With their custom-made RapidFit solution offering 20 setup options on a single jig, one automotive manufacturer is experiencing the full benefits of modularity — saving big on space, time, and costs.
When we launched our quick-release system, the RapidLock, our modular frames and cubes suddenly offered more freedom, more choice, and more space-saving than ever before — and all with a guarantee of repeatability and accuracy. One automotive manufacturer, in particular, was quick to take advantage, ordering a custom solution that offers an incredible 20 setups in a single fixture.
How it works
Designed to hold a sheet metal side panel during development and quality control, this particular fixture is full of possibilities. The manufacturer can use it for a complete assembly or any of four individual parts — both left and right-sided. It’s also adaptable enough to work on parts for two versions of the car model.
With so much choice in one piece of equipment, it was important to make sure the fixture remained easy to use. A simple color-coding system, complete with a laminated card, keeps things organized on both the fixture and a nearby cart — there should be no questions about what goes where for each setup. As always, actually working with the fixture is also hassle-free, thanks to the RapidLock’s ergonomic design.
The benefits
Like most modular fixtures, this project offers the customer two main savings: space and money. At first glance, you may wonder how — it’s certainly not a small piece of equipment, nor is it particularly light; the customer opted for a base made from solid steel rather than a less weighty material like carbon. But when you consider the alternatives, it all begins to make sense.
“What makes this solution special is that we combine so many possibilities in one frame,” explains Koen Briers, Sales Manager at RapidFit. “Without it, the customer would need at least five fixtures to get the same amount of setups — and they’d all be significant in size.”
This, in turn, directly leads to cost savings. The customer pays for one solution rather than five and cuts down on their necessary storage space. Making it easy to set up and manage the different variations means fewer experts are required to operate it, while its accuracy and repeatability help minimize errors and wastage. It’s an all-round tool for all-round gain — and not the first.
How it happened
“This solution is the result of collaboration and trust,” Koen continues. “It’s not the first time we’ve worked together. Our team had visited the factory some years before to explain how our modular systems work — and why they should use them — which led to an earlier project for a similar, smaller fixture. That one went very well, and they eventually came back for more.” This particular project began with a request from the customer. A unique challenge needed a unique solution, and that’s where our team excels. We prepared our innovative design, suggested it during the quotation stage, and received the go-ahead from an eager client. Less than 10 weeks later, the fixture was delivered. Such flexibility is also good news for other manufacturers. If you’re in the market for a similar quality management fixture, the opportunities are almost endless — the team can easily design something that fits your needs, considering everything from the number of setups you’d like to the material used to build it. There’s no one-size-fits-all here.
