tdmessage 10-2014 english

Indispensable in Production

# 11-2014

Magazine for Customers, Interested Parties, Partners and Employees of TDM Systems

4STRATEGY

Tool Lifecycle Man-agement makes the best of your Tools

12PRACTICE

Tool Management with Manfred Tress Production Foreman at Liebherr in Ehingen

20TDM INSIDE

On the Road with TDM Consultant Thomas Mücke

2 TDMessage # 11-2014 TDM Systems · www.tdmsystems.com

Lately, there is a great deal of talk of Industry

4.0. It has to do with the next stage in digiti-

zation; the Internet is setting the tone. New

technologies are a chance for us as a software

company for Tool Data Management to further

develop applications.

The first priority is our classic software system.

In the current V4.7 release we have continu-

ously developed the range of functions of TDM.

This means that TDM is always a solid, broad

base for tool management, with a full range

of functions for your application. In addition

to this, TDM Systems supports the ISO 13399

standard, collaborates on the standardization

of interfaces, and continues to develop the

core of the software towards integrated Tool

Lifecycle Management.

The new IT concepts on the market are

an alternative to local solutions. Many ap-

plications are emerging under the head-

ing of cloud computing that users them-

selves no longer have to install on site. Instead,

they are available on the Internet at any time

as needed. Experts call this concept "software

as a service".

We at TDM Systems are working on a new

solution based on .NET, a software platform

developed by Microsoft for implementing ap-

plications. In the future, you as a user will use

applications on the Internet and then be able

to directly connect them to your conventional

TDM solution.

When it comes to leaps in technology, the

protection of past investments and the op-

portunities of innovation are weighed. TDM

Systems is pursuing a parallel strategy: We are

continuing to develop our previous local sys-

tem and are simultaneously developing new

cloud solutions that are going to be integrated

into our "Global Line" in the first step as a mod-

ule. This ensures a smooth transition from the

tried and tested TDM application to new tech-

nologies.

We are also traveling along this evolutionary

path for standardization: YES to standardiza-

tion and to standardized interfaces, but also

YES to user-specific definition and classifica-

tion of tool data.

Sincerely yours, Peter Schneck

Managing Director TDM Systems

TDM as a Service?

EDITORIAL

TDMessage # 11-2014 3TDM Systems · www.tdmsystems.com

CONTENT / NEWS

TDMessage

TDMessage is the Magazine for Customers, Partners, Interested Parties and Em-ployees of TDM Systems. It is published once a year and can be subscribed through TDM Systems GmbH.

Responsible for ContentPeter Schneck, TDM Systems GmbH

Editorial TeamDaniela Rudolf-Steinhart, Sandra Schneck, TDM Systems GmbHDr. Oliver Grasmück,Anne Tritschler,Storymaker GmbH

Layout/Graphic DesignSabine Flaisch, TDM Systems GmbH

Contact

HeadquartersTDM Systems GmbHDerendinger Straße 5372072 Tübingen, GermanyPhone +49.7071.9492-0Fax [email protected]

Office North AmericaTDM Systems, Inc.1665 Penny LaneSchaumburg, IL 60173, USAPhone +1.847.605-1269Fax [email protected]

Precision is a cardinal virtue in metal cut-

ting. Every time a tool assembly is put

together it is followed by presetting: The

tools only go to the machine after they

have been measured. But what happens

to the measurement data? In cooper-

ation with Parlec, the leading American

provider of solutions & services for tool

holder systems, boring and tapping tools

as well as presetting systems, TDM Sys-

tem ensures that these data

are not lost.

A new interface optimiz-

es tool measurement: The

TDM Tool Database was

integrated into the setup

procedures of the Parlec

system. The data from the

measured tools are saved in

TDM and can be transferred

to the machine via data

storage media such as chip

systems, RFID or 2D ma-

trix codes. In so doing, two experienced

system partners enable tool data to be

optimally transferred to the machine for

setup procedures. TDM looks forward

to continued constructive collaboration

with the new value-added reseller Parlec.

TDM Systems and Parlec: System Partnership boosts Customer Benefit

Table of Contents

STRATEGY

4 Tool Lifecycle Management

makes the best of your Tools

PRACTICE

8 Indispensable in Production

12 "The chips flew up in my face, but

the feeling for the material was

there"

NEWS

4 The Latest in TDM Systems and

TDM Software

PARTNERS

18 "My daily life is actually constantly

surrounded by tools.“

19 Five Days for International

TDM-FitnessTDM INSIDE

20 Expertise is the best Advice

BENEFIT

22 Economic Production

SOFTWARE

14 A good Starting Point

16 Networking what belongs

together

Precision Modular Boring


STRATEGY

Mr. Schneck, TDM Systems is an-

nouncing a new development phase

in its market segment with the term

"Tool Lifecycle Management". What's

behind all this?

Software for Tool Data Management

has emerged to better organize tool

variety in production. In the recent past,

information technology has developed

new possibilities for simulating tool use,

especially in the area of 3D. In Tool Life-

cycle Management, this entire process

is the focal point – from the definition

of the tools to their use in planning to

seamless transfer and use on the shop-

floor. What's especially new about this

is that the information from each indi-

vidual process step flows back, contin-

ually improving the data.

The information loop between plan-

ning and manufacturing is closed?

Exactly. An information deficit between

planning and the production process is

still the standard today. However, the

production engineer has to depend on

that he will receive information about

how the real situation on the shopfloor

is. An integrated system is necessary

for this that includes the manufacturing

process and supplies information about

tool life at the machine, history of the

tool, when it needs to be resharpened

or replaced right up to returning it to the

tool crib or scrapping it. However, even

standardization on the shopfloor using

predefined tool lists can be implement-

ed with an integrated solution.

