Manufacturing — Tool

Tool storage, management system updates Fastems https://www.fastems.com/ Automation Toolholding/Workholding West Chester, Ohio – New releases of the Gantry Tool Storage (GTS) system and Manufacturing Management Software (MMS) from Fastems are designed to significantly increase manufacturing efficiency, enhance ergonomics, and improve overall user experience. When applied within a Fastems Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS), the GTS system and MMS can achieve machine utilization levels above 95%. In the GTS system, pick-and-place and traveling gantry robots provide access to centralized storage of up to 4,000 cutting tools and perform just-in-time tool delivery to individual machines. MMS software commands automatic cutting tool changes based on...

Quick-Change Tooling Improves Swiss Lathe Profits Two of the largest time sinks in Swiss turning are setups and tool changes. Swiss-type lathes make money thanks to the fast production of high-quality parts in large volumes, and any human intervention in that process is bound to cost time. Moreover, the tight work envelope often means that tooling is not easily accessible, which can add additional time to tool changes. These problems are very familiar to Head of Product Management John Kollenbroich of Horn USA. “Changing out a tool often means truing the cutting edge and plumbing the toolholder if there is through-coolant,”...