Tool Standardization

[CAM-mando]

Has anyone been successful at standardizing and consolodating tooling in their small to mid sized job shop?

 

For example, Developing internal part numbers versus using supplier catalog numbers. What things were you able to standardize and what things not.

 

How to best reflect standards in MCX tool libraries (etc.)

 

I can grab 10 jobs that use a 1/4" drill around here and our job history will show 4 different part numbers with 2 different ones bought for the same job for no good reason.

 

Any experience in this area that you would be willing to share would be greatly apreciated.

[gms1]

I've tried in our small shop for years to standardize our tooling. I never went the way of using in-house catalog numbers for them, I'd rather use the EDP or supplier catalog number. Its just less numbers to manage. The local supplier here (MSC/J&L) has recently setup a managed tooling thing on their website which is nice. It allows you to add people to the authorized list of buyers or you add people to the requisition list. The people who requisition tooling fills out the P.O. and it automatically sends it to the authorized buyer. It also allows you to track P.O.'s, make personal lists, change e-mail addresses, etc... It is a nice system and I think that is as far it goes here for tool management.

 

We don't keep standard tooling separate per job. That is just to expensive for us. We usually try to keep special tools in a separate spot when they repeat.

[SLJ]

We've got some standard tools in the machines with several pots left open for odd balls. We don't have them listed my manufacturers #, but generally have them called out as say a 1/2" x 1.25 flat E/M. We run 99 % Alum. so we mostly stock the same cutters for all jobs with others when called for.

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

We do the same as SLJ. We leave standard tooling in all of our machines and we mostly cut aluminum. For example tool 24 is a 1.00 diameter rougher in all of our machines. When we program we have all the standard tooling memorized. We leave the tools in there, and use them for many different jobs. We replace them as they wear out.

[Bruce Caulley]

Cam,

I did this at a medium sized place a few years ago. I looked at using internal numbers as reference since all bought items had one in SAP, but decided against it since shop floor staff had better access to supplier catalogues than purchasing data. Step one, cull the crap, step two, pick a supplier for each type of tool you define i.e all HSS drill this company, all carbide drills this company, etc, etc. Get the suppliers on board to do swap outs where possible. Have a big ebay sale of everything left over. As part of this project Iscar installed a robocrib for us so I would look and see if one of your suppliers would be willing to do the same thing. Just try and retain final control of what gets put in it.

 

HTH

 

Bruce

[CAM-mando]

Thanks guys, good stuff.

 

Any more input is still welcome.

 

Bruce, I am up in the air about the numbering. The upside to internal numbers is that we can easily change catalog numbers or as MSC often does, incorporate their new catalog numbers when they deactivate numbers.

 

Mgmt wants all tooling in the bill of materials for every part. Using the vendor catalog numbers means updating hundreds of BOMs each time a catalog number changes where as using an internal number just means changing the vendor part number in the inventory master file in the ERP system for that tool one time.

 

Another example would be when new carbide grades are introduced. If we are making a wholesale switch across the board, we would rather not update hundreds of BOMs again.

 

On the floor, the guys will still be using setup sheets which would have both numbers. With that said, your point is well taken and we will need to look a little harder at it for the reasons you mentioned.

 

We have updated to X but haven't implemented it yet. I need to dig up the threads here on tool numbering in libraries etc. I know that has been discussed adnausum.

 

quote:

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I would look and see if one of your suppliers would be willing to do the same thing. Just try and retain final control of what gets put in it.

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Do you mean that Iscar put it in but allows you to put other manufacturers tools in it as well?

[Bruce Caulley]

Cam,

The arramgement with Iscar was that we would do the purchasing and stocking ourselves with whatever WE wanted to use. So long as our monthly spend with Iscar was above a certain amount the crib was free. They did monitor usage of items and would from time to time suggest their substitute, but we were 95% iscar for all our insert tools anyway so it never bacame a problem while I was there. They also accepted that we had "signed up" other brands for solid carbide and drills etc. At the other end of the scale they could have taken full control and the company would have used what Iscar told us to use. Maybe the right thing to do in a high volume automotive cell or something, but not for us at the time.

 

The other big thing to get over is people no longer having access to their favourite brands. The critical thing that made a big difference was plenty of charts explaining grades and cutting conditions. We also went as far as to make a board with Iscar inserts glued on with their description, what material they were recommended for and what the speeds and feeds should be. Nothing worse than someone burning up a packet of inserts because they "just used the speeds and feeds I used with the other brand". If the shop floor staff don't have access to this data they will quickly resist every little change made on the grounds that the new tools are a backwards step.

 

Bruce

[Zoober]

CAM, are you using any kind of software, IE: TDM or cribmaster for tool management? There are a number of ways to do whatever you want if you are.

All of our info in cribmaster is available in MCX thru libraries we create on the fly.

Standard internal numbering that allows us to retain the number even if vendor other things change. let me know if you want more info.

