TOOL PRESETTING IDENTIFIES AND ISOLATES COSTLY PROBLEMS
caused by manually typing in tool lengths. The company valued the importance of maintaining consistency in this process by touching off tools at the same point in the operation and paying attention to machines’ thermal conditions. This practice proved insufficient when Cogitic received an order for a high-value part requiring custom reamers for tight tolerance holes in 15-5 PH stainless steel. After the new tools for the job arrived, a Cogitic engineer inspected them using an open setup on a surface plate and found an unacceptable 0.014-inch runout. The engineer then added collet chucks and checked the runout in the machine. The results again showed improper grinding of the tools and predicted poor hole-making performance. These tests took about a day, and convinced Veteto to invest in the SPERONI FUTURA tool presetter from BIG DAISHOWA. Isolate Problems Early When presetting tools, operators can identify whether the source of runout is the tool, holder or SPERONI’S FUTURA CNC presetter enabled Cogitic to diagnose runout and wear problems with its tooling before running the tools on its machines, saving time and expensive material.
Tool presetters check and validate important features like tool runout, insert wear and tool assembly verification that on-machine measuring often cannot inspect on its own. Neglecting to confirm these features before loading tools into the magazine can mean that problems are only discovered partway through production, when gaging or visually inspecting first parts. Nevertheless, many shops believe that tool presetters are only financially feasible for large production facilities optimizing every moment of spindle uptime. Cogitic Corporation, a Coloradan engineering and manufacturing company, used to be one of these shops. “For a long time, I didn’t think a tool presetter was right for our shop,” says Jared Veteto, Cogitic’s president. Cogitic produces complex components made from heat-resistant super alloys, and classifies its work as low-volume, high-mix. “Our setup times are somewhat long because of our varied product mix, so the incremental time savings added by premeasuring tools did not make it a high priority.” Instead, operators at Cogitic would check tool dimensions in the machine to avoid human error
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