b'Customers do not pay invoices for sweeping, going to a toolcrib and setting tools.Tool Presetting Truth reductions paid for the system in three years.The most advanced systems do not require human in-teraction at a machine tool. Tool monitoring systems are inexpensive and much faster than manually setting tools.used to identify tools that are ready for maintenance. Keeping commonly used tools mounted in holders andWorn tools are removed from production and sent to storing data in a machine are very affordable. A shopa separate area at the shop where they are maintained. can add one or two toolholders as cash resources per- After maintenance, the tools return to the machine ready mit until all the common tools are mounted and needfor production without anyone at the machine. The best only to be set when they are changed. A more expensiveexample that I have seen was at a CNC machine tool but more efficient alternative is to buy a good tool setterbuilder where several large machining centers were along with enough toolholders to allow machinists to setmanaged by one person in a toolcrib. Tools arrived in tools for the next job while a machine runs. the crib from overhead in a special carrier. The atten-A big shop with many machines frequently can justifydant performed necessary maintenance and stored tool advanced solutions. At a previous employer, our man- measurements on a chip. The carrier returned the tools ufacturing engineering team spent well over $500,000to the various machines, eliminating all interaction with on equipment to eliminate tool setting operations. Wethe machine tool and all interruptions to production.bought a toolchanger for our large machining cell thatMany shops fall victim to the idea that tool setting held more than 500 tools. The changer was coupledis part of the hourly shop rate, so there is no effect on with a tool setter that automatically measured a toolthe bottom line. That is a myth. Reducing or eliminating and then downloaded and stored tool data in the con- non-value-adding time like tool setting lowers costs, trol while the machine ran. We eliminated all the wastedwhich makes a shop more competitive in the market time and a lot of opportunities to make mistakes. Costand increases profits.CTE48JULY 2021Presetting.indd 48 6/17/21 4:28 PM'