Assessment of Aircraft Assembly Jig Fabrication by Use of Additive Manufacturing Technology

The fabrication of jigs and fixtures in aerospace has seen a rise in usage as it is a more accessible approach that does not require as stringent certification as flying parts. AM provides opportunities for design optimisations to address the issue of heavy metallic tooling, which is cumbersome for the shop floor operator to handle. A careful design approach can also lead to lower tool maintenance. This research aims to investigate the redesign of an existing aerospace assembly jig through design optimisation to reduce weight and part count to increase worker ergonomics and reduce tool maintenance. All this is done whilst maintaining rigidity and the ability to adjust to meet the tight tolerance of the tool and exploring alternative materials. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and Generative Design (GD) were studied to generate multiple design iterations, which were then filtered through the industrial requirements and analysed using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The resulting design was 60% lighter, reducing the part count by 55%. The jig was fabricated using industrial-grade Filament Deposition Modelling (FDM) and validated onsite as per industrial practice.