What are the Differences between Tool Makers and Jig Makers

Tool Makers create tools that are used to create parts in the manufacturing of products that we use in our every day lives. There are many different areas within the heading of Tool Makers such as die makers, Mould Makers, and jig makers. Each of these sub genres of Tool Makers is indeed a took maker but they generally specialise in slightly different areas, such as a die maker will focus on creating dies and tools for dies and die making. Jig makers are another term for tool makers. A jig is a piece that fits on to another part to attach something else. A jig is what mounts onto a work piece, and a fixture has the work piece placed on it, into, or next to it. And so a jig maker is the craftsman who creates and tools the jig. Jig makers and tool makers are basically the same in its own right except a jig maker creates a different part and produces different parts and tools.

 

Due to the description of these two terms and what the job actually entails being so similar the terms are used interchangeably within the industry. Jig makers are the most experienced of tool makers because they need to have a vast knowledge of all the different types of machines for many different products such as in automation, robotics, welding, tapping, and mass production operations.

 

Jigs are key instruments in building any type of product no matter how large, for example a jig maker may be required to design and build a fixture for a car when fixing the fender or chassis. A jig maker is the most trained and skilled of all different types of tool makers because they need to be able to create plans, and monitor the process of the jigs and fixtures and offer ideas for alterations and improvements.