Tool Data Management System

[Kennebec]

Anyone using Tool Data managment systems?

We are looking for a system that would manage all tools, Lathe to mill, inserts and holders as well as custom/ modified tools, the system should be accessable by the Manufacturing Engineer and the Programmer and tool room, with tracking and inventory.
Would like to see tools available to CADCAM system and in verification process. Presently each gropup manages their own tools and descriptions none of which are usable in CADCAM (Mastercam).

Am I dreaming?

any suggestions recommendations or experiences are appreciated
Thanks Everyone
Kennebec

[jgramlich]

I know this thread is a bit old but I'd like to see if others are still tracking it. I'm also interested in this type of information. We've been looking at adding a production management system to our shop and if anyone out there has recently done so I'd love to hear about your experience with it.

We currently use Fabtrol for estimating but are likely to use it for production management in the future. Anyone have any experience with this?

[S.Snyder]

As of right now, I am in the same boat. I would also like to hear some info on this.

[Brakeman Bob]

Have a look at TDM Systems of Germany. I have seen their software and it looks good (though a sledgehammer to crack a nut for the scenarios described above). I know it links in with VeriCut and I believe has an SQL core enabling customisation.

[jgramlich]

What I've found so far is many of the toolmakers seem way behind the times on this kind of data collection. I come from a data warehousing background so it baffles me that the tooling software isn't designed from day one to collect production data, especially as it is not easy to tack on as an afterthought.

I'd love to be able to do a log dump at the end of each day and collect information such as part number and quantity made, amount of material run through the machine, etc. As it stands we're going to have to kluge together a tracking system that still uses and awful lot of human input, which is very prone to mistakes.

[DGsteelfab]

Actually Peddinghaus recently did something like this for their machines - it tracks the number of parts ran, number of holes, and all that other stuff.

Check it out -

http://www.peddinghaus.com/news_fullarticle.asp?vID=272

[kcoste]

Our Tool Verification System (TVS-A) does some of what you are asking. It was designed more to verify the correct tool is in use, but it also automatically makes a database of results every time a cutting operation occurs. That database is available via a user interface over a network.

If there are particular features you are looking for, we do free customization of our sensors for many applications, please email us with a description of the things you are interested in seeing.

Here are some details on the TVS-A from a prior post:

The TVS-A sensor works in any CNC machine and automatically measures the type and length of tool prior to a cutting operation. If the type or length of tool do not match the values specified by the machine's cutting program (due to wrong tool, broken tool or wrong tool length), the TVS-A sensor automatically sends an alarm to the machine enabling it to shut down before damage is done to either the part or the machine. All this occurs in ~1 second with a database of up to 10,000 tools. Quoted length measurement accuracy is <1mm with demonstrated accuracy to ~0.15mm on average.

The TVS-A can be installed quickly by our certified installer and it operates in the background with no operator training necessary. The database of tools is automatically generated and the entire set-up process is nearly transparent to the users.

Once operating, the TVS-A can be connected to a PC directly or through a network in order to acquire performance statistics on the machine. Users can track a historical database of usage rates on the machine by time (shift), error rates, number of prevented crashes, amount of machine down time, tools with the most frequent breakage, etc...

For more information please check our website at:
www.Amasst.com

or email to:
John@Amasst.com

[jgramlich]

Nice idea. I'll keep it in mind if we ever install MRP here.

[meorgeim]

Originally Posted by jgramlich I know this thread is a bit old but I'd like to see if others are still tracking it. I'm also interested in this type of information. We've been looking at adding a production management system to our shop and if anyone out there has recently done so I'd love to hear about your experience with it. We currently use Fabtrol for estimating but are likely to use it for production management in the future. Anyone have any experience with this?

How is your experience with fabtrol for estimation, We have a different kind of setup.

[jgramlich]

Our estimators like it. I know that much. :-) I believe it works by knowing particular types of work, i.e. it takes x number of minutes for a shop worker to cope the end of a beam and attach a pair of clip angles. It then adds up those connections and all the other quantities of predefined work types to give you a time required and then adds up all the steel for you automatically.

I'm not an estimator so that's about all I know about it. It does seem to be a pretty big time saver for good sized projects. We've done a few 600 tons ish jobs in the last year or so, so you're looking at a thousand beams and assorted parts to go with them. Seems to me it would be a lot to add up by hand.

[titanium frost]

Originally Posted by Kennebec Anyone using Tool Data managment systems? We are looking for a system that would manage all tools, Lathe to mill, inserts and holders as well as custom/ modified tools, the system should be accessable by the Manufacturing Engineer and the Programmer and tool room, with tracking and inventory. Would like to see tools available to CADCAM system and in verification process. Presently each gropup manages their own tools and descriptions none of which are usable in CADCAM (Mastercam). Am I dreaming? any suggestions recommendations or experiences are appreciated Thanks Everyone Kennebec

We use the Tool Wall system and while it doesn't link back to CAM, I'm told that is in the works. It tracks and stores tool data, consumables, jobs, g-code etc... The storage/tool management combination has saved us a lot of time (=$$) on our setups. We also track our consumables with the software. The system automatically re-orders carbides as they are used.

The main reason we are using it is for the tool data management and resulting time savings for machine setup. The consumables and job management is a bonus.

[ToolWall]

Tool Wall is a product that was initially created for in-house use of the parent company Apollo Machinery Ltd where small quantity production requires constant machine set-up. The System proved so advantages that the decision was made to share the application with the industry and was shown at the Westec exposition to the American public for the first time.

The response was very positive. As a result new modules for the product are currently being developed.

New modules under development:
Work holding fixture management.
Integration of work offset uploading.
Tool Manufacturer tool catalog integration.
Fixture Manufacturer catalog integration.
Tool based CAM system.

A restricted version ( 320 tools, 8 Machines ) can be downloaded for free. To expand the system a Serial Number of a storage system is required.

A program simulation one can experiment with is available at: http://www.a-m.ca
More information about Tool Wall can be found under: http://www.tool-wall.com