Drilling Jigs

The client has been designing and supplying products to enhance the independence and quality of life for people with special needs for more than forty years. They are regarded as leaders in Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT), Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) and Environmental Control Systems (ECS) and are approved suppliers of Electronic Assistive Technology products and services to the NHS.

The client's multi-room intercom and door release system consists of an external intercom, user intercom unit and door entry control unit. The PCBs used for the external and user intercom products had been updated to include additional capability and features. The modification was considered too minor to require a full injection moulding tooling update and it was considered that the best route forward was to facilitate the fabrication of through holes by the client during assembly. Directly into the existing moulding. 

An accurate and repeatable method of fabricating the hole was required. CAD data and measurements from existing components were used to model a CAD part that would securely hold parts in place and allow for accurate and repeatable drilling of the through hole. Hillside Design were able to quickly design two inexpensive jigs which fulfilled this function and were made inhouse using a combination of 3D printing and off the shelf parts which were installed directly into the 3D print.