A part fixturing system for securing a workpiece includes an expanding clamping device and a work holding device. The expanding clamping device includes a clamp base portion, first and second traversing wedge blocks, an actuation screw, and a clamp plate portion. The clamp base portion comprises a longitudinal recess, and the traversing wedge blocks are located inside the longitudinal recess, each block including an inclined contact surface and a threaded aperture. The actuation screw passes through the longitudinal recess of the clamp base portion and the threaded apertures of the traversing wedge blocks. The clamp plate portion comprises first and second declined contact surfaces. The work holding device comprises first and second support columns that define a longitudinal loading envelope. The expanding clamping device is positioned inside the longitudinal loading envelope of the work holding device and couples the workpiece to the first and second support columns.