A fixture is a work-holding or support device used in the manufacturing

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...

 industry. What makes a fixture unique is that each one is built to fit a particular part or shape. The main purpose of a fixture is to locate and in some cases hold a workpiece during either a machining

Machining

Conventional machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, in which a collection of material-working processes utilizing power-driven machine tools, such as saws, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, are used with a sharp cutting tool to physical remove material to achieve a desired...

 operation or some other industrial process. A jig

Jig (tool)

In metalworking and woodworking, a jig is a type of tool used to control the location and/or motion of another tool. A jig's primary purpose is to provide repeatability, accuracy, and interchangeability in the manufacturing of products. A jig is often confused with a fixture; a fixture holds the...

differs from a fixture in that it guides the tool to its correct position in addition to locating and supporting the workpiece.

The primary purposes of jigs and fixtures is to:

• Reduce the cost of production
• Maintain consistent quality
• Maximize efficiency
• Enable a variety of parts to be made to correct specifications
• Reduce operator errors

Types of Fixtures:
General Purpose - They are usually relatively inexpensive and can be used to hold a variety and range of sizes of workpieces (examples: Vises, chucks, split collets).

Special Purpose - They are designed and built to hold a particular workpiece for a specific operation on a specific machine or process.