Keeping tools organized in the cabinet pays off: an average of 90 minutes less machine downtime per order to the HSK-100 machines at GMN Paul Müller Industrie GmbH & Co. KG, a long-established and renowned Nuremberg-based family business with approximately 450 employees, and a worldwide established manufacturer of machine spindles, high-precision ball bearings, freewheels and seals.

To improve the cost situation and reduce throughput times of the parts, a ZOLLER »venturion 450« tool presetter and measuring machine with TMS Tool Management Solutions was introduced next to restructuring measures.

"Of course, this is an enormous personnel and financial investment to start with", states Johannes Singer, who is responsible for the implementation. "The system behind the Tool Management Solutions needs to be created first - such as defining standards and guidelines - so that the software can be used sensibly and profitably afterwards.

But once the time has been invested to set up the organization system, it definitely pays off: "We have an average of 90 minutes less machine downtime per order to our HSK-100 machines with savings on the small machines being somewhere between 25 - 30 % per order", confirms Harald Distler.


Restructuring and the introduction of the ZOLLER tool presetter and measuring machine together with the TMS Tool Management Solutions, achieved simultaneous savings at several levels: next to the highly efficient interplay between tool management, measuring machine and data output, one can add the optimized - and thus lower - tool stocks in the stores. This reduced set-up time considerably.

The introduction of a software for tool management initially requires investment by the customer: tool data and processes need to be standardized, entered into the data base and be updated regularly. This puts many customers off - even if it has been proven to save money once this step has been taken.

The KROMI Logistik AG, experts for modern tool management in metal cutting, offers companies complete outsourcing of their tool management - from creating and managing the data, through a controlled supply of tools, to IT-based tool controlling, oriented to continuous optimization of tool stocks and their employment.
 
Currently, ZOLLER offers an interface to KROMI which allows automated reading of the tool data from the KROMI data base to the ZOLLER TMS in DIN 4000 format.

As every tool management software can only be as good as the quality of the data, ZOLLER cooperates with KROMI Logistik as a strong partner, on the road to systematic and efficient tool management: Alexander Zoller, Managing Director at E. Zoller GmbH, and Jens Schubert, Managing Director at KROMI Logistik AG strengthen this partnership.