This blog discusses why tool management software could be right for your business. It also details the key characteristics of cloud-based tool management software and the benefits this type of solution can deliver to business owners, CAM/CNC programmers, shopfloor managers and operators.
Why tool management software is an important addition to your business
With tight manufacturing deadlines and squeezed profit margins, efficient production can be the difference between competitive gains or losses. It has been calculated that 15% of scheduled jobs are stopped or delayed by not having the right tools. That is why CNC tool management is such an important topic to get right; as with the right tool management software system in place, all important time savings can be redirected to other project work.
Moving to a centralized tool management system - Using a fragmented paper-based or digital tool management system leads to time spent searching for the correct tool data. This way of working is much slower and prone to user errors and that is why many small and large machine shops, metal shops and other manufacturers are moving away from the traditional excel spreadsheet and offline paper-based files, to using tool management software.
Tool data management software systems - A good tool data management software solution should help CAM and CNC programmers to be more effective at inputting data into CAM systems and the creation of tool assemblies. By having quick and easy access to end-to-end tooling information the work of creating new tools becomes more efficient for CAM and CNC programmers when specialized software is used.
In summary:
Relying on spreadsheets for managing tool data leads to:
- Wasted time searching for the correct tool data
- Increased potential for incorrect tool assemblies and unavailable tools
- Long lead-times due to manual inputting of required tool data into CAM systems
- Time-consuming complex assembly creation.
Relying on a good tool data management software solution leads to:
- Easy access to tool data for new tool creation
- Quick access to existing inventory
- Duplication reduction
- Stock optimization
- Helping reduce the tool design process time.
What is cloud-based tool data management software?
Tool data management software takes tool data organization for new and updated tool creation to the next level. It helps improve precision, efficiency and collaboration by allowing quick and easy access to the correct tool data - additional benefits include:
- The centralization of all tool data in one place – this improves consistency, ensuring that all programmers across different machines are working from one controlled source of tool definitions. This reduces discrepancies between what exists on the shop floor and what is inputted into the CAM program, ultimately saving reworking time due to tool mismatches.
- Integration with CAM software – many have the functionality to integrate directly with a range of CAM platforms. This means programmers can import real tool models, geometry and cutting parameters into tool assemblies with no manual input errors. This improves accuracy as well as speeding up toolpath creation.
- Real-time collaboration – CNC and CAM programmers can access the same tool assemblies, cutting data and parameters as the machining teams, so any changes in tool specifications are quickly recorded, ensuring smoother communication and more efficient planning and production.
- Complex tool assembly support – tool data management software systems allow for the creation and storage of 3D tool geometry, cutting conditions, multi-component assemblies and more, to ensure highly accurate CAM programming for 5-axis, multi-spindle and high-speed CNC machinery.
- Verified tool data library access – some systems can import specifications directly from manufacturers, enabling the reduction of manual entry and ensuring compatibility and performance is maximized.
- Historical oversight – tool assembly versions can be archived and accessed for future part or machine revisions. Also amends can be identified to specific times and dates. Historical oversight simplifies part revision program updates and ensures traceability.
- Tool lifecycle tracking – tool data management software can be integrated with machine monitoring software (or manual inputs can be done), to track tool usage and condition, enabling access to real-world tool wear data.
- Scalable solution – for those wanting to remove on-premise server management cloud-based tool data management is ideal and data is encrypted and backed up, so business continuity is ensured.
Is a cloud-based tool data management software system suitable for smaller enterprises?
The short answer to this is ‘yes’. These cloud-based software solutions are especially suited to small-to- medium sized machine shops, metal shops or other small businesses because:
- Cloud-based tool data management systems operate using a SaaS, or Software as a Service, delivery model, so only need internet connection, rather than additional hardware.
- No external servers need to be maintained or updated; any updates are done by the tool data management software provider remotely.
- No installation of additional hardware is needed, only a laptop, phone, computer or tablet and access to the internet.
- No additional IT support team is needed, as this is all dealt with by the software provider.
- Cloud-based systems typically use subscription models and are therefore considered an operational cost rather than a capital expense.
- The centralizing of data gives teams improved tool program accuracy, valuable real-time data, better team collaboration and ultimately better operational efficiency.
- No matter the size of the business, cloud-based software solutions offer manufacturers a way to keep up with, if not stay ahead of the competition.
Toolhive’s cloud-based tool data management solution
Toolhive offers small enterprises an easy-to-use cloud-based tool management solution for storing, accessing and managing tool data within a centralized system. The subscription-based service integrates with other software systems, such as CAM, for quick access and data transfer from a single interface and ensures real-time, end-to-end visibility of tooling operations.
The Toolhive cloud-based tool data management solution provides:
- Easy sign-up, with multiple ways of onboarding tool data which can be automatically searched for, matched and added to the Toolhive library.
- An intuitive smart tool library designed around CAM processes.
- Quick and easy access to tool data for new and existing tool items, assemblies and tool lists to organize and optimize daily operations.
- Advanced tool item and assembly filtering, enabling precise and efficient tool selection.
- Effortless tool organization with fast assembly creation and the ability to modify tool assemblies in minutes.
- Seamless CAM integration using Toolhive’s CAM plug-in, which eliminates traditional import challenges.
- Connectivity and data exchange functionality between inventory control and the Toolhive library via a CRIBWISE plug-in, showing real-time what tools have been used and returned.
- Features that improve end-to-end team collaboration and efficiency.
You don’t have to be an IT expert or a big business to experience the immediate benefits that Toolhive’s secure, cloud-based plug-and-play solution offers. For a no obligation, hassle free introduction to cloud-based tool data management, why not sign up for a free trial of this valuable efficiency tool, to save you time and money?