Tool Monitoring Increases Productivity

Shops that implement unattended machining to become more productive often use tool monitoring to make this process even more efficient. Tool monitoring systems can offer tool collision avoidance or can monitor machine backups, high spindle temperatures and other problems that can occur when machines are unattended.

One type of monitoring can be set up in several machines in a shop. With no interruption in production, the electronic production services (ePS) protocol from Siemens monitors every keystroke and machine action taken and is then stored on a machine cloud server. Alerts generated by the system can take the form of text or email messages, both internally to the shop’s personnel and externally to the technical support of the tool monitoring manufacturer, according to the article “Remote Access and Monitoring Reduces Service Calls.” Using ePS, engineers at Siemens eliminate additional calls to identify part numbers and software versions, minimizing time spent on the diagnosis of a failure.

There is also a 3D real-time collision monitoring function available that is concentrated on the most critical situations, such as during machine setup or in case of interrupted machining. It is also active in complex machining operations such as five-axis milling or turning with B axis. Read more about this type of monitoring in “Integrated CNC Technology Solutions” and “3D Monitoring and Part Verification.”

Implementing tool monitoring can reduce the cost of machined parts and labor, save money by preventing in-machine collisions and increase part quality.