GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Tooling generates a great deal of information during its lifecycle.  However, until now, most of it could only be interpreted at the end.  That meant that occasionally parts or components had already been produced that might be out of specification because of tooling wear or malfunction.

 

Now, Leitz Tooling is developing the first generation of “smart tools.”  By integrating a data chip in the tool body, operators and production managers gain the ability to review information on critical production values; tool dimensions, cutting geometry, RPM, feed rate, performance times, servicing cycles and much more. This new information system is a logical advancement of the data chip tools introduced by Leitz in 1993.

 

Leitz is also instrumental in the development of a European research project called eApps4Production. Its goal, using data chips and other information collection media, will be to create a fully networked production facility, optimizing processing at every station.