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Cutting Tools 32 MoldMaking Technology August 2015 By Katie Richardson G lobal manufacturing has changed how shops obtain, manage, use and share machine tool and cutting tool data. More and more, manufacturing executives are focusing on shopfloor data initiatives to drive operational and business improvements and faster time to market, and to oth- erwise benefit from immediate access to data from machines on the shop floor. Moldmakers, perhaps more than most, know of the unre- lenting pressure to produce. A production business is all about capability and connections. Capability—the percentage of time a machine tool asset is making parts—is the very foundation for measuring the effectiveness of a mold builder. Capability also depends on "connections," as the lack of a cutting tool when it is needed can bring a shop's production line to a sud- den halt. Too much inventory, on the other hand, is a classic definition of waste and poor cost control. Digitized tool applications, which typically include a catalog of tools and a tool selection function, make searching for and ordering tools easier and more efficient, but this is only the starting point. The greater goal of these platforms is to deliver shops true value and advantage through cost savings and pro- cess gains. And they do this by supplying process knowledge along with recommendations for tools and setups, as well as critical time-saving connections from CAD/CAM through inventory. Such process knowledge might include machining strategies and recommendations for tool configurations. Real Data The key to effective shopfloor data is digital tool knowledge. This can be gained from a single-source, on-demand system that gives shops access to the process planning information they require to improve work flow and operating efficiency. This planning information is based on data that represent real tools and how they fit, function and perform in milling, pocketing, ramping, hole making and a variety of other machining opera- tions vital to mold manufacturing. Shops importing this data Connecting digitized tool data with CAD/CAM, presetting, production and automated inventory control offers real-world productivity gains. Rethink Moldmaking with Digital Tool Knowledge find CAD/CAM programs to be more functional and valuable because they help ensure that the tools fit and move as designed. Mold builders can save time in estimating and process planning by using digital tool applications that supply entire assemblies and spare parts lists in seconds, along with information on best- fit functionality that otherwise takes hours to assemble. Selecting and having the right tools is important, but digital tool knowledge offers much more, automatically providing the ideal sequence of operations to produce the desired feature within specified tolerances. For example, to drill a tight-toler- ance deep hole with an entry angle, digital tool data will indicate not only the drill, but also the pilot drill and the end mill needed to spot-face the inclined surface prior to drilling. Users then only need to "assemble" a holder, an adapter and the inserts, then load the virtual assembly into their CAM or other software. In addition, if this functionality is delivered on a cloud-based platform, it will remain current with the application at hand. Integrating digitized tooling and automated vending, such as for this shoulder mill, can optimize process planning and shopfoor operations. Image courtesy of Widia.