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Hi, my name is David Busacker and I’m an engineering consultant with Stratasys, the leader in performance additive manufacturing. Stratasys and design workflow leader, nTop, are partnering to solve business problems with additive manufacturing. Today, we’re introducing a collaboration called the FDM Fixture Generator.Fixturing is a critical step in any manufacturing process, and FDM 3D printing is a great cost and time efficient way to print fixtures. Because producing FDM jigs and fixtures is simple, designing them is often the bottleneck. Limited knowledge and elusive best practices keep many customers from the real benefits of additive manufacturing fixtures.The FDM Fixture Generator is a scalable workflow that automates the design of FDM jigs and fixtures. Simply drag in a part geometry, adjust some key settings that are clearly labeled, and export your finished fixture for printing on a Stratasys FDM printer. The FDM Fixture Generator is simple to use. Choose your fixture shape and optional mounting locations to stabilize your fixture on any flat surface. Add standoffs to select where the fixture contacts your part, and customize your part access strategy.Fixtures designed in the FDM Fixture Generator are designed using fractal infill, a unique design for additive manufacturing strategy which saves print time and material. Start your new fixture design experience using the intuitive Assembly Fixture module. Make custom kitting trays or automation line components that hold parts in precise positions, or make your manufacturing operations safe and repeatable by holding larger parts in appropriate positions.Put the FDM Fixture Generator to use today. Stratasys and nTop collaborations are available for access to the new partnership. Start saving time and money with the Stratasys and nTop FDM Fixture Generator.
We created the Jigs and Fixturing module to help streamline the design/creation of fixtures for various applications such as anti-rotation fixtures, assembly fixtures, or shadow boxing. Designed initially with Stratasys, the generator was optimized for FDM printing. However, the fixtures can be printed using any technology. Many of the fixtures can also be subtractively manufactured using a CNC mill or other traditional manufacturing techniques. At the end of this module, a new user to nTop should be comfortable importing geometry, generating fixtures, modifying the fixtures, and exporting as a traditional mesh file.