Tooling Management

[CNCheese]

Bit of a dilemma managing tooling. How do you manage tooling at the machine vs in CAM software? For instance, the machine tool will hold information for 0-65535 tools and 20 in the ATC, the CAM software will hold a database full. When programming a part in CAM I use numbered tools from my db, then when we get down to the machine to set up the NC the tools need to be renumbered or loaded into the ATC...

I guess the question is how do others manage their tooling? Do you build new tool assemblies as needed, keep a base set of tools in the machine (what do you recommend) or put money on the shelf in tool assemblies ready to go?

Thanks...

[Brakeman Bob]

This is a huge subject and one close to my heart.

A lot of people build new tool assemblies as needed, those with more money have tool asseblies 'ready to go' on the shelf. Where I work we have a standard tool pack in the machine and will program around that, because even if the cycle time is a little longer we know thatwith small batch sizes the saving in set-up time will more than compensate. It is only with great reluctance will we add a new tool to the pack and the type of tools that force to do that are taps, threadmills, reamers and formtools. We tell our designers what preferred hole sizes and threads we want and they do their best to work around them.

We have a tool database held in an Excel spreadsheet that is kept up by the people on the shopfloor and I treat this as the 'Master' and at regular intervals check this database against the one held in the CAM system, striving to keep the info up to date as in 5 axis work, the wrong stick-out or holder can be disasterous. This system isn't perfect as it relies on me keeping my CAM database correct and on the shopfloor people keeping their database correct, but we have disciplined ourselves. We also use the spreadsheet database for creating set-up sheets.

Each tool has a unique ID that is independent of the CAM and the machine and it this number that is called up on the tool sheet, but then we have the luxury of working in Heidenhain which can call tools by name or number. If you are working in Fanuc or some other control then things are not so straight forward because then you must cross reference the ID to the pocket number.


I did build some macro's into the spreadsheet to make sure silly errors didn't occur in data entry and at some point I would like to get away from using Excel as it isn't the most stable database in the world when working over a network; what I replace it with is still unclear.

There are moves in the CAM world to provide API's for linking the CAM tool database with outside sources such as TDM Systems, WinTool etc. but these Tool Management systems are very expensive and for small companies are a sledge hammer to crack a nut.

To my mind, it is how much effort you want to put in to maintaining a tool management system that is the crucial question. Drawing up the paperwork to make sure a tool is set up correctly each time is a chore that must be balanced against the cost of having tool holders etc. sitting idle on the shelf.

[CNCheese]

Bob,

Great post, clear and concise!

I figure we'll have to incorporate a similar system, thinking it will be less computerized and more pop-up book... three ring binder with core tooling and images, for mill and lathe. Issue setup sheets for per job tooling. Needs to be as low tech as possible as we are just entering the CNC arena with delivery of a mill and lathe this week. The guys have experience with DRO's, and that's about as digital as they get. We're working into it slowly...

Curious, what information do you include in your setup sheets?

Thanks again!

[Brakeman Bob]

It's my pleasure.

The three-ring binder is a system I know well as a long time ago I was the fellow drrawing up the tool assemblies in AutoCAD. This was a time when the tooling companies hadn't cottoned on to providing CAD images & models to their users so every blessed holder, extension and tool had to be drawn up from scratch. My only observation is give thought to how you handle tool stick-out; will this change from job to job or will you have tools at set lengths and add a new tool to the database if you need extra reach. If it is the former then a possible solution give that a "DIM X" on the tool set-up drawing and give "DIM X" a value on the job set-up sheet.

Here we use both systems. On the five axis machines we have tools at set lengths and will go to great lengths to avoid changing a tool stick-out in the database, either by programming around the problem or adding a new tool to the database. On our vertical & horizontal machining centres we use the "DIM X" method, similarly on the Mill-Turn machines.

On our set-up sheets for non-5 axis we have tool number, description, Tool ID, stick-out from holder, stick-out from ext'n (if used), nominal D offset value and (on some of our very old machines) the D Offset address. We also list the fixturing, give sketches showing how the part is loaded and details of the Work Offset(s) used.

Something you might want to consider is 'zoning' your tool magazine. That is when you allocate certain tool pockets to your 'workhorse' tools that are used on nearly every job and never assign a different tool to that pocket. Then in the others you have pockets assigned for drills & taps, for formtools and for specials. Not hard & fast assignments, but just a general aspiration. It was easy for me, our machining centres have big magazines but I have done it with a Cincinnatti Arrow with only 21 tool pockets. The benefits lie in everyone has a familiarity with how the magazine should be laid out and a shortening of set-up times because some tools get carried over from one job to the next.

Regarding the jump into CNC, well we have all been there.

Good luck