Tool management

[Zoober]

We are in the midst of re-doing the way we are handling tooling (from the ground up), and lucky me - I've been charged with a tool management system .

 

Are any of you using a tool management system? Cribmaster? An Access database? TDM?

How are you guys tracking tooling and usage?

 

I know, lots of questions, but I'd like to hear what you are using to track tooling. Usage, and purchases and how (if at all) it integrates into MC.

I'd like to be able to tie it in with import/export of tool libraries if possible.

 

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

talk to brian powlus at ef bailey he has it dialed

[polishman]

I always wondered why they call it "PERISHABLE TOOLING"

POOF !!!!

gone(into everybodys tool box)

[Zoober]

That is what we're trying to get away from!

[Guest]

We actually went through that 2 years ago, believe it or not there used to be notes on the setup sheets, "find this endmill in Bob's box" & "Steve has the tool for this job"

 

Now we have a toolcrib guy who setups up the tools, sends out and gets back all the tooling, checks it, reorders as necessary. No perfect but it is a WHOLE lot better than what it was.

[CAM-mando]

quote:

---

Now we have a toolcrib guy

---

Is that Steve or Bob ?

[Guest]

nooooo,

 

Steve and Bob are both gone out of the shop, one retired, one relocated

[Thee Dragracer1951]

I'm getting really intereted in this thread as well...I need to get a handle on tool management to more accurately cost jobs.

Is there software out there? or what are you guys using????

[Gramby]

Every tool drawer is labeled with a permanent lable and a removeable lable with a bar code. When a piece of tooling is getting low on qty the guys take the removable lable form the drawer and turn it into the office secatary. She then orders off of that lable. We always use the same supplier no screwing around shopping for a buck off. Find a good honest supplier and stick with them.

Can't say we have a problem finding tools in Bobs tool box. Once his box is full he can't fit anymore. To big a pain in the a## policeing employees from filling their boxes. Even with a crib manager they find a way.

[Zoober]

Keep the ideas coming! I think a lot of shops deal with this headache.

We just had a meeting with an integrator. They will be a single source (but we can still get all brands). We will go from many many invoices to 2 per month. They will handle all inventory, set up vending machines, etc..

They will be using Cribmaster, and I am thinking of creating some excel or access app to plow into their info to use in MC and tooling management (where is it, is it dedicated to a machine or job, etc..)

[Tom Dorgan from American Precision]

I setup a crib using Cribmaster and it worked great. Used barcode check in and out on 65000 gages plus a ton of tooling.

[Bruce Caulley]

We have a Robocrib dispensing machine. It has cut the tooling bill by 40%.

[Zoober]

Tommy - do you have any integration to MC tool libraries?

[DavidB]

Most tool suppliers will have a tooling solution.

Whether it's consignmen stock, cribs, tool dispensers, automated software, but it always comes back to the people who use it. Any system is only as good as the people who use it.

 

If it's quick and easy the more the guys on the shop floor will use it.

 

We all know from being on the shop floor at one stage what it's like when your under the pump to get a job out and an insert goes. All you want to do is grab another insert and carry on.

[crazy^millman]

Well let me see if I can give you some ideas on this subject. I have worked in a alot of different places and see alot of different typrs of systems. There are the places that kit up every job. They have tools for the job in a kit as they call it with all the endmills, taps, jaws and the everything you would need to do the job. Pro's for this systems is everytime you run the job you have what you need and can give it to a person and away they go. Con's well if you are doing 5000 different part you now have 5000 kits. The problems with this are room, the cost of all of those tools that may be common tools in every box to maybe be only use 2 to 5 times a year depending on the amount of times you do the job. It seems great but of you have 20 customers and lose 2 or 3 now you have to clean out the kits and then get an influx of tools to the system. Now there is the time it takes to kit all of them up and then de kit them as part numbers go and come.

 

Toolcrib with Autocrib system has its place as well you have a person or persons that people go to sign out tools and then return to. If you are doing $250,000 a month like my present company then it make alot more sense to have this becuase you want people on the floor being productive. The toolcrib system we are using if also using the autocrib despencing with it where the employee puts in his number and tools are assinged to them and then it can be tracked. Pro's to this double systems is you only get charged for what you need and most times have what you need. It keep these despensers near key areas and in a 150,000 sqft fauclity make good use of employee time by keeping them from having to walk all the way across for common items. Con's becomes a company all inot itself and locks you into one company and their service. Keep competion away and thus drvie up yout bottom line in the long run keeping out competion. (most requires long terms contracts to put in the despensers) Aslo very easy for the employess to abuse the system and be less than careful with tools becuase there in an unlimited supply so to speak of what every they need. Looks dull replace it, want one for the heck of it replace it. I want to keep extra's in my tool box very easy. Easy for stuff to walk away becuase it keep alot of items from being noticed and people can leave with this or that who would know since it never sees someone eyes but the perosn getting it out of the machine.

