Production Tooling & Manufacturing Aids

3D Printed Jigs & Fixtures

Custom tooling built around your part, process, and production floor.

Relay manufactures functional assembly jigs, inspection fixtures, positioning nests, drill guides, handling aids, and other custom tooling—without the lead time or hard-tooling commitment of conventional fabrication.

Engineering ReviewBuilt around the actual operation.
Fast IterationRevise tooling as the process changes.
Production MaterialsMaterial matched to load and environment.
Repeatable ReordersDigital tooling without physical inventory.
3D printed manufacturing jig and fixture
What We Build

Tooling for the jobs between the machines.

Printed tooling is strongest where a custom shape helps an operator locate, hold, inspect, assemble, protect, or move a part—and where conventional tooling adds unnecessary cost or delay.

Assembly Jigs & Nests

Locate and support components during fastening, bonding, fitting, or repetitive assembly.

Inspection Fixtures & Gauges

Go/no-go checks, reference nests, and inspection aids for repeatable quality checks.

Drill & Alignment Guides

Repeat hole locations, alignment, marking, and positioning with application-specific geometry.

Workholding & Soft Interfaces

Custom supports, soft jaws, cradles, and protective contact geometry around unusual parts.

Handling & Line-Side Aids

Trays, carriers, guides, poka-yoke aids, and part-presentation tools for production teams.

Large Fixtures & Tooling

Oversized jigs, patterns, nests, and production aids can be evaluated through Relay's large-format FDM workflow.

Why Additive Tooling

Make the fixture fit the process—not the other way around.

Traditional machined tooling still makes sense when loads, temperature, wear, or precision demand it. But many production aids do not need to start as a block of aluminum.

FDM lets a fixture follow complex part geometry, incorporate ergonomic features, and change quickly when the product or operation changes. Metal inserts, bushings, fasteners, pads, and replaceable wear features can be incorporated where the application needs them.

Good candidatesLow-volume or changing tooling, complex contact geometry, lightweight handling, quick replacement, and custom production aids.
Tell us where it mattersCritical datums, clamp loads, temperatures, wear points, chemicals, cycle expectations, and interfaces that need tighter dimensional control.
FDM printer producing functional manufacturing tooling
From CAD to Production Floor

A tooling RFQ can start with the problem.

You do not need to fully engineer the additive solution before contacting Relay. Send the part geometry and explain the operation.

01Send the part + operationCAD, photos, sketches, or the mating component plus what the operator needs to accomplish.
02Define the critical featuresDatums, contact points, loads, clearances, ergonomics, cycle expectations, and environment.
03Choose the build strategyMaterial, orientation, inserts, bushings, wear surfaces, assembly, and whether FDM is the right process.
04Build, use, iteratePut the tool on the floor, capture feedback, and revise the digital design when the process changes.
Engineering Considerations

Printed does not mean plastic-only.

Production tooling can combine printed geometry with standard hardware where it matters. Bushings can protect drill locations, threaded inserts can handle repeated assembly, pads can protect cosmetic surfaces, and replaceable wear elements can extend service life.

The useful question is not “Can this be 3D printed?” It is “What does this tool need to survive, locate, repeat, and make easier for the operator?”

Can you make one-off fixtures?

Yes. One-off and low-quantity tooling is a natural fit when the geometry is custom or the process is still evolving.

Can you add metal inserts or bushings?

Yes, where appropriate. Hybrid printed tooling can use standard hardware at threads, wear points, drill locations, clamps, and other critical interfaces.

Which materials can be used?

The right material depends on load, heat, chemicals, wear, stiffness, impact, and dimensional requirements. ABS is one practical option for many indoor functional fixtures and tooling components, while other applications may call for ASA, reinforced nylon, TPU, or another material family.

Can you make large fixtures?

Yes, depending on geometry and requirements. Large-format FDM and intentionally sectioned tooling can both be evaluated for oversized production aids.

Have a Tooling Problem?

Send the part. Show us the operation.

Upload CAD and describe what needs to be located, held, inspected, assembled, drilled, protected, or moved. Relay will review the application and propose a practical manufacturing route.