INDUSTRIAL & TEST FIXTURING

Our experience from over 30 years of testing and design allows us to offer customers a wide range of solutions for fixture needs. The background in our testing laboratories along with our manufacturing staff and facilities results in an integrated fixture designs and products that are second to none. To learn more about MGA’s fixture build and design offerings, please visit www.mgafixtures.com.

The Role of Fixtures

Fixtures play an invaluable role in a test laboratory or production/assembly plant. In many cases, the quality of a test greatly depends on the characteristics and workmanship exhibited by the fixture used. In general, a fixture is used to hold a test article in its intended real world use position. For most development programs, it is not feasible to use the actual full system, whether it is a vehicle body, aircraft fuselage, or a military craft, for testing a system or component. This is where a fixture is utilized. A fixture will be used to mate to the test article in the manner that it is intended to be used, and to mate to the particular test machine. Dimensional attachment locations will be the same, and normally the fixture is rigid to allow un-limited use in the lab.

Wide Range of Industries

Test fixtures are a critical developmental tool used in many industries. Industries which depend on various types of fixtures as part of their testing process include:

Automotive
Aerospace
Medical
Military
Consumer Products

Each of these industries, especially automotive and aerospace, have industry accepted practices regarding fixtures. MGA engineers have years of experience in designing, fabricating, checking out, and calibrating various types of fixtures for many industries.

Types of Fixtures

The overall family of fixtures offered by MGA is extremely large. MGA’s years of experience with testing has resulted in a library of fixtures well suited to virtually any type of test application. Fixtures routinely designed and built by MGA include:

Vibration fixtures with FEA
Gage and check fixtures for production plants
High load static fixtures
Vibration fixtures that are resonance checked analytically during design
Holding fixtures for life cycle and environmental with or without simulated floor/door sheetmetal contours
Airbag deployment Instrument Panel fixtures with integrated windshield
Assembly style holding fixtures
Full test fixtures systems (such as Door slam, latch and striker)
Sled pins
Sled buck modifications
High load dynamic fatigue fixtures (Ex. Control arm and cross member fatigue station)

These examples represent only a small subset of the fixtures designed and fabricated by MGA.

Design

In regards to design, MGA can import virtually any type of data, including STEP, IGES, Catia V4,V5, UG, etc. Machining capabilities include Fryer and Bridgeport CNC and manual mills, Mazak CNC lathe, as well as additional manual equipment. In addition, families of Coordinate Measurement Machines (CMMs) are used to dimensionally certify each fixture that is built. To learn more about MGA’s fixture build and design offerings, please visit www.mgafixtures.com.