More knowledge about the tools: What

does the company get out of it?

The real-time operation of the machine

can be significantly reduced again.

There are primarily two drivers for the

optimization of tool data management:

Cost efficiency on the shopfloor and the

required documentation on the origin

of products, which includes the operat-

ing equipment. Both strategic goals are

closely linked to Tool Lifecycle Man-

agement.

Will Tool Lifecycle Management be an

important part for Industry 4.0?

The smart factory, that is, the vision of

how production becomes completely

virtualized, is important for our portfolio

in the machining domain. To this end,

it is important that the planning be as

precise as possible and that the ma-

chining of metal be simulated in a virtu-

With its 25-year history, TDM Systems GmbH is leading in

the field of Tool Data Management. In an interview about the

next software generation, Managing Director Peter Schneck

expresses his support for fully integrated planning and manu-

facturing.

Tool Lifecycle Management makes the best of your Tools


al machine room with a virtual tool.

We support the concept of Indus-

try 4.0 with our lifecycle approach

by providing a complete overview

of the machining process using

logic and 3D-graphics.

What role does the Internet of

Things play?

The Internet is growing in signif-

icance in the collaboration be-

tween companies. For optimum

control of global processes, it will

be necessary to build a bridge be-

tween one's own network and the

networks of suppliers, partners and

customers – this carrier system will

be the Internet. This will make it

easier to collect information about

the setup as well as the selection

of the tools. As a result, companies

that manufacture internationally

are able to implement internal pro-

duction standards transparently.

TDM Systems develops cloud ser-

vices so that tool data are avail-

able via the Internet at the local

level at all times.

On the shopfloor, one traditionally

thinks in proprietary systems. How

important are greater openness,

standards and communication in

the industry?

Our highest priority is the develop-

ment of interfaces: to link CAM sys-

tems, presetting and crib systems,

and machine controls, but also at

the planning and execution lev-

el, to PPS, ERP and MES systems.

TDM Systems already offers multi-

ple connections to various systems

that support the manufacturing

process. It will be a major advantage when manufacturers comply with international

standards (laid down in ISO 13399) when describing and classifying tools. Know-how

protection from openness has been the credo in our industry up to now. Indeed, whoev-

er wants transparency and comprehensive integration will have to be more open. This

change would have to come from top management.

The great benefit of Industry 4.0 is that manufacturing shifts back into the focus of com-

pany management's interest. Digitization and globalization sustainably change the pro-

duction. Thinking must shift in the direction of openness and networking.

There are many providers in Tool Data Management. What advantage does TDM Sys-

tems have over competitors?

We brought our software onto the market as pioneers 25 years ago. Having both the

know-how about the manufacturing process and the graphical design of 3D tool data,

we became an indispensable system partner for many manufacturers. Many of our

competitors have their strength in one segment of the lifecycle. What makes us different

is our holistic approach and looking ahead to the future. With modern system solutions,

we are adapting to the global, digital and mobile lifecycle management of the creation,

selection and use of tools, thus making our contribution for a modern, future-oriented

shopfloor.


NEWS

The SWR3 Ice Cream Truck at TDM Systems and WalterThis year, companies were once again able to apply for the SWR3

Ice Cream Alarm, the summer promotion of the radio station SWR3,

which is popular in southern and western Germany. Much to the

delight of the employees, the SWR3 ice cream truck made a stop

in Tübingen on August 27, 2014 and provided an entertaining break.

The ice cream team distributed around 600 servings of delicious

ice cream to the employees to the tune of the latest music. This

was a great change of pace for everyone and once again strongly

motivated us in the preparation phase for the IMTS and AMB.

Specialist for Tool Management at CNC-ArenaFor quite some time, TDM Systems has been a major

force behind CNC-Arena, the largest information portal

for manufacturing technology in the world with 345,000

registered members. Industry practitioners actively ex-

change views in 525 discussion forums and in the fo-

rum "tool management systems" as well. TDM is very

well represented in the new product data base. Regular

blog posts actively inform industry professionals about

all topics relating to tool management using text and

video entries. It is therefore

worthwhile to click on the site.

www.cncarena.com

The new Main Release is hereIt has been available since October

2014: the V4.7 main release from

TDM. The focal point of this version

lies mainly in the consequent further

development of the software kernel

to ensure the future requirements of

TDM Tool Lifecycle Management.

We have extensively revised the pro-

gram package in detail and adapted

it to the requirements of new tech-

nologies and current customer needs.

Among other things, new CAM inter-

faces were integrated into Edgecam,

GibbsCAM/VirtualGibbs, CAMWorks

and TopSolid‘Cam 7, which primarily

improves TDM's integration capability

considerably in the international envi-

ronment. In addition, a large number

of new software features were taken

into consideration that facilitate the

daily work of TDM users.

User Day 2014 at SECO TOOLSThis year, our former user associations "TDMclub" and "TDM Interessenverband"

have merged to become the new, international "TDM User Group". All members

of the former associations are now automatically members of the TDM User

Group. The goal: regular exchange of experiences and exclusive information on

technical innovations and trends. The former "TDM User Meeting" became "TDM

User Day" and was being held in 2014 at Seco Tools GmbH in Erkrath, Germany.

Various talks, information about Tool Lifecycle Management with TDM as well

as a visit to production at Seco Tools expected the international users.

Not a member of the TDM User Group yet? You are welcome to join the TDM

User Group. Membership is free of charge and can be applied for on our

website.


Positive Results for TDM Systems after IMTS and AMB

TDM Explainer Video available in addi-tional languagesExplanatory videos get to

the heart of complex is-

sues with animations in

an easily understandable

way. The same is true in

the TDM-simpleshow. It

tells the story of an express

order and makes it clear in

an entertaining way how

intelligently and efficiently

TDM supports complete

tool circulation. The video

has already been a success

in German and English. And

now, it is also available in

French, Italian and

Chinese.

September is trade show month in the metal cutting industry.

TDM Systems was represented once again at the two most

important industry exhibitions, the International Manufacturing

Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago (9/8 - 9/13) and the In-

ternational Exhibition for Metalworking (AMB) in Stuttgart (9/13

- 9/17). Numerous professional visitors at the booths, many

questions for the TDM experts on site: Both trade shows were

a complete success. Especially the newly introduced concept,

Tool Lifecycle Management, attracted attention. Peter Schneck

explained the approach in a personal interview at both trade

shows and in an extensive video interview at the AMB that can

also be accessed online: "Here we see a new development phase

in our market segment that puts tool circulation as a whole into

the center of focus. The fact that many of my conversation part-

ners at both trade shows felt the same way is particularly pleas-

ing to me and confirms: We must think tool data management a

step into the future."

TDM Systems and KBF: Creating a Future through IntegrationTDM Systems and the Vocational Train-

ing of KBF, Reutlingen jointly promote

educating young people. As interns at

partner companies, apprentices gain

insights that expand their horizons and

offer opportunities for their future.

People with physical limitations are

faced with many daily challenges, even in

their professional lives. Yet it is important

to take advantage of opportunities and

secure positive future prospects. That is

exactly what the Vocational Training of

KBF, Reutlingen would like to make pos-

sible for its apprentices. KBF has the sup-

port of TDM Systems in doing so.

In addition to the dual training in the con-

text of the Vocational Training of KBF,

the apprentices can complete a six-

week office management internship at

TDM Systems. The knowledge transfer

here is no longer lopsided: "In return, ap-

prentices of TDM Systems can complete

an internship at KBF. A mutual win-win

exchange" emphasizes Stefanie Leh-

mann, team leader of internal sales and

responsible for commercial training at

TDM Systems.


[1]

"Everything started out very small," recalls Günther Früh-

schütz, tool management foreman of the GROB factories in

Mindelheim. "In 1998 our former factory manager acquired

an entry-level version of TDM. The software was tailored to

the requirements of small and medium-sized companies.

This made it ideal for a test run." At that time, there were still

tool cabinets stacked to the ceiling in GROB's factory halls.

"In principle, nothing at all was managed back then," says

Frühschütz. The machine operators got the tools from the

cabinet themselves and put their marker in the empty com-

partment. This placeholder helped to understand at which

machine an item was located. "It was time to convert the

system completely; that was a mammoth task that I have

only experienced once in the 40 years with the company."

The test run was successful. The management of GROB

decided to acquire the full version and combine it with the

digitally controlled tool crib elevators. "This system – with

many expansions and improvements – continues to func-

tion as an indispensable cog in the wheel of our production

to this day."

Tradition and Internationality

Tool use at the machinery manufacturer GROB is high.

Around 25,000 tool assemblies composed of 20,000 items

are being used at the Mindelheim plant, the headquarters of

the internationally operating family-owned company. Their

product portfolio ranges from universal machining centers

to highly complex manufacturing systems with their own au-

tomation. Their largest customer is the automotive industry.

Worldwide, GROB has 4,600 employees, more than 3,300

of them in Mindelheim. Other manufacturing facilities are

located in São Paulo in Brazil, Bluffton in the USA and Da-

Efficient production without modern tool management? By now, this is unthinkable at GROB – at the Allgäu main plant in Mindelheim, Germany as well as in Brazil, the USA and China. The machine manufacturer is planning the future of digital production. The software solutions of TDM Systems in Tübingen play a fundamental role in this.

[2]

Indispensable in Production


lian in the People's Republic of China. GROB has been on

a growth course for years. Over the past few years, the

production capacity has been expanded by over 35 per-

cent and 900 new jobs have been created in Mindelheim

alone.

The Global Tool

This growth and the internationality of the company are

also a challenge for tool management. All factories are

centrally controlled from Mindelheim. "Our goal", says

Georg Wilbiller, System Administrator of Tool Manage-

ment at GROB, "is to make it possible for the programs

run in Germany, including the tools used, to be carried

over to Brazil, the USA and China one by one." Wilbiller

receives inquiries from sister factories every day. Before a

tool assembly is used overseas it is initially tested in Min-

delheim to determine if it corresponds to internal specifi-

cations. Once released, the factories abroad can all ac-

cess data stored in Mindelheim.

From Screen to Machine

But back to Mindelheim. The centerpiece of continuous

Tool Lifecycle Management at GROB is positioned like an

island in the middle of the production hall. Here you will

find offices, set-up stations and six-meter-high tool crib

elevators right in the center in which thousands of indi-

vidual items wait to be put together into tool assemblies.

The first step in the tool circulation is initially done virtu-

ally and in a different department, CNC Programming.

Here, new production orders are created in the CAD/CAM

system. The programmers access a pool of over 25,000

real available tool assemblies via TDM. The 3D-models

are carried over into the CAD/CAM program – at GROB

these are Siemens NX 8.5 and TopSolid'Cam 7 – from the

TDM-system via an interface.

The Shopfloor under Control

If the order goes to production, it ends up in TDMshopcon-

trol. The module records the entire tool circulation. "When

we started with TDM, we didn't have the TDMshopcontrol

[2]

[1]

"Our goal is to make it possible for the programs run in Germany, including the tools used, to be carried

over to Brazil, the USA and China one by one."

[3]

[4]

[1] Günther Frühschütz and Georg Wilbiller ensure efficient tool orga-nization in GROB factory produc-tion.

[2] Collaboration based on part-nership for over 15 years (from left to right): Markus Frank (GROB), Jens Schuster (TDM Systems), Günther Frühschütz (GROB), Georg Wilbiller (GROB)

[3] TDM orders for tool installation are currently still assigned on paper at GROB.

[4] Thanks to four TDM worksta-tions on the tool crib elevator, the individual components of a tool order can be put together quickly.


[5]

module yet," recalls Frühschütz. "In some cases, too many

tools were being dismantled and put away again after the

end of an order. This ended with TDMshopcontrol, which

always compares the new orders with the tool stock at the

machine."

The responsible skilled worker still gets the order for the in-

stallation as a slip of paper. The digital support begins at

the tool crib elevator. The employee opens the TDM order

and the storage shelves immediately move forwards. The

tool items are removed and written off. If the employee has

to switch from one elevator to another, the TDM order also

"migrates" to the next screen.

Good Installation is Half the Battle when it Comes to Pro-

duction

If all items are on the cart, it goes to tool installation. The

skilled worker has access to a TDM workspace where things

like the design drawing of the tool to be assembled can

be seen. If all tools of an order have been assembled, tool

presetting follows. Via an interface, the presetting system

gets the nominal values from the TDM data base and, af-

ter successful measurement, sets the status of the tool

assembly to preset. The measurement values then leave

the TDM system and go to programming and are converted

into machine data. In addition to managing the actual tools,

the clamping tools required for an order are also recorded

via TDM. GROB has relied on external setup work for over

15 years to take machine setup times away from the ma-

chine and to minimize idling to a large extent. The orders

are preassembled on a system of pallets and inserted into

the machine.

Discontinued Machine Crash Model

Via the TDM Fixture Management Module, the programmer

can access 3D-models of all pallet systems and holders

and assemble them in the CAM-system. TDM forms the

direct interface between the "virtual" programming on the

screen and the "real" production on the machine. A huge

"TDM has become indispensable in our systems landscape."

[7]

[6]

[5] Markus Frank, Manager of Shopfloor Support, is working on the paperless shopfloor at GROB

[6] The individual items are put together to form a tool assembly.

[7] All clamping tools are also managed in TDM at GROB.

[8] CAD/CAM programming: Sample tool (inner torsion bar) and sample part for the transfer of turning tools from TDM (right screen) to NX (left screen).

[8]

[7]


advantage, as Günther Frühschütz em-

phasizes: "The programmer can take

the data from TDM and make his col-

lision analysis directly. Since introduc-

ing this process, our crash rate has de-

clined very sharply."

This not only spares the employees

at the machine much trouble, but in

particular saves money. Each collision

means extensive damage and ma-

chine down time – and machine hours

are expensive. Instead, the pallet sys-

tems planned via TDM and pre-rigged

externally allow the machines to sim-

ply run and yield what GROB would ul-

timately like: Added value.

One Cabinet has Stayed

But what is it about the "consumables"

like inserts, drills, taps and deburring

tools that machine operators often

need to access at short notice. The ele-

vator system would be too inflexible for

these stocks. For this purpose, GROB

relies on a tool supply machine. This

storage cabinet is also linked to central

tool data management via TDMsto-

reasy. If the stock level falls short of the

minimum, TDM automatically triggers

a reorder. "Today, all of the order pro-

posals for all tools run via TDM with an

interface to SAP", says Frühschütz.

Frühschütz's conclusion: "We would no

longer be able to manage what we are

achieving today without a tool man-

agement system. We have grown con-

siderably in the last few years in terms

of machines. In tool management we

are still working with the same number

of staff. This too shows once more the

gain in efficiency that can be achieved

with TDM. Put crudely: It would cur-

rently no longer be feasible without

TDM."

Tool Management 4.0

And what does the future of Tool Life-

cycle Management at GROB look like?

Markus Frank, Manager of Shopfloor

Support: "To start off with: TDM has

become indispensable in our systems

landscape. We have defined a 2020

strategy of how we want to work on

the shopfloor of the future. TDM rep-

resents a fundamental building block

in this strategy. We want to process the

machine's tool requests digitally and

paperlessly. At the moment there are

concrete plans to directly link TDM to

GROB's manufacturing execution sys-

tem (G-Net) via an interface." GROB

has set three goals for the next three

years to become Industry 4.0-capable

in the long term: 1. Networking produc-

tion processes, 2. Digitizing production

processes and 3. paperless and almost

paperless processes. "That might

sound simple," says Markus Frank, "but

it requires time and good concepts.

TDM's Tool Lifecycle Management

concept makes a decisive contribution

to the realization of our goals."

"The programmer can take the data from TDM and make his collision

analysis directly."

From his office with a view of the factory hall, Günther Frühschütz, Tool Management Foreman at GROB, has the production process-es in full view with TDM.


PRACTICE

Manfred Treß is a trained toolmaker; machining is his life. The production foreman at Liebherr-Werk Ehingen, Germany played a substantial role in the introduction of tool data management. When Liebherr’s own solution turned out to be non-Y2K-compliant, the choice went to the Tool Data Management of TDM Systems. A decision that Manfred Treß has never regretted. Every-thing runs perfectly today, but Treß fears that the feeling for material and product is being lost somewhat among young workers due to the in-creasing distance from the process.

Nobody can fool him in tool management matters: Manfred Treß,

production foreman in mechanical machining and currently in

charge of maintenance for the machines at Liebherr-Werk Ehingen

GmbH, has experienced and helped shape development since the

1990s. A true Swabian icon, who at 59 is still as “fired up” about his

profession as he was on day one. With his strength, steady voice

and sparkling eyes, it is easy to believe that the trained toolmaker

would “choose this profession again in an instant.”

He has been with Liebherr since 1976. For almost four decades,

Treß has been helping to build large-scale and automobile cranes

that are in demand all over the world. For a few years, Ehingen

has also seen the emergence of shading systems, gigantic sun

umbrellas that come across as delicate despite their enormous

dimensions. Anyone who looks closely will recognize the similarity

to large crane designs. Manfred Treß is particularly proud of these

very unique specimens.

Small Production runs, Large Part Variety

Unique is the keyword: There are no large-scale production runs in

Ehingen. The quantities remain manageable. This makes it clear

that the machines on the shopfloor need to be as versatile as pos-

sible. Machining the parts requires an enormous number of differ-

ent tools that need to be in the right amount, at the right place

and at the right time. Currently about 15,000 to 17,000 pro-

grams are running, supported by 4,000 to 5,000 tools and

tool items.

When Treß left shift work almost twenty years ago, an

exciting task awaited him: He was to organize new tool

management on the shopfloor. For all practical purposes,

the previous tool management was only accessible to the

programming department. “Only the programming depart-

ment knew which theoretical tools we even had. It became

my task to link theory and practice.” First of all, he got the

information from the programming department, “Then I

just went into the workshop, found a tool and tried to put it

in CAD form and record it in the stock.” Back then he had to

learn a lot the hard way, “today, this kind of data is usually

readily available from a variety of sources.”

“The chips flew up in my face,but the feeling for the material was there”


Radical Change at the Turn of the Millennium

The decisive change, however, came in the year

2000. At this point, there was indeed a manage-

ment program “with a good structure, item num-

bers and everything else that goes along with it.”

But the program, which was created especially

for Liebherr Ehingen, was not Y2K-compliant.

“We were faced with the question of whether

we should develop something of our own again,

but after having good experiences with TDM

Systems on the group level, the decision was

made quite quickly.”

The most important advance for Manfred Treß

is the linkage of workshop, machine and pro-

gramming department, “all those involved in

the process can access the same source of in-

formation.” He makes this clear with a simple

example: “We cannot drill a hole that the de-

signer has planned if we do not have the drill in

the workshop.” If the drill is missing it needs to be

acquired, which the buyer in turn needs to know

in due time. “The communication needed for this

now works perfectly.”

Another deciding factor for choosing the TDM

solution: the continuity in its development. “A

program such as this one must be developed

continuously, with particular attention always

being paid to the user’s actual needs.” The best

program is worth nothing if it subsequently be-

comes so complicated in the workshop that “no

one understands it anymore. Everyone from the

department should be able to understand it and

work with it at the outset.” In this context, the

integrity of the data is important, which is why

he is critical of excessive leaps in program ver-

sions in a short time: “We repeatedly have diffi-

culties keeping up with some programs. We just

can’t do everything differently every two years.”

However, Manfred Treß thinks the ‘Tool Lifecy-

cle Management’ being introduced by TDM Sys-

tems now is a sensible development: “I think it’s

a logical development in the right direction, also

in light of Industry 4.0.“

Reading the Chips

Manfred Treß has now been in the profession for almost two generations.

Almost everything has changed. “The machines used to be less encapsu-

lated than they are today. Back then the chips still flew up in our faces.”

Treß, who is always interested in new things, does not dwell on nostalgia.

Nevertheless, he sees the potential for risks if the profession is given an

absolutely clean image to win over the “young generation”: “The feeling

for the material threatens to be lost if everything happens behind closed

doors.” People will still be needed in the future who not only press buttons

but who get a feeling for the process and are effectively able to read the

chips to see if everything is running perfectly. Yet there will be more time

for precisely this sort of thing if the right tool is at hand and if you do not

have to pilfer it from colleagues as in the past.

[1] Around 30,000 mobile cranes from Ehingen are currently being used around the world.

[2] The LR crawler cranes have a lifting capacity of up to 3,000 tones.

[3] Liebherr-Werk Ehingen with its 45 % market share in all-terrain cranes is one of the leading manufacturers of mobile cranes.

[1][2]

[3]


SOFTWARE

The advantages of Tool Lifecycle Management

are obvious: Throughout all departments, every

employee has access to the tool data. In order

for this process to work smoothly, it needs a

center in which all information converges: The

TDM Base Module and an efficient data base.

Together they form the basis for tool manage-

ment with TDM and enable economical and

transparent data organization in all company

divisions.

Every department has a different demand for

tool data: For NC programming, it is the data

of tool assemblies, in the crib, the order infor-

mation that includes tool items. In turn, tool

assembly requires tool lists, tool assembly in-

formation and workpiece setting sheets. The

TDM Base Module depicts this basic structure

of machining production on three functional

A good Starting Point

AdaptersDefining adapters is necessary for tool assembling. All 243 adapters are viewed with regard to the machine and ensure a correct assignment of the tool to the machine and to the item.

Reference classesA total of 24 reference classes with a multitude of parameters are stored in TDM. These support the geometric classification of the tools to be managed into groups with defined product properties as they are described in DIN 4000.

levels. For every area represented on the software side, extensive data and

documents about the tool can be filed. This also includes feeds & speeds,

which define conditions of use specific to materials and cutting grades and

record collision parameters and presetting data for tool assemblies. Linking

tool items, tool assemblies and tool lists is also of central importance: The

user can always see which items are built where and where they are on the

tool lists. The TDM Base Module also provides important information for

the tool crib, including the location of tool items at workspaces, the man-

agement of parts in need of repair as well as the minimum stock level.

The TDM Base Module meets all the requirements of modern, digital pro-

duction, whether it be tool selection via graphic class or the features of

technology and machining procedures, automatic tool assembly with plau-

sibility check, the integrated CAD kernel for displaying 2D and 3D graphics,

the automatically generated parts, tool and production lists, the automat-

ically generated discrepancy lists or the tool catalogs of more than 50 tool

manufacturers that can be integrated: A solid basis for the Tool Lifecycle

Management of the future.

Structural and Base Data in the TDM Base ModuleThe TDM Base Module offers a basic configuration of predefined base data to describe tools and their use in detail. The following

data is stored in TDM by default:

Tool Lifecycle Management concerns the entirety of the production process: from the defini-tion of tools through their use in planning up to the seamless transfer and use on the shopfloor. The TDM Base Module forms the foundation for future digital tool data management.


Technology classes/groupsA total of 28 technology classes and a large number of tech-nology groups describe and specify the machining procedures turning, milling and drilling in detail.

MaterialsThe appropriate materials are already assigned to every material in TDM. This forms a basis for the user that can be expanded however he likes and with his own know how. This assignment is essential for achieving machining results.

Cutting gradesTDM contains 81 predefined cutting grades that are described with the cutting grade type, the coating and the tool manufac-turer. The cutting grade groups specify the cutting grades in greater detail.

MachinesThe machines available on a shopfloor can be described in TDM with respect to their technical characteristics. This is important for testing the compatibility of tools with ma-chine adapters and serves as the basis for the interfaces to external software systems.

InterfacesThe 28 different definitions of interfaces are important for de-scribing items. The interfaces are divided into "workpiece side" and "machine side" and are important for the plausibility check during tool assembly.

WorkpiecesThe affiliation of a tool list to a workpiece makes it possi-ble for the user to access existing tool sets when a new NC program is created. Dividing the workpieces into classes of the same or similar machining the spectrum of possible workpieces can be restricted when a search function is performed. Examples of tool classes are crank shafts, gearbox housings and engine blocks.


The shopfloor is and will continue to be the

heart of the metal machining industry. Digitiza-

tion or not, added value is created when chips

fly. Despite this, a few things have changed:

The "pacemaker," to continue with this met-

aphor, is digitization. "The requirements of

Industry 4.0 have been part of our every day

lives for years," emphasizes Eugen Bollinger,

Vice President Sales at TDM Systems. The

trend is to integrate all systems involved at the

production level more and more. The prereq-

uisite is a joint data basis "There's a lot going

on here right now," says Bollinger. If we record

and evaluate data from machining centrally in

TDM, then we know which tools are used with

Tool Data Management is developing into a hub of digitally controlled production processes. Data with high information and utility value is everywhere: in the machine, in the ERP-system, in the CAD/CAM-programming. But conclusions about more efficient production processes can only be drawn by means of a meaningful evaluation. The tool recorded via TDM becomes a key point that interlinks all areas.

Networking what belongs together

which cutting data for which NC program. There is immense potential here

for the customers."

Direct Influence on Production Costs

If the reproducible cutting data are stored in TDM for every tool, the NC pro-

grammer can access them. This makes it possible to search for alternative,

cost-saving solutions as early as in the design phase. An example: The de-

signer plans a hole with a 9.8 mm diameter. In TDM, he sees that there are

only 10 millimeter drill bits in stock. A tool has to be ordered. He also sees

that comparable drillings in the planned material have had negative effects

on tool life so far. He therefore looks for an alternative solution in TDM and

noticeably saves production costs. The individually stored feeds & speeds

form the basis here. There is more potential in linking planning and produc-

tion processes: On the one hand, machine utilization, including preparing

equipment, can be optimized. On the other hand, communication of the

SOFTWARE


"The depth of integration of TDM in connection with our system partnerships can significantly reduce production

costs."Eugen Bollinger, Vice President Sales at TDM Systems

planning and production systems can significantly reduce the turnaround

times of a product.

Integrated Solutions with System Partnerships

In the further development of this system networking, TDM Systems clear-

ly relies on partnerships with leading experts. An example: Here, a partner

in communication with MES systems is the company Forcam with its "Fac-

tory Framework" system. Order data, NC programs, tool statuses, cutting

values and machining times are exchanged between Factory Framework

and TDM. Within the context of planning production resources, TDM sup-

ports the provision of tools efficiently and in the exact amount required,

supplies the NC programs and provides the actual tool data for every tool

assembly. Users continue to close the gaps of production and planning

communication with the help of TDM. If the real cutting values for every

tool assembly are stored, NC-planning can plan the machining process

optimally because approximately 70% of the

product costs are determined by planning!

In the future, simpler, faster and therefore more

cost-effective networking between the machine

and planning systems will be possible thanks to

initiatives in the field of Industry 4.0. This ulti-

mately protects the competitiveness of our cus-

tomers and increases the attractiveness of jobs.


Giuseppe Ferrari and Oldrich Bosman

are longstanding TDM Sales Partners

in Italy and the Czech Republic. Today

they are going to tell us why they love

their job and what they particularly ap-

preciate about the topic of tool man-

agement.

How long has your company been

around?

Bosman: My company has been around

since 2010. I work as a private entrepre-

neur and do consulting in the field of

tool management.

Ferrari: In 1996 I founded my company

"NC-Programm" as a service company

for machining production. We concen-

trated on the programming of numeri-

cally controlled machines, the organi-

zation of clamping tools, the selection

of cutting tools, economical tool man-

agement and support our customers

in developing programs for numerical

controllers.

How did you end up at "tool manage-

ment"?

Bosman: I was the managing director of

the Czech branch of the tool manufac-

turer GÜHRING. While there I acquired a

lot of experience in tool management.

Ferrari: Personally, I have been work-

ing in the field of tool management

since 1984. At the time, the company I

worked for began creating tool lists for

automated assembly.

What is your specialty, your special

know how?

Bosman: As a graduate engineer for

mechanical engineering, I have always

been working with tools, particularly in

practice: How do companies manage

their tools on a daily basis, where are

the problems, needs and desires?