 

Only toolcrib person systems are good if they are run by a hard noised knowlegdeable person. What I mean by hard nosed is that they keep people honest and go clean out toolboxes and are supported by managment to do so. I have seen time and time again where there is a sign out sheet and it has been 2 or 3 years and now one has bothered to see if the stuff was put back otr ever replaced and most times things are needed and ordered UPS red because it is needed and we had it at one time. Pro's are keeping control on what you need keeping thing organized and clean. Only one or two people have access to tools and keep things missing and broken and put back without someone knowing to a minumim. Con's most owners do not have the backbone to support toolcrbi perosnal and give into the people on the floor who do not want to be controled and want to have to ask for a tool. They do not see the benifit of a central location to everything and how it keeps cost down and helps manage inventory for standard shop supplies. It is realy human nature to want what we want. I have a complete roll around fo tools for that purpose, but they are mine. Unless you are the one putting the bills you most times have to think it is not your company and the bottom line is the bottom line and if a company is paying and extra for tools then most time there goes bonuses, and money for other things that are really needed.

 

Overall tool managemnt is a very hard thing and requires alot of thought and consideration. When I was in charge of the last shop I did a notice in one week I would do a toolbox search and anything found in boxes would be taken. Employees have one week to turn stuff in. I went through one person area that was out on sick leave and founf about a 1000 endmills from 3/4" soild carbide 4 " loc to over 100 carbide reamers. I fgured I found in everyone's toolboxes and stash areas about $40k to $60k worth of tools.

 

For any system to work everyone has to support the system from the top to the bottom. It take teamwork and an overall sense of the importance of having one. In today world economy the comapines than can cut cost, run leaner and stay productive while cutting excess and costs are the once that are going to keep work and gorw in these uncertain times.

 

Sorry for the length but hope it helps.

 

Crazy talk out.

[jmm0422]

Crazy^Millman this is why we eliminated all toolboxes from the shop. We had programs setup sheets and tooling in everyone’s tool boxes.

 

We have a tool crib attendant at our facility. I have a single supplier that comes in and does inventory on all our tools. I setup a min-max on all tooling set him up with a blanket PO and he keeps all the tooling stock for us.

 

Any tooling that we do not use as often the tool crib attendant will stock himself. The crib attendant will also inspect all incoming and outgoing tooling.

 

This is not a perfect setup but it has worked well for us so far.

 

Jason

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

I created a program in Access to invintory tooling and issue reports it took about 6 months to produce it we used it for a year then got away from it. I am told we are going back to it.

[William Grizwald]

System integration is the kwy. Perfect example:

Mastercam tool libraries...

Access database (home made)...

Vericut tool libraries...

Autocrib software...

 

None of them integrate with each other very well unless you really get under the hood of each and do some coding. All four must be kept current and that sucks.

 

For that reason alone I've been trying to get TDM and a certain compatable cadcam system that could talk to it. When you've got 1000+ holders and 10 times that in tools, the cam system is easily disposed of if it doesn't fit in.

 

With the right cam tools you have:

 

TDM, the cam system, and Vericut all sharing the same exact libraries. The tool crib ties into it as well.

 

--

Bill

[Zoober]

Crazy, William, All,

Thanks for the responses. That is why I love this forum! I am getting a lot of good input. I realize that no 1 system is the right fit for everybody, and I am trying to find ours.

William, I believe that MC can be a part of the integration with it's import/export tool libraries. Right now, we are looking at cribmaster, which is a SQL/access based data set. With SQL, I can develop the appropriate queries to auto-populate a CSV file to bring right into MC.

That ties 3 of the 4 items in your example into 1.

Add Vericut direct, and it is an integrated system.

Is it the BEST system....? who knows, but it may be OUR best system.

I am seriously considering all of the input I am getting here, and there are some limitations, because we will be working with a single source, but I think we are headed in the right direction.

[William Grizwald]

Robert,

 

Heads up on the Vericut Direct chook...

 

I'm working with CGTech right now on some issues with it.

 

1. Custom tools from MCX don't convert to Vericut well. This is an issue for us since we use extra long holders. Since holders aren't really shown in Vericut, I use custom a custom tool to define a cutter with a holder as one unit in MCX for Accurate collision detection in MCX. For us, It's very important to see the holders.

 

2. You will end up remodeling all your tools and holders in Vercut since they support complete tool and holder component assemblies.

 

3. Not a tooling issue specifecly but... if you decide to use multiple toolpath groups under a single Machine Group in MCX, Vericut will convert those all to individual Machine Setups - not a good thing. We are still working on this issue with CGTech and hopefully it can be resolved soon. We use lots of toolpath groups as our programs tend to be large with lots of tools. Typicaly, we group by tools since you can't switch the Operation Manager to list by tools at this time.

 

--

Bill

[Zoober]

William,

Generally I use only one toolpath group, even with our some ops using 80+ tools.

I don't have any problem sorting by tool# (or any of the ways provided) in operations mgr. Just rt. click in op mgr, choose sort, and sort away. Has never been an issue for me.

Your other points are well taken. Thanks

[Tom Dorgan from American Precision]

Robert, Sorry no integration to Mastercam on my system. Cribmaster position was before my Mastercam years.

[Michael Sullivan]

we are a pretty small shop. We use an Access Database. it works well for us but requires a bit of diligence in keeping it up to date. Previously tools were everywhere as with most shops. As long as everone takes the time, it's great. I'm sure if someone was assigned to manage it there would even be less chance of any problems.

 

-Mike