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

I would look at a vendor managed system they are great you get a price cut all toos can be wanded to a job you can break down the costing anyway you like and they offer quick service and supply standard part numbers for your custom tools wich always have backups and you do not pay for them till you use them.

[Josh T™]

quote:

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I would look at a vendor managed system

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We have the Kennametal Tool Boss...

 

 

Each technician scans his badge, types in the POR (Prototype Order Request), and selects the item. The cost of the tool is charged against the IO for the POR. Kennametal lets you put almost anything in the thing too... batteries, floppy disks, scotchbrite, etc.

 

I asked them to refrigerate one drawer so we could put beer in it... they didn't bite

 

HTH

Josh

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I'm in the same position as the OP.

 

Here's a email I sent to Zoober, maybe some of you have new ideas on this?

 

"Hello,

I work at a small machine shop and we just recently purchased "Global Shop". The boss just tasked me with inventorying all tooling and standardizing the tooling we use. He would like to create a unique id system for the tooling that can import into Global Shop. I know you have extensive experience in the area of tool libraries and tooling inventory systems. Can you give any advice on how to label/inventory/manage and use this data in MasterCam?

 

Thanks for your time-

 

Josh Kinney

J&S Custom Manufacturing"

[Dave.L]

We use an ERP software for all aspects of our business. Within that software is what’s called a part master or item master. The key field is Part ID. We use 6 digit numeric numbers assigned sequentially with no meaning. We assign numbers to customer parts, purchased parts, material, tools, toilet paper etc.

 

We store our tooling based on this part ID as well and in MC we list the part ID for each tool and it prints on our setup sheets. It makes kitting tools for a job fast and efficient. We use Lista cabinets to store tools and each and every tool goes in its own bin/box with a label that identifies the part ID, the mfg p/n and full description of the tool. We mix used and new tools in the same bin, but we keep new tools in the container they came in and used are loose in the bin.

 

IF MC had a key ID field in the tool libraries, that’s what we would use to manage the library. The system works very well for us.

 

It also always anyone to go to a terminal and search to see what tools we have. They can search by tool type, MFG, MFG p/n, details such as diameter, etc. It works great.

[Zoober]

Josh, I am not familiar with "Global Shop".

As far as labels, the sky is the limit, but should be something that describes the tool, ie type, dia, loc, rad, material, #flutes, etc...

I generally used the tool description as a key field (not UID), as it will not change if vendors change, and works well with Mastercam.

 

As far as linking with MCX, I generally use the DB's ID in the DB, and then map over to what the other software needs using another key field, ie Tool Name, or Description, or a Tool ID (that conforms to your naming convention).

 

Unique Identifiers are not too important, except to each database, for searching, indexing, and checking against redundant items. I NEVER use a same UID across the board. Most Auto ID is fine.

 

I prefer to map fields. MCX doesn't use a UID as Dave said, so culling that from a database would be worthless.

For this particular case, I made the tool description a key field, because I found that the easiest for MCX to handle.

For any database to export a Mastercam tool library, you MUST be able to map fields to those that Mastercam requires, because Mastercam is inflexible in what info it requires in a .tools file and it's .txt import file.

Crystal reports helps to map these fields and format the query results into MC's unique format.

 

I hope that helps...

I could probably help more if I knew the back end of the database (Access, SQL, Oracle, etc...).

[Dave.L]

Josh/Robert,

 

Global Shop is a ERP software similar to what we use (we use M1).

 

Josh, as Robert said, find out what database Global Shop uses. Also, your company should do some good research before you start using the system to see what ID method will work for you guys best.

 

With ERP's, many try to come up with lengthly meaningful ID's but it's very hard to manage and get everyone to do it. We found dumb ID's to be the best for us.

 

Also, as Robert mentioned, Crystal Reports is great. We have created many label formats with Crystal and we print these from our ERP with all mouse clicks. No re-typing info, it's all pulled from the ERP database.

 

We have labels for:

 

-Customer Parts

-Job Operations

-Materials

-Cutting Tools

-Fixtures and special tooling

 

We print the labels to a Zebra printer with non-tare, high tack adhesive. Works Great!

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

Thanks Guys,

I just emailed our IT guy to see what the database is and I'll report when I find out, I appreciate any help you can offer.

 

Josh-

[Chris Rizzo]

quote:

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Crystal reports helps to map these fields and format the query results into MC's unique format.

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Hey Zoober have you played with Active Reports yet? It's crystal reports.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

So our IT guy said it's "Pervasive SQL".

[Mr. Wizzard]

I guess it doesn't matter what number you use, as long as the person setting up the job can find out what it is. I still use Manufacturer part numbers. Typically the program is set to use specific speeds and feeds for specific tools.

EX:) .250 drill for aluminum vs. .250 drill for steel.

I always input the MFG's part number in the tool set-up and have the post output that number.

EX:) .096 drill #A1148-NO41 TITEX

That way the tool you programmed to is always loaded and there are no questions.

You could do the same exact thing with your own internal part numbers.