2020 tool manager

[MetalSlinger5]

looking for your input/opinion on dialing in your tool library feeds and speeds using the tool manager app. 

what has worked best for you?

do you plug in numbers based on tool manufactures recommendations, or by the type of material your using, or some other way?

here is my situation.

I have a tool library that matches every mill on the floor, yes, every mill has the same first 20 tools in the machine.

When programming I would like to be able to select those tools and not have to adjust the feeds & speeds every time, obviously they would need to be adjusted occasionally for certain situations, but for the most part I do not want to be having to change them all the time.

any help/info would be appreciated.  

[crazy^millman]

8 minutes ago, MetalSlinger5 said:

looking for your input/opinion on dialing in your tool library feeds and speeds using the tool manager app. 

what has worked best for you?

do you plug in numbers based on tool manufactures recommendations, or by the type of material your using, or some other way?

here is my situation.

I have a tool library that matches every mill on the floor, yes, every mill has the same first 20 tools in the machine.

When programming I would like to be able to select those tools and not have to adjust the feeds & speeds every time, obviously they would need to be adjusted occasionally for certain situations, but for the most part I do not want to be having to change them all the time.

any help/info would be appreciated.  

You say for each machine what about each material on each machine? That would be my 1st start and what I did years ago when I worked in a shop cutting the same parts. I had a Fadal Alum, Fadal SS, Fadal Steel and other Machine/material Tool Libraries. Now with holders I have a Holder Libraries with the tools defined in them. I program so many different machines and material doing Consulting for Manufacturing as part of our Corporate Structure (Against the Law in California to call yourself a Contractor Programmer anymore your an employee of a company if you contract program Thank you AB5) I let holders control the process. Even if I were in a shop cutting the same materials with the same machines I would still define my tools through the holders and not the other way around. Until CNC software can come up with a better way to manage holders I will not go back to only tool libraries and teach and share with every customer this method and process for programming Mastercam.

[MetalSlinger5]

10 minutes ago, 5th Axis CGI said:

You say for each machine what about each material on each machine? That would be my 1st start and what I did years ago when I worked in a shop cutting the same parts. I had a Fadal Alum, Fadal SS, Fadal Steel and other Machine/material Tool Libraries. Now with holders I have a Holder Libraries with the tools defined in them. I program so many different machines and material doing Consulting for Manufacturing as part of our Corporate Structure (Against the Law in California to call yourself a Contractor Programmer anymore your an employee of a company if you contract program Thank you AB5) I let holders control the process. Even if I were in a shop cutting the same materials with the same machines I would still define my tools through the holders and not the other way around. Until CNC software can come up with a better way to manage holders I will not go back to only tool libraries and teach and share with every customer this method and process for programming Mastercam.

Well, being who we are, we deal primarily with Aluminum, the tool library we have set up, except for 2 tools, are aluminum cutting tools. The library is evolving, and we are trying to get to the point where we have a good mix of aluminum, steel & stainless tools, but for now I am really on concentrating on aluminum cutting tools. We are trying to streamline the setup process for the guys on the floor and If I can program a part using as many of the tools that are already setup in the machine, the quicker the setup can go.

[crazy^millman]

Just now, MetalSlinger5 said:

Well, being who we are, we deal primarily with Aluminum, the tool library we have set up, except for 2 tools, are aluminum cutting tools. The library is evolving, and we are trying to get to the point where we have a good mix of aluminum, steel & stainless tools, but for now I am really on concentrating on aluminum cutting tools. We are trying to streamline the setup process for the guys on the floor and If I can program a part using as many of the tools that are already setup in the machine, the quicker the setup can go.

You correct and just need to decide a good method to control speeds and feeds and stick with it.

Like I was saying have a MACHINE_ALUM.tooldb

Then MACHINE_STEEL.tooldb

Then MACHINE_SS.tooldb

Have your standard holders defined and go from there.

[MetalSlinger5]

39 minutes ago, 5th Axis CGI said:

You correct and just need to decide a good method to control speeds and feeds and stick with it.

Like I was saying have a MACHINE_ALUM.tooldb

Then MACHINE_STEEL.tooldb

Then MACHINE_SS.tooldb

Have your standard holders defined and go from there.

Can you tell me why in the tool manager app, I have my 2” face mill set to SFM 3280 and FPT to .012, why when I select that assembly in Mastercam, does the SFM and the FPT not match? but when I select the tool, not as an assembly it matches? i cannot figure that out...

[MetalSlinger5]

2 minutes ago, MetalSlinger5 said:

Can you tell me why in the tool manager app, I have my 2” face mill set to SFM 3280 and FPT to .012, why when I select that assembly in Mastercam, does the SFM and the FPT not match? but when I select the tool, not as an assembly it matches? i cannot figure that out...

xxxx just figured it out....if you change anything in the tool alone it does change anything in the assembled tool, you have to change it in both places.....