How to Create/Modify Tools in the Tool Library

Introduction

This help topic gives examples on how the use the Tool Library to create and/or modify tools. Many notes are provided on the benefits of completely defining your tools in the Tool Library. The parameters of the individual tools are explained in the Tool Library.

Navigation

To open the Tool Library, do one of the following:

 

• In the CAM Tree, right-click CAM Defaultsand click Tool Library.

 

• In the  CAM Tree, right-click Milling Tools, Turning Tools, or Mill Turn Tools and click Tools, or Tool Library.

Examples

To add a tool:

 

1. In the list on the left side of the dialog, select the desired type of tool.
   
   
2. To add a tool, click Add.
   
   The new tool is added with default values.
   
   
3. Expand the Tool Parameters section by clicking the expander arrow at the top-right of the dialog.
   
   
4. You can click Assign Tool Holder to select a holder that it is automatically assigned to the tool in the CAM Wizards and Tool Crib.
   
   This can save you time when defining the tool parameters for CAM features.
   
   
5. You can select a Tool Material for the tool to determine the automatic Speeds and Feeds calculations in the CAM wizards.
   
   Otherwise you can turn off Use System Feeds and Speeds to manually type the speeds and feeds for this tool in the CAM wizards.
   
   
6. Type the values for all the tool parameters.
   
   
7. Repeat these steps until all of the necessary tools have been added to the library.
   
   
8. Click OK.
   
   The tools are saved and the Tool Library is closed.
   

To delete a tool:

 

1. In the list on the left side of the dialog, select the type of tool you want to remove.
   
   
2. In the tool list, select the tool that you want to delete.
   
   
3. Click Delete.  
   
   A dialog appears asking you to confirm the deletion.
   
   
4. Click Yes.
   
   The selected tool is removed from the library.

To modify a tool:

 

1. In the list on the left side of the dialog, select the type of tool.
   
   
2. In the tool list, double-click the tool that you want to modify to select it, and automatically expand the Tool Parameters section.
   
   
3. Type the necessary changes and click OK.

 

The tool information is updated and the Tool Library is closed.

To import tool information from a file:

 

1. To display the Open dialog, click Import from File.
   
   
2. Navigate to and select a previously saved .mtools (Milling Tools) , .ltools (Lathe Tools), or .xml file. (To select Lathe tools, to the right of File Name, click the arrow and select .ltools.)
   
   
3. Click Open.

 

The information is added to the Tool Library.

 

Tip: In the Milling wizard Tool page, when the System Tool check box is selected, you can change the available tool parameters and the tool is saved to the Tool Crib if there is not already a tool with the same values. To learn more, view the Milling Wizard Tool dialog.