[westerfieldcct]

I am looking for basic information on how to enable tool life management and where to check my tool life. I have a fanuc 21i controller on a vmc with a 32 tool mag.

Thanks

[psychomill]

Fanuc's basic tool life management may not be exactly the same as what you actually have. Many machine builders will add or enhance the existing systems on top of the Fanuc. So the next question is.... What machine, model (maybe age as well) do you have? And is it a straight up Fanuc control or is there something built on top of it (like PRO 3 for Makino or MAPS for Mori, etc etc.)

[rhino]

i have written a couple of tool life macros (if thats what you call them) for the fanuc lathe i use at work, i don't know them off hand but give me a day or two and i'll get them on here for you to look at. Basically you set the number of parts you know or think the tool will last and the macro counts the number of times that cycle has past and it gives you a message to change the tool or insert. i have another one that i use when my machine runs at night time and i use multiple tools (3 of each at the moment) once the program has run 500 times it uses the next set of tools, and after the next 500 it uses the other set. the answer is yes! my bar magazine can hold a sh*t load of bar lengths. i will get back to you.

[westerfieldcct]

The machine is a mighty viper vmc 2200 with a 21i controler, there is no software on top that I know of

[bob1371]

We do ours with Macro's.
At the end of a drilling Sub program we will have something like #525=525+6 (assuming the drilling sub did 6 holes.) You could do this after each hole but we find it easier like this.
We then have a sub with the limits. If 525 GT 30000 goto N3000. Then have 3000 display a message.
simple and works. This is just from memory. Im far from a progammer. Just the lowly maint tech.

Bob

[M-man]

We do ours with Macro's.
At the end of a drilling Sub program we will have something like #525=525+6 (assuming the drilling sub did 6 holes.) You could do this after each hole but we find it easier like this.
We then have a sub with the limits. If 525 GT 30000 goto N3000. Then have 3000 display a message.
simple and works. This is just from memory. Im far from a progammer. Just the lowly maint tech.

Bob

With real tool life management, you use tool different tool groups, so when the tool is worn, the machine uses another tool that is defined in the same tool group and the machining will continue without any interruptions..

[bob1371]

With real tool life management, you use tool different tool groups, so when the tool is worn, the machine uses another tool that is defined in the same tool group and the machining will continue without any interruptions..

I have often wondered why we do not use this function instead of having a team leader spend 30 mins trying to find a tool, set it up, then check parts. We cant even manage to keep spare tooling set up on tool carts ( I think we have 4 around the plant and they are all cluttered with old tooling) so real tool management would never work.

Bob

[tobyaxis]

A macro is great if you are not using all the tool pockets in the machine.
But I believe that Fanuc's Tool Life Management is based on tool cutting time.
All tools made depending on what you are cutting and what type of machine you are using (Mill / Lathe) have a set cutting time life. I've used a lot of Different Fanuc Controls for Mills and Lathes and all the Manuals Suggest that Tool Cutting Time can be set in the Settings Menu or the Geometry Page for each tool 1-64. I've never used it personally, but I have been told by a lot of Techs that it will give a Alarm Message that states Tool #? has to be changed. On a Lathe cutting time is based on 20 minutes for a basic CNMG432. Where as an EndMill has a Higher cutting time of around 40 minutes or more. Don't hold me to the EndMill time because I use them till they are Dead. As far as the cutting time for Indexable insert Milling Holders I have no Idea. Most likely they are very high.

tobyaxis :cheers: