to the sizes the fixture meets the requirements.  The “zero” location is the OD of the small end, the sliding Platform provides a centering location in the ID of the big end of the rod.  The sliding Platform is also a clamping system pushing the con-rod into the Locators around the small end. The four fixtures can be used independently or joined on Platform Extenders (not shown).

Tube Gauge

This is a welded tube from the office furniture industry.  The gauge measures the location of the welded nut.  The indicator checks the offset distance.  When the part is rotated vertically to the elevated stops, the pin checks the location and alignment of the nut on the tube.

V10 Exhaust Header

The header fixtures provides access to the header and head mating surfaces and the header to exhaust system flange.  Loading is simple and the fixture adjusts to the normal variations between the measured parts.

Bypass Fixture

This build was requested as a Turn-Key project.  The customer provided a general orientation, height above the Platform and the features that will be measured.

Double A-Arm Fixture

One fixture, two parts.  The taller center section is shared and holds the pivot section of the left & right parts.  Each side rests on individual Platforms and locating components.  Combining both left and right hand parts reduces the fixture cost by about 40% over the cost of two complete fixtures.