Dovetail Fixture Rail for Plate Machining

Our Dovetail Fixture Rail System is engineered for production CNC environments that demand fast adjustability, rigid workholding, and repeatable X-Y location. Designed and built by experienced fixture builders, this system combines sliding dovetail rails, hardened datum locators, and side-acting wedge clamps to deliver precise positioning without sacrificing rigidity.
The dovetail rail design allows fixtures, vises, or sub-plates to slide freely for placement, then lock solidly in position with a single clamping action. Once clamped, the system applies force downward and back into the rail, eliminating lift and maintaining consistent Z-height under heavy cutting loads.
Precision Location in X and Y
Hard datum locators define the fixture position in both X and Y axes, ensuring repeatable alignment across setups. Fixtures locate against a fixed reference rail while opposing wedge clamps pull the assembly into the datum, removing clearance and eliminating positional drift.
This locate-then-clamp philosophy provides:
Consistent part zeroing
Reliable probing reference surfaces
Repeatable multi-operation setups
Side-Clamping Wedge Design
Side-acting wedge clamps apply controlled force into the dovetail rail, producing a self-locking action that resists vibration and back-driving. The clamping geometry generates both lateral and downward force, increasing rigidity while preserving full top-side tool access.
Replaceable wear surfaces and hardened contact points are incorporated to maintain accuracy over long production runs.
Built for Production CNC Machining
This fixture rail system is ideal for:
Modular CNC fixturing and tombstone setups
Quick-change vise and sub-plate mounting
High-mix and mid-volume production
Aluminum, steel, and alloy machining
Key Features
Precision dovetail rails for slide-to-position adjustability
Side-clamping wedge mechanism for high rigidity
Hardened datum locators for repeatable X-Y positioning
Anti-lift clamping geometry for stable Z reference
Designed for aggressive cutting and daily production use
Modular and Scalable
The dovetail fixture rail system integrates seamlessly with grid plates, sub-plates, and custom fixtures, allowing shops to scale from modular setups to dedicated production tooling without changing their workholding foundation.
If you need a production-ready CNC fixture rail system that combines speed, accuracy, and long-term reliability, this dovetail rail solution is built to become a permanent part of your machining process.