Tool Presetters - And 3D Capability?

[TSmcam]

They are quite right, as this stuff is very much implementation/application dependent. I'm not sure how much data Zoller can write to the chip, but simple tool life and TLO can be difficult with german control's updates and european OEMs that change stuff and don't go the extra mile.
 If you're gonna have some automated dxf.stp of the tool created, no point in not having that sent to the control in the same automated system. Not sure if the chip is the best or even possible.

I was in Melbourne earlier this week. Had a Zoller demoed to me. This actual one has been sold and is going to a customer of mine.

I was very impressed. The 3D scanning of the tool was impressive, and provided a really good model. Checked all the insert profiles and combined them to find the maximum extents. And produced a robust model I imported into TopSolid, and turned into a defined tool within minutes.

The RFID functionality was good, and I saw that implemented in a manufacturing plant there. All their tools are tagged and the chip is read when the tool is placed in the magazine.

Cost for that setup was about $39k USD

[JParis]

I dunno it seems to me getting a 3D model from a tool presetter is too late in the process.

All of that needs to be defined on the front end.

[YoDoug]

I was in Melbourne earlier this week. Had a Zoller demoed to me. This actual one has been sold and is going to a customer of mine.

I was very impressed. The 3D scanning of the tool was impressive, and provided a really good model. Checked all the insert profiles and combined them to find the maximum extents. And produced a robust model I imported into TopSolid, and turned into a defined tool within minutes.

The RFID functionality was good, and I saw that implemented in a manufacturing plant there. All their tools are tagged and the chip is read when the tool is placed in the magazine.

Cost for that setup was about $39k USD

This was almost a decade ago, but the experience I had with trying to get Zoeller STL models into Okuma CAS was rather frustrating and time consuming. It was way faster to DL models from the tool MFG and export good STL files.

[CNCAppsJames]

...It was way faster to DL models from the tool MFG and export good STL files.

That's always been the best and most accurate method. 

[TSmcam]

This was almost a decade ago, but the experience I had with trying to get Zoeller STL models into Okuma CAS was rather frustrating and time consuming. It was way faster to DL models from the tool MFG and export good STL files.

They output STP files now, and they're much better. We dont use CAS, only Vericut. I could imagine the frustration with STL files though.

[Zoffen]

They output STP files now, and they're much better. We dont use CAS, only Vericut. I could imagine the frustration with STL files though.

Is there some control over the filter/toleranceing/arc/line fitting when outputting?

[TSmcam]

I dunno it seems to me getting a 3D model from a tool presetter is too late in the process.

All of that needs to be defined on the front end.

Not if you have a bunch of either custom, or legacy, tools that have no CAD data. A 3D scan of that tool gives you an exact replication in STEP format. Saves manually measuring and modelling.

[TSmcam]

Is there some control over the filter/toleranceing/arc/line fitting when outputting?

I believe so. There were some settings I saw controlling that.

I'm attending a TopSolid Shopfloor demo at a conference next month, where they have a Zoller presetter with 3D scanning interfacing with the software, and I'll be looking at it in depth.

[JParis]

Not if you have a bunch of either custom, or legacy, tools that have no CAD data. A 3D scan of that tool gives you an exact replication in STEP format. Saves manually measuring and modelling.

Cheaper to buy new holders than spend it on a presetter for just that functionality.

[TSmcam]

Cheaper to buy new holders than spend it on a presetter for just that functionality.

We're not just buying the presetter for that functionality... That is a bonus of the presetter, having that function.