In most manufacturing companies, tooling is one of the largest areas of cost and complexity. Yet too many companies still use manual tool tracking methods or, worse yet, try cramming tool tracking into an ERP system ill-suited to the task. We've developed a complete set of integrated modules exclusively for tool tracking, including a Master Tool List, Bill of Materials, Tool Life Analysis, serialized tracking, and more. Plexus Online provides a best-in-class tooling management system.
Master Tool List This module is used to establish a master list of tool numbers, and the pertinent data about each tool number, including Revision, Material, Supplier(s), Min Quantity, Order Quantity, and so on. The Master Tool List is the foundation of the overall tooling system. It also provides links into Tool Inventory, Tool Manufacturing, and the other tooling-related modules.
Tool BOM / Assemblies A List of the tools required to produce each production part at each operation and workcenter. Distinguishes machine-specific tools (adapters) from the tools used regardless of machine (forming tools). Provides the foundation for the Tool Sets module, which tracks the physical instances of each assembly. This module also provides the foundation for tool-staging reports, which compare available inventory to the tooling required to fulfill the production schedule.
Tool Inventory A list the physical instances of the tools listed in the Master Tool List. Uses barcoding to change the location of the tools, and provides a detailed log of every move, production run, and repair performed on a given tool.
Tool Life Tracking Tool Life Tracking including reworks and total tool life, a closed-loop Tool Failure response system, Tool Cost Improvement System, Failure Mode Analysis, and more. Although this module can be used for any situation where tool tracking is required, it is especially strong for forging and stamping companies. For a lighter version of Tool Tracking, the Supply Crib Management System could be used instead.
Tool Failure Tracking & Analysis Most tools go through a cycle: they are created, used, and re-worked. This cycle repeats until the the tool is scrapped. While this process is normal, it represents a significant portion of a manufacturer's total operating expense. Reducing this expense requires an understanding of which tools cost the most and which ones cause the most production stoppages. Using standard cost and standard (expected) tool life, this module provides tool managers with a detailed Pareto Analysis of total costs per tool and actual life versus standard life. Total costs contribute directly to the bottom line, and unexpected tool failures contribute indirectly to total costs by disrupting the manufacturing operation. Whether attempting to reduce direct costs or increase tool life, this module provides the list of tools that demand immediate attention -- A time-tested technique for chipping away at total tooling costs.
Bar Coding Plexus includes fully-integrated bar code printing and reading capability in many areas, including Inventory, Gage Control, Time and Attendance, Locations, and User Login Cards.
Tool Set Tracking (Die Tracking) A Tool Set is a collection of Details. A Tool Set may be a complete "Die" that is tracked over time, or it may be a temporary collection of loose tools that have been staged to go into the press. Each Tool Set (Die) is uniquely identified and tracked with a bar code. The system automatically maintains a detailed log of everything that happens to each Tool Set (Die).
Die Maintenance This module allows you to establish a Preventive Maintenance schedule for each Die (Tool Set). You can define various events (Clean, Refurbish, Rework, etc), each with its own checklist of tasks that need to be completed. The required frequency of these events for each Die is setup by Production Quantity and/or Calendar Days. The Production Quantity on the Die is counted automatically by the Production Tracking Module. In addition to PM, shop users may also request special Die maintenance on an as-required basis when special work is required. The module provides a Priority Report of the maintenance that is due, and a detailed log of all the maintenance that has been done.
Die Maintenance Labor Tracking This module allows shop users to track their maintenance time against specific Dies (Tool Sets). Provides reports of total cost of Die Maintenance, by Die, Part, etc. Fully-integrated with the Actual Costing and Time & Attendance System.
Tool Requirements Planning Compares tooling inventory balances to the tooling minimum requirements and recommends a quantity to be ordered.
Online Tool Releases This module provides Web-based communication of releases to Tool Suppliers. Suppliers view the online releases screen to see the releases that have been issued to them. They then commit or reject those release dates/quantities. When they are ready to ship the tools, they use Plexus to print out a bar coded shipper ahead of time, which is then delivered and received with the tools. This module facilitates a high-level of real-time communication with your tooling suppliers. This is a very fast and simple way to replace the need for paper releases, EDI, and constant phone calls to the supplier. It also streamlines your receiving process. Because the incoming shipper is bar coded and pre-received, the receiving process is very fast and accurate.
Tool Manufacturing The Job Manager forms the center of this system, displaying the list of all open jobs and enabling managers to prioritize existing jobs and create new ones. The Operator Control Panel shows the list of tools at a given operation on the shop floor. This is where operators use touch screens to easily clock in and out of the jobs they work on so as to provide detailed labor tracking. When tools complete the last step of the process routing (usually an inspection), they become eligible to be moved to a press. If a tool revision changes during production, that tool job is automatically placed on hold. Additionally, the "Tool Projects" module is a Godsend for any tool manager who has ever spent hours trying to track down the status of a group of tools required for a special customer project. View all active tool projects by customer and due date and provide detailed reports of the tools, tool statuses, and tool locations by customer and customer part number.
Tool Mfg - Subcontracting This module is used for tracking the outsourcing of certain operations when making tools, such as plating and heat treating operations. This module is used in conjunction with the Tool Manufacturing system. It helps tool room personnel know what is ready to ship out, it prints shippers, moves inventory, and manages due dates. Upon return, the system receives the inventory back in, automatically updates Work Order location/operation, and automatically creates a PO/Receipt in purchasing, including specialized blanket order pricing based on supplier, surface area, weight, and/or $/pc.
Tool Control Plans Tool Inspection Control Plans. Enables the inspection function to associate drawing attributes with tool manufacturing processes. Provides the ability to mark a given attribute as required for the various tool job types: New, Rework, and Revision Change.
Tool Inspection Checksheets Collects and stores the actual tool measurements required by the tool control plan. Fully e-Commerce ready, external tooling suppliers can log in and take online tool measurements. This dramatically increases supplier accountability.
Tool Orders The Tool Orders module is used to enter and track customer orders for tooling. Includes feature for managing, scheduling, and invoicing tool orders.
National Forging Tooling Database Plexus is the official Tool Tracking System for forging companies that wish to participate in the National Tooling Database in association with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
As weapon systems in the U.S. arsenal go out of production, the acquisition of forged repair parts becomes more difficult because supply chain information disintegrates, especially with respect to tooling. In addition, some weapon systems are being kept in service much longer than originally intended. As this happens, forged parts that were designed to last the life of the weapon have to be replaced and the location of tools to make the forged parts becomes lost. The National Tooling Database has been developed in order to give defense customers, especially the Defense Logistics Agency, a centralized database of the tooling available at forging companies.
Press Fit Tool Design This module enables experienced tooling engineers at forging and stamping companies to optimize die designs for cylindrical, axially-symmetric dies that have been press fit together. This module applies to a classic three-piece assembly model (Die, Sleeve, Case) which goes through the following sequence: 1)Die is pressed into a sleeve 2)Die-Sleeve Cartridge is pressed into a case, and 3)Assembly is used in forming. It serves as both a design and training tool and facilitates quick “what if” scenario-evaluation. The underlying theories rest on well-known mechanical engineering principles such as thick-walled cylinder analysis, Hooke’s law, stress/strain, maximum-normal-stress theory, elastic/plastic failure behavior, ductile/brittle failure behavior and Mohr’s theory.
