What's new
What's new

Small Job shop tooling-inventory control

Kapster

Cast Iron
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Location
Ohio, USA
Hello all,

I work in a small low quantity/high mix job shop (9 people on two shifts) which is a department in a large factory(500 people plus). We are technically part of out factory maintenance department (20 plus people), I’m saying this because they get into tooling they shouldn’t be.

Several years ago I took over tooling ordering and inventory. I have spreadsheets I’ve made with part numbers for end mills and such.

Carbide end mills are my biggest issue. We store them in a couple drawers in a lista cabinet with a sticker on the drawer “new mills only”. The idea was get a new mill out and when done put it in your box for the next time until its shot. I don’t like this because then you have mills all over peoples boxes but it has worked ok until recently. Now someone is getting into stuff and putting them back. So I go to order tooling and see four mills in a size so I don’t reorder, only later to find they’re all used.

How do you small shops handle this? I’m considering locking the cabinet and giving those that should be in there a key. Maintenance guys can use a HSS end mill on the rare occasion they come in, they don’t need to be using high performance carbide.

I had thought about putting a small “used” divider in-front of each size to place the used one to be used before new ones.

We have some division in the shop, a few of us are more new part makers (cnc equipment) and some are more repair/maintenance machining so we have different tooling needs.

Any thoughts on ways to do this? I’ve thought about a vending machine or barcode scanner but not sure we’re big enough for that. Thoughts on the “used” divider or just continue putting them in individuals tool boxes? Or a separate unlocked cabinet?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I spoke to Western Tool about their tool inventory software. It's not a full on automated dispensing machine, but rather software that is pretty simple. It's not right for us so I didn't keep any information on it, but you might look in to it. I know it's very customizable (apparently not a word!) with computer nerd support.

We use a color code for all our tooling. Nothing = new. Green = ok to finish plastic. Blue = ok to finish metals. Etc. So I asked about that when Western was showing me the tool inventory stuff. They said I could asign a new part number to correspond with the condition of the tool, like PN050 becomes PN050-G when marked green. But to be used as an inventory system, that means each unique tool part number would require 4 different drawers for a total of some absurd number of drawers required for us to fully implement this thing. Like 1,200 or something stupid. But if you don't have that many tools, and you are only distinguishing between new and used, maybe this would work for you.
 
I like the sound of the colour coding What do you use to colour code the tools that does not cause issues that paint would?
You'll have to tell me what issues paint would cause, 'cause that's how we do it.

When the tools get unloaded, the operator uses a paint pen on the end of each tool, then wipes off the cutting edges so it sets to the correct height next time.

Then when the tools get put away, their plastic case gets marked (if not already) with whatever color is on the end of the tool. Works good.
 
I work for a tooling distributor in Ohio. We offer free vending at 100k annual spend maybe 80k. However we offer scan systems and replenishment for a 25k commitment or you can buy it for less than 2k and buy from whomever you like. I'm sure one of your suppliers has a program.
 
We use a color code for all our tooling. Nothing = new. Green = ok to finish plastic. Blue = ok to finish metals. Etc.

I like the paint pen idea! So if its used to rough, at that point would you not put it back in the system or do you have a color for that also? I normally use 4 flute general purpose rougher/finisher to rough with and 5 flute to finish.

In my own toolbox “inventory” I try to use an approximate flute length for the cut, this would be the hardest part conveying to the others. So don’t use a 1/2” dia mill with 1-1/4 flute length to mill 1/4” depth of cut. Use a 3/8” dia with 1/2” flute length at most, if not a 1/4”.

I’m thinking this could be added into the color code system, mark a certain color if say 75% of its flute length was used evenly. I hate getting one out to finish and it leaves a streak on the part. Thoughts on this?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I’m thinking this could be added into the color code system, mark a certain color if say 75% of its flute length was used evenly. I hate getting one out to finish and it leaves a streak on the part. Thoughts on this?

Now I think that you're going overboard for anything more than a 1 man shop to expect that to werk...


I would (and may) go with a whole nother duplicate cabinet. I don't have issues with endmills so much.

... well, I guess what I doo with mills is that I will put a used one back in the same drawer if it is "very good" used, but NOT in a sleeve. So when you open it - you know that "that one" is used, and the rest are now. But this will only werk if your repair guys are not trying to sneak a used one back in the drawer. Maybe just a sign on the cabinet to remind everyone to not put used back in their sleeves? The same could be said for a duplicate drawer tho too....

My "not so good" used ends up loose in the general maintenance drawer for the B-port or whatnot...

Personally I have been wanting to git another drill cabinet to put good used drills - yet they would be separated into their proper size, in stead of the 3 drawers of used drill bits that we need to sort through - normally ending up just fetching a new one most of the time....


----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
Now I think that you're going overboard for anything more than a 1 man shop to expect that to werk...


I would (and may) go with a whole nother duplicate cabinet. I don't have issues with endmills so much.

... well, I guess what I doo with mills is that I will put a used one back in the same drawer if it is "very good" used, but NOT in a sleeve.

We have this issue with one thing after another, that’s leading me to think just lock it up. I would have already but the lock is broke , but its worth fixing I think.

Reamers are another issue, it was fine for a long time until maintenance found our over-under reamers. I don’t know how they mess up what they do. I’ll get a reamer out that I assume is ok because its in the cabinet, stick it in the machine and proceed to screwup a part because its cutting oversize. Annoying.