Ferrari: I work in the field of program-

ming CNC machines. I am often in-

volved in projects with turnkey plants

as well as in the analysis of possible

reductions of working hours and cost.

My daily life is actually constantly sur-

rounded by tools.

What do you appreciate the most

about TDM?

Bosman: Everything . Mainly the ho-

listic software solution with full 3D

support and the interfaces to other sys-

tems.

Ferrari: TDM is a software that is capa-

ble of meeting a wide range of custom-

er requirements. It sometimes seems

complex at first glance, but it always

follows a stringent logic. TDM distin-

guishes itself over other programs pri-

marily by its flexibility and configurabil-

ity.

What is the greatest challenge in your

local market?

Bosman: In the Czech Republic and Slo-

vakia there are two kinds of companies:

On the on hand, there are companies

with a parent company and manage-

ment abroad. These usually know that

good tool management is indispens-

able. However, the decision makers are

usually abroad and difficult to contact.

On the other hand there are local com-

panies. These very often have yet to

recognize how important software for

tool management is. They place val-

ue on ERP, CAD/CAM and sometimes

PARTNERS

Two tool professionals serve customers in Italy and the Czech Republic:

"My daily life is actually constantly surrounded by tools"

Giuseppe Ferrari, Partner for Italy

Ing. Oldřich Bosman, Partner for the Czech Republic and Slovakia


also PLM systems and believe that it is

also possible to accomplish tool man-

agement with these programs or with

Office applications. A lot of work is still

required to educate people in this area.

Ferrari: Italian customers often doubt

that software for tool management ac-

tually provides benefits in the form of

cost reductions. Educational work must

be done here to show that these bene-

fits do not come into effect immediate-

ly, but only after one or two years when

the data base is filled and the processes

in the company are adapted.

Can you share two things you would

like to see from TDM in the future?

Bosman: A TDM entry-level solution

with good tool data from tool manu-

facturers for smaller companies with

full expansion capability.

Ferrari: If the idea is really to indicate our

wishes, then one of them might be the

possibility of a tool library in the cloud.

The second one would be a library with

base cutting parameters.

What is your personal favorite subject?

Bosman: Applied tool management.

Ferrari: Without question, this would be

the different interfaces to CAD/CAM.

And having a real tool for checking colli-

sions has always been a basic need.

What should a tool data manager

know when he comes to your country?

Bosman: He has to know how compa-

nies work with tools and how they man-

age them. A good tool manager must

absolutely think in a customer-orient-

ed way and in addition to the software

have his eye on processes and exam-

ples from practice.

Ferrari: Tool management is becoming

the standard due to globalization. There

are naturally differences between the

Italian market and the rest of the world,

but even the local tool makers are

adapting to international standards.

End of July, TDM Systems's most im-

portant partners met for a five-day train-

ing program in Tübingen. The goal of the

meeting was not just to keep the partici-

pants up to date on the development of

TDM, but also and especially the exchange

of information and experiences.

Patrick Nellinger, Manager of the "CAM in-

tegration" department, which was found-

ed in 2013, presented the available CAM

interfaces and the technology on which his

team is currently working. Angela Albus,

Manager of the Data Department at TDM

Systems, explained the usual handling of

2D- and 3D-graphics and their use in var-

ious NC programs. The partners received

the brand new partner package from the

Marketing Department. An overview of all

available brochures, flyers, product infor-

mation and case studies. Last but not least,

every partner presented an interesting ap-

Five Days for International TDM-Fitnessplication from its market. The specific knowledge about the particular

market repeatedly led to fruitful discussions from which everyone was

able to benefit.

The so-called A-partners take care of the distribution of TDM software,

for example, in Brazil, China, France, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, the Czech

Republic or Slovakia and also offer TDM services to some extent. Be-

cause they come from the particular country, they know the market and

many customers, making them ideal partners for the internationalization

of TDM Systems, which has certainly taken another step forward after

this meeting.


TDM INSIDE

We met with Thomas Mücke, Senior Business Solution

Consultant at TDM Systems, between two meetings.

With a wealth of experience of 25 years in tool data

management, his advice is coveted and his calendar

is full. He has just come from a conversation with a

Belgian prospect. "The potential customer recently

approached us at the AMB. He was contemplating the

important decision about a new CAD/CAM system with

Expertise is the best AdviceLong before a customer has chosen TDM, Thomas Mücke has invested a lot of time, work and especially

expertise. He considers himself a consultant, not a salesman. Whether on site or over the phone: Mücke

analyzes the existing processes of the potential customer closely and reveals where and with what eco-

nomic return TDM can be used.

a possible connection to TDM." However, before important steps

for the production process can be taken, the machine manufac-

turer wanted to get acquainted with the Tübingen Tool Lifecycle

Management in as practical a manner as possible.

Thanks to Mr. Mücke, he was able to get the help he needed. "Us-

ing our screen-sharing-platform, I demonstrated the system inte-

gration to him live. We put together a demo tool assembly in TDM

as a 3D-model, transferred it to the CAD/CAM-software and per-

formed a tool path calculation and a material removal simulation.

The demonstration was well

received and I am confident

that this potential customer will

soon become an actual one."

An excerpt from a typical day

for Thomas Mücke then? "You

could say that." He starts at seven in the morning and the day lasts

often until seven in the evening. The early hours are for Asia and the

later ones for the US, the time in between is for Europe. There is lit-

tle time left for his hobbies, tennis and biking. Nevertheless, Mücke

loves his work. This is also because he can organize his day himself.

"I am with a customer two to three days a week, usually only for

a few hours, like this morning with a machine tool operator near

Balingen who was interested in embedding CNC machines in the

existing network infrastructure and connecting to TDM. However,

such an advisory process on site sometimes lasts multiple days."

