Small-Part Jig Starts Drifting: Audit Pocket Wear Before Editing Artwork
Before moving artwork, audit the jig. Compare datum gaps and framing at four named pockets with one retained part; wear often appears as a location pattern rather than a universal offset.
Drift may live in one pocket
Current users report that fixed corners and custom jigs materially improve repeat engraving alignment. That constraint appears in the July Reddit project discussion.
Make pocket wear measurable
| Datum gap | Frame offset | Disposition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | record with feeler/reference | x/y note | keep, repair, or retire |
| A4 | same method | x/y note | compare row |
| D1 | same method | x/y note | compare column |
| D4 | same method | x/y note | compare diagonal |
How a worn upper stop appears
A1, A4, and D1 frame within the accepted window, while D4 shifts toward the open edge and shows a visible stop gap. That pattern points to a local pocket condition, not a global file-origin correction.
Use one retained part across four positions
- Power down before physical fixture inspection and follow current guidance for any permitted maintenance.
- Use one retained eligible blank or non-output reference so part variation does not dominate the comparison.
- Mark every pocket and record gap direction instead of writing only pass or fail.
- Retire or repair a damaged fixture under the shop's approved method; do not hide a physical offset inside every artwork file.
P2 fixture ownership boundaries
The machine does not detect or correct a worn pocket automatically. Fixture inspection, pocket retirement, retained references, and release tolerances remain shop controls. The current P2 page supplies machine facts; the pocket tolerance and retirement rule belong in the fixture record.
A repaired pocket can return to the live-event release board only after proof. The can-holder curve check helps when the part surface, not pocket wear, changes edge focus.
Jig-wear questions
Can I compensate one worn pocket in software?
That creates a special file state and does not repair seating. Remove the pocket from release until the fixture is corrected and requalified.
How often should a jig be audited?
Use risk, handling, history, and visible symptoms; this guide does not invent a universal interval.
Does a tight pocket guarantee alignment?
No. Debris, part variation, bow, damage, and incorrect loading can still change seating.