Tool Inspector
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Look at tools without having to take them out of the machine
It is so much easier to know if your cutting edge is worn out to look at it close-up. This camera and our special software combination are perfect for this. Simply hold the handheld camera over the tool edge and take an image. Notes can be added, and they will always be saved for future reference. This is another way that Theory 168 provides task completion validation.
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Tool Life
Analyze Process Maximize Profits
Tool Life is the result of years of systematic work to understand and solve the most common problems that arise in the CNC process. Tool Life can address root issues in ALL CNC machines, lathes, and wherever you would like to see improvements in your shop.
Tool Life’s name came from the age-old question, “When should the machinist change the tool for optimum performance?” In the past, a machinist used temperature, part quality, chip wrap, or simply their gut feeling to address this question. The future of machining is here with Tool Life – it takes the ‘guess work’ out of machining, provides the needed data to make the ‘right’ decision, and offers several other critical time and money saving shop solutions (see below)! Tool Life was born to serve your shop, from the machinist and operators to the engineers and entire company, it will propel your shop to the next level.
Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is here to stay and shops that want to stay at the top of their game should be actively using ‘smart’ machines. Case studies have shown the use of smart machines allows progressive shops to become more efficient, more productive, and create less scrap.
Tool Life is more than just a smart machine, its cloud based software is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) with the capability of continuously learning and identifying new challenges. Tool Life pulls and collects critical information out of the CNC machine to make decisions based on facts and then provides new solutions to increase your shops competitive edge. So unlike other products that merely return analytics which the operator and management must analyze, Tool Life will pinpoint the root-cause and make suggestions for improvements!
Process Optimization
We understand each shop’s unique protocols, that’s why we designed Tool Life’s cloud based software to not only be flexible but customizable to meet the individual demands of each operation. We will work with your team to seamlessly integrate Tool Life. Together, we will develop an approved procedure ensure to your company’s success with data collected, reports generated and suggested improvements to save you time and money.
How does Tool Life do this? At its foundation Tool Life was created to find the root cause of machine problems – quickly - and provide solutions to fix them – efficiently. Imagine a shop that spends more time making its product and less time fixing problems in product creation!
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Operators will have more time to focus on high level priorities.
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New hire training can be streamlined.
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Bottlenecks will be identified and corrected.
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Scrap is reduced by a minimum 5%.
Real Time Information
Tool Life gives supervision immediate information on where weak points are in employees. Specifically, about who is doing their job correctly. Opportunities can be captured in real time and addressed immediately. Management and supervisors can see what is happening on the floor from anywhere they have Internet access, including an app for your smartphone!
Tool Life has add-ons available such as our ShopMap168, which shows management the operator’s attendance on the machine and their location on the shop floor at any time. Including support equipment, the tool crib wherever you have a need. This will help you discover where some of your bottle necks are in the company. This also feeds back to Tool Life and can show you how to increase efficiencies.
A Tab for Every Function of Your Machining Business
Over time, Tool Life has evolved into a robust tool for every shop used by the entire company – upper management, engineering, the machinists, and sales. It can upload all your customers with the ability to create quotes using smart parameters that you provide such as the various costs and desired profit margins associated with the part sales in quoting. Tool Life is flexible enough to be integrated into a companies existing ERP system and collect data from it, including the inspection systems.
You have 168 hours every week, make it productive!
Tool Life Optimizer
If you're looking for more information, contact us to get you started with Tool Life!