Silver and demming drills were an issue, maintenance guys love those. We’d buy 1/32” increments of 1/2” to 1” every 6 months or so and they’d all be gone or destroyed. I got a huot cabinet and gave all the machinists a key with instructions, if its good put it back. If it needs replaced, let me know. We’ve replaced 1 in a year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We have this issue with one thing after another, that’s leading me to think just lock it up. I would have already but the lock is broke , but its worth fixing I think.

Reamers are another issue, it was fine for a long time until maintenance found our over-under reamers. I don’t know how they mess up what they do. I’ll get a reamer out that I assume is ok because its in the cabinet, stick it in the machine and proceed to screwup a part because its cutting oversize. Annoying.

Silver and demming drills were an issue, maintenance guys love those. We’d buy 1/32” increments of 1/2” to 1” every 6 months or so and they’d all be gone or destroyed. I got a huot cabinet and gave all the machinists a key with instructions, if its good put it back. If it needs replaced, let me know. We’ve replaced 1 in a year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I work in a small job shop. We all have access to the tooling cabinet for whatever tool you need. The way we do this is, we have an inventory sheet of all the end mills, both carbide and HSS, reamers, taps, center drills ext. When a machinist or anyone takes a tool out they sign their initials, what tool they took and how many. Our purchase manager takes inventory a few times a month to make sure we always have tools in stock. As far the dills go, each machinist and given a full set at the time of hire. Those are their drills to use, we keep others in stock for when they can no longer re sharpen them and need replaced. As for for re sharpened end mills we simply have a drawer for them and also the guys engrave their initials on them for when they go out to get sharpened so they get that specific end mill back.
 
I was having the issue of people constantly grabbing new end mills and burning them up when a used end mill would have worked just fine. So for any of the common sizes we use, I keep them in my desk. If someone needs a new 1/2" end mill, they have to come see me. This has helped a lot and also helps me stay up on inventory. It's a minor nuisance, but the benefits out weigh the negatives.
 
That can be taken too far. I worked one place where the boss (owner's son) kept the new endmills hidden away, and if you wanted a sharp one you had to give him a ten minute cost justification speech, and half the time he said no anyway. So the crew spent countless hours skimming profiles into tolerance with dull endmills, and we had to slow down all the programs to work with dull cutters without snapping them.
 
A 1/2 inch single end carbide is $30 from Mari.
So lets say 50% of the time the floor guys goes to a new one when he could have used a old one.
15 dollars wasted.
Now my floor rate is over a buck a minute.
Said guy is gonna spend that $15 fast if he has to go asking up front for a new tool to use.
We paint color code used tools but the old and new are within 10 footsteps of where the work gets done.
While good to watch your tooling budget I think in most places your payroll and overhead sort of swamps this cost.
I do monitor such things closely, I know how much it cost to run one page on the copier or to print in color or what the Blanchard eats per part in diamond wheel.
But you have to look at the time factor also.

I've seen many companies die. A sure sign that I have seen more than once?
You have to go ask for a new roll of toilet paper or paper towel as it now controlled due to "waste". (I am not kidding, this happens)
Bob
 
That can be taken too far. I worked one place where the boss (owner's son) kept the new endmills hidden away, and if you wanted a sharp one you had to give him a ten minute cost justification speech, and half the time he said no anyway. So the crew spent countless hours skimming profiles into tolerance with dull endmills, and we had to slow down all the programs to work with dull cutters without snapping them.

Wow that's amazing.
 
While good to watch your tooling budget I think in most places your payroll and overhead sort of swamps this cost.

I used to get this from the bean-counters when I was running a marine science logistics group. We'd sometimes spend money like water when the ship was in port. Generally because something was broken and had to be fixed, or we were mounting gear aboard under a deadline.

The bit they didn't get was, it was costing the organisation $80K a day plus wages and lost time to *have* the ship in port instead of out working.

PDW
 
I like the color code system. I agree, I have no intention of locking people out to where they have to ask me for a tool. Although I have been limiting whats in the cabinet so they can’t go through and destroy everything. I more want to limit its access to those that should be using it. And at that point, the system can be explained to them as they receive their key. Then you know if theres any funny business going on, someone with a key is to blame.

How are Maritool end mills? Thats $30 for a standard 1/2”, their variable index is $43 which still isn’t bad. The 1/2” Garr VRX we use is about $46.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've seen many companies die. A sure sign that I have seen more than once?
You have to go ask for a new roll of toilet paper or paper towel as it now controlled due to "waste". (I am not kidding, this happens)
Bob

Yep i too have yet to see a company save its self into profit, thats not to say waste and such does not have to be minamised, but its generally a lot better to go out and get a couple of hundred in of work than it is to save 20.

This is also the reason i currently probaly have more cutters in stock than the previous 2 places i worked at combined, owning a mill is no use with out cutters and im done playing the game of only having 2 of any size. Or haveing to beg for a new box of inserts or the stupidity of one previous customer that rather than index a CNMG insert would take it to the bench grinder, fucking up the unused corner and insert shim in the process just to get more use out of that one corner!
 
You have no idea how everything said is my daily battle. The hundreds of times just trying to get a cutter costs more than the cutter itself because they're trying to save money. Plus the losses from only having 1 sharp endmill of any particular size on hand thinking it'll make them last longer forcing 3,4,5x's the cycle time from dull cutters :ack2:
 








 
Back
Top