Custom Press-Fit Tooling Fixture for Precision Pin Installation
LCE designed, procured, manufactured, integrated, and tested a tooling fixture that helped our client improve overall process flow and efficiency. LCE designed and delivered a custom press-fit tooling fixture to enable straight, repeatable pin installation in a complex scissor-link assembly. The fixture eliminated operator fatigue, improved safety, and ensured alignment in a critical load path—transforming a manual, error-prone process into a controlled, repeatable operation.
NAICS Codes
333514 – Special Die and Tool, Die Set, Jig, and Fixture Manufacturing
541330 – Engineering Services
332710 – Machine Shops
332999 – All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
541380 – Testing Laboratories
UNSPSC Codes
81101500 – Engineering Services
81101508 – Mechanical Engineering
23153000 – Jigs and Fixtures
23153400 – Tooling Fixtures
81101600 – Product Testing and Evaluation Services
The Challenge
Pins in a scissor-link assembly needed to be pressed in perfectly straight to maintain structural integrity of a critical load path.
Prior to this fixture:
Pins were installed by hand
Alignment was inconsistent and operator-dependent
The process was physically demanding and fatiguing
Misalignment risk threatened part quality and downstream reliability
This created both ergonomic risk for the technician and quality risk for the mechanism.
Design Requirements
The tooling solution needed to:
Maintain coaxial alignment during press-fit
Prevent pin tilt or angular misalignment
Reduce operator force and fatigue
Be intuitive, safe, and repeatable for production use
Integrate cleanly with existing shop equipment
Custom Precision Press-Fit Fixture
LCE designed a purpose-built aluminum fixture that constrains the pin and mating components, guiding the press operation along a fixed, straight axis.
Key design features:
Precision-machined guide surfaces to control pin alignment
Rigid geometry to resist deflection during pressing
Simple, ergonomic setup for the operator
Robust construction suitable for repeated production use
The result is a controlled press operation that removes human variability from a critical assembly step.