Direct contact is especially important to Mücke, personally and

professionally.

In the mid '80s he began his career at Bosch in Stuttgart. "I learned

to be a mechanic from scratch," he says proudly. He then studied

production technology at FH Ulm and had initial encounters with

the topic of "tool management", which was still young at the time.

He was already fascinated by the interface between technical and

operational systems during his studies. The interest remained: Is

the construction suitable for production? Where are there cost

"You can only unleash the potential if you take a holistic view of the processes"


drivers? How can information from the machine be looped back to man-

agement? These are the challenges he is working on. "You can only unleash

the potential if you take a holistic view of the processes," he is convinced.

He has steadily expanded his knowledge with every employer. CAM con-

nection, the integration of MES-systems, interfaces to SAP, linking CAM

with the CAD-system and always exchanging with the departments: This is

Thomas Mücke's world.

Then, in the middle of the crisis in 2009, he was lured to Tübingen by TDM

Systems – a decision he does not regret. He is able to apply his comprehen-

sive know how about systems, applications and processes in various ways:

in engineering, in customer consultation in after sales. He not only advises

customers, but he is also a sought-after internal consultant for colleagues

from marketing, sales and development.

He himself appreciates the openness of the TDM software concept, which

currently "factually" and digitally takes into account the path of the tool in

the overall production process under the heading "Tool Lifecycle Manage-

ment". Digital factory, then? Industry 4.0?

"Industry 4.0 is old hat," he says grinning and watches whether the person

opposite reacts to the provocation. Mücke experienced the beginnings of

Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, or CIM for short. "The vision of that

time is on the table again today. But the technology is more advanced." The

integration of technology and business management can be successful

today. "The need of customers for consultation increases more and more

even before the sale. From planning to the shopfloor level, the integration

and requirements are becoming more and more complex. Digitization and

automation of the entire production process is currently the defining theme.

TDM plays a central role in this context as a software solution provider. Here,

we can display our competence as consultants fully," Thomas Mücke briefly

summarizes the future prospects of Tool Lifecycle Management and kindly

says good bye to us because the next appointment and the next interesting

project is already calling.

[1] Talk at TDM User Days

[2] Online session with a customer

[3] Project meeting among colleagues

[4] Online presentation of the interface TDM to GibbsCAM/VirtualGibbs [1]

[2]

[3

[4]


A machine tool wants to produce - let's not prevent it from doing so!

Economic Production

BENEFIT

For the biggest savings, the produc-tion times must be shortened, the machine operation times increased and the downtimes reduced.

The break down of costs on your shopfloor.

18 % Fixed costs:Buildings & manage-ment

28 % Fixed costs:Manpower

24 % Fixed costs:Machinery

3 % Variable costs:Cutting tools

27 % Variable costs:Materials

Source: Sandvik Corom

ant

Did you know?

20 %

With 20% higher machine utilization, a 10% higher gross profit can be achieved.

10 % 20 %

20% higher cutting data can lower the costs per workpiece by more than 10%.

10 % 20 %

A 20% higher production volume can shorten the amortization of a new ma-chine by 10 months.

Source: Sandvik Coromant


Training in Tübingen

Training Date

TDM Base Module 02/09 - 02/11/2015

TDM Tool Crib Module 02/12 - 02/13/2015

TDM Forma Generator 02/16 - 02/18/2015

TDM System User 02/19 - 02/20/2015

TDM Base Module 06/08 - 06/10/2015


TDM Form Generator 06/15 - 06/17/2015

TDM System User 06/18 - 06/19/2015

TDM Base Module 09/07 - 09/09/2015



TDM System User 09/17 - 09/18/2015

TDM Base Module 11/02 - 11/04/2015



TDM System User 11/12 - 11/13/2015

All training lessons take place in Tübingen, Ger-

many, language of teaching is German.

We also offer custom training courses tailored

to your specific needs. These can be offered in-

house at your location or online.

Trade Shows/Events

Event Date

Houstex, Houston, USA 02/24 - 02/26/2015

Industrie, Lyon, France 04/07 - 04/10/2015

CIMT, Beijing, China 04/20 - 04/25/2015

Walter Starrag Turbine

Technology Days 2015,

Rorschacherberg,

Switzerland

06/23 - 06/24/2015

EMO, Milan, Italy 10/05 - 10/10/2015

We look forward to seeing you!

Saving potentials with TDM

Design suitable for productionElementary tool information for...

ü ... the best possible allocation of tools and machining steps.

ü... the ideal combination of cutting material and workpiece material.

Programming with CAM systems or at the machine with available tool dataüApplication-oriented tool selection

ü Available geometry and technology data

ü Real 3D tool assembly graphics for simulation analyses

ü Availability check of tools in the engineering phase

ü Transfer of tool lists for tool preparation

More efficient procurement processüAutomatic minimum stock warning and order requirements

for the ERP system

ü Info about tool deliveries directly from the ERP system

Transparent production and tool logisticsüNO searching for tools: transparent overview of the location and

condition of tools, clamping tools and fixtures at any time

Order-oriented shopfloor management and MES integrationü Order and consumption-oriented tool provision while taking into

account tool stocks at the machine

üTDM brings the production resources together at the machine:

NC program, tools, fixtures and clamping tools and their data

Machine connectionü Tool list data go to the machine with the order

üMachine data flow back to the system

Integration into automation such as robotics and flexible production systems

Take advantage of the opportunity for a free PRODUCTIVITY check by

TDM Systems! Arrange an appointment with your TDM consultant today

and discover savings potential in your company with TDM solutions.


Excellence in

Tool Lifecycle Management

www.tdmsystems.com

tdmessage 10-2014 english

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