A Breakthrough with Tool Setup outside the Machine for Swiss Lathe Significantly Improves Productivity

Mr. Matsuda, the plant manager

“We had to change inserts and set up tools inside the machine. It took time and required precision, so this task was especially challenging for the new machine operators. Improving the tool replacement process in our Swiss lathe line had long been a major challenge for us.”

Mr. Mito, Chief

“Changing inserts and setting up tools involved many steps, and we needed to be careful not to make any mistake. The limited space inside the Swiss lathe made even simple tasks, like changing inserts or holders, challenging. The compact tool post and the limited space between adjacent tools and near the bush also made the process more complicated. As a result, operators often dropped inserts and screws inside the machine. It was time consuming to look for them, and we never found some of them. As you can see, we were wasting our time and money. This issue had long been a significant problem for us.”

Mr. Matsuda, the plant manager

“My main concern with this operation was the precision of the tool tip position (center height, diameter, and longitudinal direction of the workpiece). We prepared several combinations of ModuMini-Turn shanks and heads and measured the variability in tool tip precision. Unfortunately, the variations did not fall within the required precision range, especially with M-class inserts used in press molding, which showed more than 0.1 mm in variance. We reluctantly gave up on this method.”

Mr. Tasaki

“I was certain that our productivity will improve significantly if we can establish a way to set up tools outside the machine as well as measure and correct tool tip positions. Besides minor troubles like dropping inserts and screws inside the machine, tools may be improperly mounted at an angle, which leads to machining defective parts. We also had instances where tools ran into workpiece material or bush because of the wrong values entered for the tool offset correction. These issues could cause significant delays in the production schedule due to time required for re-checking precision. To prevent such major troubles from happening, I was committed to finding a solution to our tool setup processes.”

Mr. Abe, a new operator

“I had always been worried that it took me much longer to change tools than my senior colleagues. If I tried to do it faster, then I was more likely to make mistakes. The biggest challenge was balancing the time efficiency with the precision of the work, and the new method allowed me to complete the tasks quickly and accurately. It also freed up some of my time to do other work and improved my overall work efficiency and accuracy.”

Mr. Mito, Chief

“The reduction in the tool exchange time and the standardization of the process significantly contributed to the overall productivity of the production line. The new operational method eliminates the need to move the tool post during tool changes, which helps prevent contact issues since the next movement will be for machining. Without a doubt, the reduction of the potential troubles has led to more stable line operation and reduced my headache as the production line manager.”

Mr. Matsuda, the plant manager

“The reduction in the tool exchange time, the standardization of the work procedures, and the prevention of troubles are all very important improvements for the factory. I would like to request Tungaloy to develop tools that can perform operation without needing to adjust the tool tip position. As a fellow manufacturer, I understand that it’s challenging, but this was my initial goal and would further help our production processes. In the world of manufacturing, continuous improvement is always required. We won’t be satisfied with just this improvement; we aim to further automate our operations to increase our productivity. With automation comes the need for better performing tools, like products with stable chip disposal for trouble-free operations and extended tool life for increased operation rates.”