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Z|magazine 01.2015
Tool data under control everywhere: with the ZOL-
LER App you can access information anywhere via
your smartphone or tablet.
Only once collision-free operation has
been ensured, may the tool finally pro-
ceed to the CNC machine.
Maximum control, minimum effort
But this does not spell the end of con-
trol. During the „daily working day“ the
tool is under constant supervision
– quite simply by using a comprehen-
sive data base and easy-to-operate
machines. For example, the service life
of the tool is monitored and the pro-
duction employee is warned in time if
a replacement tool is to be prepared.
This reduces machine downtimes to
a minimum. The tool then passes to
re-grinding – usually outsourced – and
then returns to manufacturing. Here it
undergoes goods receiving inspecti-
on and the cycle repeats itself – over
the entire „tool working life“. And once
the tool has outlived its purpose, it is
not only deleted from the stocks, but
a new purchase order is triggered au-
tomatically and the vacant job is filled
immediately. This ensures data con-
sistency from the cloud to the machi-
ne, from the linking of virtual and real
tool data via the complete process
chain and the entire lifecycle.
Tools under control, costs
reduced, efficiency increased
When examining such an exemplary
tool lifecycle, one thing becomes ab-
undantly clear: accurately measured
and well organized tools save time
and money by avoiding errors and
unnecessary work. Duplicated data
storage is a thing of the past, as is the
tedious manual entry and never-ending
search for tools or inadvertent multip-
le purchases. All data can be verified
and passed to customers at any time
via inspection protocols. Micro precise
measured and preset tools guarantee
consistently high manufacturing qua-
lity and minimize machine crashes and
downtimes. In other words, production
is faster, more flexible and virtually
fault-free – at reduced tool costs. If
one assumes that hundreds of tools
are being used in modern manufactu-
ring companies, then it becomes clear
how massive the hidden potential is
here.
Processes under control – with
collision-free guarantee
Once the tool is required in manu-
facturing, it is complemented by
further components. The final as-
sembled complete tool represents
the so-called „project team“ for the
corresponding task. And as a team
is always more than the sum of its
parts, the complete tool first needs
to be sent to a tool presetting and
measuring machine to be measured
with micro precision and to be pre-
set for the task on the machine. To
prevent machine crashes 100%, it is
best to also conduct a „crash test“.
There are a number of options here,
for example, the scanned contours of
the tool can be transferred directly to
the CAM system via interfaces in order
to simulate processing with real data.