Tool Properties
Tool can use the same material properties to classify tools, similar to materials. This approach provides a common set of properties that can be used to determine whether a tool is compatible with a material.
When one or more tool properties are specified, the matching material properties must contain the same values for the tool to be considered valid for a production run. Tool properties that are not defined do not restrict material selection and are treated as wildcard values.
A tool is considered valid for a material when all defined tool properties match the corresponding material properties. Undefined tool properties act as wildcards.
Tool property example
Two material properties are defined:
- Diameter
- Color
Four materials are defined:
- Material 1: Diameter = 120mm, Color = Red
- Material 2: Diameter = 150mm, Color = Green
- Material 3: Diameter = 120mm, Color = Blue
- Material 4: Diameter = 12mm Color not defined
Two tools exist:
- Tool 1: Diameter = 120mm, Color = Red
- Tool 2: Diameter = 150, Color not defined
Based on the property values, these tool-to-material combinations are valid:
- Material 1 is compatible with Tool 1 because the diameter and color matches.
- Material 2 is compatible with Tool 2 because the diameter value matches and no color restriction is defined for the Tool 2.
The combinations that are not valid include:
- Material 3 is not compatible with Tool 1 because the color value does not match, even though the diameter value matches. Tool 2 is also not valid because the diameter value does not match.
- Material 4 is not compatible with Tool 1 because the color restriction defined for the tool cannot be satisfied. Tool 2 is also not valid because the diameter value does not match.