FSAE Welding Fixtures

Overview

A welded space frame is only as accurate as the fixtures that hold it during the build. I designed the chassis jigging system and tube placement templates with sub-1 mm tolerances so that the geometry coming off the table matched the SolidWorks model.

What I worked on

• Designed welding fixtures with sub-1 mm tolerances, including tube jigs and placement templates.
• Iterated on operator ergonomics so each fixture was actually pleasant to work with at the welding table.
• Specified materials and tolerances suitable for repeated shop-floor use across a full chassis build.

Takeaways

The best fixtures are quiet. They fade into the build process and just make every part land where it should. That is the bar I try to design to.