What Is a Rough Guide?
A rough guide is a jig component used in machine tools, assembly machines, inspection machines, etc., to fix products in place. Broadly, it serves to preliminarily position a product to a certain extent before precise positioning is done.
Rough guides are primarily used when a worker, rather than a robot, sets a product on a jig. Their use significantly speeds up the precision positioning process by automatically fixing the product in a specific position.
Uses of Rough Guides
Examples of rough guide applications include:
- Rough Positioning According to the Workpiece’s External Shape
A block or similar object is placed on a jig to align it with the workpiece’s shape. The mounting holes of the block are often elongated or several millimeters larger than the mounting bolts, allowing for easy adjustment during actual work. - Rough Positioning Using a Thin Pin in a Material Hole or Workpiece Hole
While precise positioning typically uses machined holes with controlled dimensions, rough guides can utilize material holes by inserting a pin a few millimeters smaller.
Features of Rough Guides
Rough guides come in various types, each with distinct features. For instance:
- L-Shaped Block Rough Guides
These are used to guide the corners of a product. A gap of several millimeters is maintained between the product corner and the guide. Typically, two guides are positioned diagonally to phase the product correctly. The guiding part of the rough guide is usually inclined at about 60 degrees, automatically directing the product to the proper position as it follows the slope. - Pin-Type Rough Guides
Multiple pins, a few millimeters in diameter, are inserted into the material or processing holes of the product to roughly guide its position and phase. To protect the interior of the product holes, the tips of the pins may be rounded or made of resin. However, resin pins can be susceptible to damage from iron scraps, so the usage environment should be considered.