Tooling

The Infor MES tooling functionality enables tooling engineers to manage the tools in the factory by giving them instant visibility of the location of tools and their current status

Tool engineers can view the upcoming production schedule and preallocate tools to specific production runs.

MES validates all tool usage and prevents the incorrect tools from being used in the process.

When combined with the quality functionality in MES, tools can be inspected and calibrated.

Repairing and recalibrating tools is done by combing tooling with MES maintenance functionality.

Key features

These are the key features of the tooling capability of MES:

  • Create and manage tools in the factory
  • Create and manage subtools
  • Manage multicavity tools, track the status of each cavity, and manage blocked cavities
  • Manage tool sets that combine many tools to work as one
  • Track where the tools are physically located in the factory
  • Define where and when the tools can be used
  • Preallocate tools when planning
  • Track where and when the tools can be used
  • Load and unload tools, as they are used in the process
  • Support faster changeovers, as MES knows which tools can be used and are preallocated
  • Track tool usage by counting the cycles and the production counters
  • Monitor the status of tools to verify the tool condition
  • Perform quality checks on tools
  • Measure and trend the tool wear
  • View the life history of each tool from purchase, through to usage and repair until end of life
  • Report on the current level of tool inventory and complete traceability history of each tool

Benefits

Reduce costs
  • Managing tools through their life cycle is important to avoid purchasing new tools which are not needed.
  • Tools in a bad condition can create low quality materials which needs to be scrapped or reworked.
  • Tools are an expensive, precious resource that needs to be looked after throughout their life in the factory.
  • Most tools have a finite life. They must be maintained and ultimately replaced. Extending the life of each tool reduces costs.
  • Tracking when all cavities have been opened and closed reduces losses. Make better decisions about when tools must be repaired rather than run with some blocked cavities.
Improve planning
  • Preallocate tools to production orders.
  • Visibility of which tools are required, which are available, and where they are improves planning.
Quality control
  • Tool quality is one of the major factors of product quality. Often the tool can have a bigger impact of production and quality than the machine itself.
  • Monitor tool degradation over time.
  • Perform quality checks on tools to ensure they are in good condition.
  • Remove tools before they start to make low quality material.
  • Track measurements and SPC by cavity to view the capability of the individual cavities.
Reduce reactive maintenance
  • Preemptively maintain or refurbish tools before they degrade.
  • MES records the number of pieces the tool has created and the number of cycles the tool has been used for. This gives visibility of when tools are due for repairs. These counts are recorded over the lifetime of the tool, and since the last repair.
  • A reduction in the number of breakdowns due to tool quality reduces the load on the maintenance department.
Improves production
  • A reduction in the number of breakdowns due to tool quality increases the available run time and OEE.
  • Tracking the history of open and closed cavities in multicavity tools leads to better decisions about when tools must be repaired.
  • Processes that use high value tools usually find that tool performance is the main driver for production and quality.
  • View and plan for upcoming tool changes.
Full traceability
Materials can be traced back to the tools that were in use at the time they were created.

Some benefits are only available when combined with functionality in other modules.