Dynamic tool kit exchange to improve machine performance

The efficient use of machine tools is becoming ever more critical to the overall performance of the business. Over the last 10 years manufacturing industries have seen reductions in batch quantities and increases in part variety together with significant pressure to improve changeover times and be reactive to market needs. As the size of tool magazines has increased, the amount of tooling mounted in and around the machine has grown significantly. Thus, there is a need to provide a suitable optimised method of tool changeover. This paper reports on research to improve the changeover requirements of cutting tools at CNC machining centres and turning centres. It first gives a definition of a novel suite of tool allocation rules, which enable various levels of rationalisation of tooling. It then describes a software tool termed The Dynamic Kit Change Manager, which incorporates some of these rules to optimise NC part programmes and tool changeover. An examples is used to illustrate the applicability of the software and the operational stages in its use.