RFID on tool holders?

[Bob W.]

Anyone using RFID along with tool pre-setters for handling tool offsets?  I am curious how well it works, how bulletproof it is.  Any shortcomings?

[Zoffen]

We are not currently but plan on in the future. 

 

I would look into the zoller tool management software. Its is VERY impressive and ties in very nicely with their presetters. 

The demo we got at IMTS pretty much had my jaw on the floor and hit every point i was concerned with when it came to this type of software.

 

We have mazak RFID pull studs in all the holders for our variaxis cell and it is really nice. Especially when 120 tools isn't enough. Just grab a tool from the qualified tool rack and pop it in the magaize, hit "IN" and your off to the races.

 

We plan on implementing a shop wide system along these lines at some point with RFID in all holders with standard tooling throughout the shop. 

[Joe788]

We are not currently but plan on in the future. 

 

I would look into the zoller tool management software. Its is VERY impressive and ties in very nicely with their presetters. 

The demo we got at IMTS pretty much had my jaw on the floor and hit every point i was concerned with when it came to this type of software.

 

We have mazak RFID pull studs in all the holders for our variaxis cell and it is really nice. Especially when 120 tools isn't enough. Just grab a tool from the qualified tool rack and pop it in the magaize, hit "IN" and your off to the races.

 

We plan on implementing a shop wide system along these lines at some point with RFID in all holders with standard tooling throughout the shop. 

 

I've never used the Mazak system, even though all of our machines have it. Are your programs just calling tools 1 through 120, or are they calling serial numbered tools? 

[Zoffen]

Serial-ed tools. We use tool group#'s.

 

Unique to that tool. T1001 will always by my 3" Roughair, etc.