Tool Editor / Tool Table

[sliptonic]

If you get to looking at the tool library as a whole, I have some thoughts.

Certainly. If you can list any thoughts or ideas you have I can start thinking about it now and planning how to tackle it.

I did some experiments a while back but didn't get very far. My plan was to make the tool library manager into a child MDI window. (Sorry if my terminology is wrong). I mean it would be another tab like a document or spreadsheet. User could leave it open indefinitely. It would have additional tools for managing lists and groups of tools, importing and exporting individually selected tools or lists, and launching the editor to create/edit a tool.

The library shouldn't store the tools in preferences as it does now. They should be written to the user's Path directory. The user should be able to have multiple tool files in that directory and the manager reads them all and shows them in context. User can move/copy tools between lists or write out to a new list.

Stretch goal: maybe a user could put a tool list under version control by linking it to a github repo.
Stetch goal #2: Maybe each list has a location (this could be stored in preferences) So a user could add a list by referencing an URL.

Those are a few thoughts I've had.

[JoshM]

Something I think would be helpful would be the ability to further sort Tools within the TOOL-MANAGER. Specifically, it would make sense to me to categorize or sort within the TOOL-MANAGER so it is easier to SELECT the correct type of TOOL. If I'm looking for a Square-End-Mill, why sort through Ballnose, Drills, Chamfer Tools, etc...

Similarly, I suppose one could make an argument that it would be beneficial to SORT/SELECT by various attributes--Tool Type if that's what is most important to you, Diameter, Cut Length, Flute-Count, etc... We have 1/8" Diameter in 2 and 4 Flute varieties at 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" in Square-Endmills, plus a Ballnose 1/2", never mind an extraneous version with a 1/4" shaft... Then there's Tapered, and Chamfer options... It's pretty easy to pick the wrong tool...

Regards,
Josh

[chrisb]

Good idea to have a sort function. I started organizing my tools by the number being equal to the diameter - which of course failed with additional mills having the same diameter but different shapes.

[dubstar-04]

I think it would be really nice to be able to read the tool table from my CNC controller. I could then set up all my tools in just one place.

[JoshM]

I think it would be really nice to be able to read the tool table from my CNC controller. I could then set up all my tools in just one place.

That's another factor that I hadn't mentioned, that for some machines, there are variable stored in the control. For me, that would be a pain because the control computer isn't where I design, but for you and others...

[chrisb]

I think it would be really nice to be able to read the tool table from my CNC controller. I could then set up all my tools in just one place.

I would appreciate it to have a postprocessor for tooltables as well.

[dubstar-04]

I think it would be really nice to be able to read the tool table from my CNC controller. I could then set up all my tools in just one place.

That's another factor that I hadn't mentioned, that for some machines, there are variable stored in the control. For me, that would be a pain because the control computer isn't where I design, but for you and others...

Can your controller export the tool table?

I was thinking if saving the tool table from the controller to a file and reading that file in FreeCAD to populate the tool table.

This would help for me as it would guarantee that my tool numbers match between cam and controller.

[JoshM]

I think it would be really nice to be able to read the tool table from my CNC controller. I could then set up all my tools in just one place.

That's another factor that I hadn't mentioned, that for some machines, there are variable stored in the control. For me, that would be a pain because the control computer isn't where I design, but for you and others...

Can your controller export the tool table?

I was thinking if saving the tool table from the controller to a file and reading that file in FreeCAD to populate the tool table.

This would help for me as it would guarantee that my tool numbers match between cam and controller.

It appears so though I haven’t done it myself. I looked on the Mach forum and this https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index ... ic=30129.0 came up and it’s shown how to do in csv format.

I could test next week, though I’m out of the office until Wednesday.

Best,
Josh

[dubstar-04]

Stretch goal: maybe a user could put a tool list under version control by linking it to a github repo.

This would allow consistant tool tables to exist accross mulitple machines too. That would be very helpful indeed.

[JoshM]

Good idea to have a sort function. I started organizing my tools by the number being equal to the diameter - which of course failed with additional mills having the same diameter but different shapes.

The spreadsheet Dan posted seems like the beginning of an Tool ideal Sorting interface. If I were able to select a Row—ie sort by Tool type, so all Square Endmills, or Chamfer, or drill. Sub-sort by Column would could then prioritize by Flute count, diameter, length of cut, coating, location/availability, etc... some people separate Tools by appropriate material so might have duplicate Tools for metal and plastic.