Principles of Positioning

These tutorials will show you how to use locating pins and guides. The first tutorial will describe the principles of positioning, and will be followed by examples of the application of locating pins and guides.

(1) Principles of positioning

1. What is positioning?... Positioning means maintaining a positional relationship between two objects with a high degree of precision. Either object: Serves as a locating base... (Example: Locating jig)
   The other object: The object to be positioned onto the locating base... (Example: Workpiece)
2. Place two objects in a configuration where their positional relationship is set in an effective manner (refer to [Fig. 1]).
   Example:
   1) Keep two dowel pins for positioning as far apart from each other as possible
   2) Set the dowel pins in symmetrical positions
3. Position the workpiece using three-directional constraint. (Four-directional constraint makes it impossible to insert or eject the part.)
4. Select a positioning method based on the operation to be carried out (manual, automatic, prototyping, mass production, etc.) and the features (precision level, appearance quality level, material, etc.) of the workpiece.
5. Do not fail to take measures against deteriorations in positioning performance due to wear or deformation.

(2) A variety of positioning methods

Positioning methods are classified as shown below (refer to [Fig. 2]).

Positioning Type	Description
[1] Method that adjusts the position of the workpiece to the fixed datum plane	Positioning of a workpiece by pressing its face against the datum plane.
[2] Method of adjusting the positioning face (point)	Allows for adjustments of orientations using adjustable locating pins.
[3] Method using locating pins	Positioning of workpieces using cylindrical or conical locating pins.
[4] Method using a V-groove	Positioning of cylindrical workpieces in the longitudinal direction along V-grooves.
[5] Centering	Positioning of cylindrical workpieces to their centers.
[6] Indexing	Positioning of workpieces at specified distances over a linear distance.

Browse all locating pins.