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ERIKS: Driving down production costs with fixturemate and UltiMaker

The challenge

ERIKS provides advanced mechanical engineering components and services, helping customers improve machines, production lines, and industrial projects. As an early adopter of 3D printing, ERIKS has been using UltiMaker 3D printers for over 10 years to produce fixtures, jigs, and other production tools. However, CAD design knowledge has typically been limited to a small group of experts with restricted resources.

The outcome

ERIKS adopted fixturemate to speed up the design of fixtures and other production tooling, reducing manual work for CAD engineers and enabling non-CAD users to use 3D printing technology. With an investment in fixturemate software and UltiMaker 3D printers, ERIKS achieved €100K savings in the first year, approximately six times their initial investment.

ERIKS-hero

Location

Ede, Netherlands

Industry

Engineering

Size

5000+

Product

fixturemate

6x ROI

>€100K saved in first year

through adoption of fixturemate software and affordable 3D printers

<1 hour

training time

average onboarding time of new users with any level of expertise 

24 hour

lead times

design a fixture today, use it tomorrow

Smoother, more convenient processes

fixturemate is easy to use, allowing assembly workers to quickly design manufacturing aids without the need for extensive CAD skills or training. The process is rapid: Using fixturemate, designs can be completed in 15-20 minutes. After that, the parts are 3D printed and tested within a matter of hours.

A wide variety of manufacturing aids have been produced, including fixtures for assembly, measurement, machining, welding, and inspection. For example, they have developed a CT scanning positioning tool which makes tasks faster, more accurate, and more convenient.

Person in front of computer
3D print part
0H6A0839(1)

Affordable custom tools where they are needed

In this example of a PCB/Motor assembly jig, ERIKS accumulated €20,000 in annual cost savings by saving two minutes per use. The first-time yield improved by 10x, saving an additional €5,000 each year. Designing, 3D printing, and testing were successful in just two iterations.

Employees without CAD skills developed over 10 jigs in the first year, resulting in savings of over €100K in 2024.

Job_ERIKS

"Starting with just one team, we've seen fixturemate's potential unfold across departments, inspiring 10 teams and saving about €100,000 last year alone. It's about more than savings; it's how we're positively empowering the community"

Job van de Sande Head of Engineering at ERIKS

Taking control of productivity

 

fixturemate has improved life at ERIKS by allowing colleagues without CAD expertise to design practical fixtures, making tasks easier and more efficient. Not only has it reduced design costs, but it has also fostered a community of enthusiasts who streamline processes, increase efficiency, and broaden the use of technology across the organization.

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