Renumber tools

[coltonwheeler]

Hello 

I am having an issue when renumbering my tool list using the new tool library. The old tool library would renumber the tools in order of use but I'm not sure what is determining the new order now it seems random. Is there a way to change how it renumbers the tool list that I'm not seeing?

[seth.madore · Accepted solution]

That was a limitation that was discovered somewhat late in the development. There is a ticket open to improve upon that functionality. Fortunately, you CAN go back to the old Tool Library via your Preferences

[coltonwheeler]

Thank you just curious do you know what is driving the tool order right now?

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

@coltonwheeler  The tools are renumbered in the order they appear in the library. As we implemented the development for re numbering development I missed the order by which they are used within an operation as the old library did. I apologise for this oversight and have positioned the task at the top of the backlog to be considered at the next planning meeting on the 7th July.

Thanks

Chris

[Luke.Hicks430]

Has anything come of this since the July 7th meeting?

Now that Fusion has fully switched over to the new tool library, being able to renumber tools according to their operation order is sorely missed.

I have a library of well over 100 tools that I choose from. My machine only has room for 20 tools (and only 20 offsets). I have had to make a program using 17 of those tools. As it stands, I have to manually edit each and every tool number into the correct order for my machine. I am just glad that I don't have renumber more tools.

Please make this a priority. I like change when it improves processes, but this has been a frustrating giant step back in efficiency.

[seth.madore]

The old Tool Library is still accessible in the Preferences > Preview Features, so you can turn that back on if you prefer.

And yeah, it's a rather large sticking point for me as well, as that's something I do on a daily basis in my shop.

[Anonymous]

I am having the identical problem that many people seem to be having with this new library, and frankly it all seems extremely silly to have removed this feature. However, that's not the point. Even when I switch back to the old tool library through the preview settings, I still am unable to renumbers the tools by their order of use. Fusion crashes every single time, the moment I hit "Ok" in the Renumber Tools Pop-up window. I even sent my document to my friend to have him try on his computer and his application crashes instantly as well. At first, I thought this may be due to file size, but I only have 20 tools in that file, so I'm not so sure what's causing the issue. I have attached the file below. Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[engineguy]

@Anonymous 

FWIW

Just for information, not suggesting that anyone should use the same system (Does require some Shop discipline!!) that I do but I don`t have the issue you are experiencing at all 🙂

See image below,a small example.

Coming from some other softwares that do things a bit differently I have used this system for a number of years, simple as possible so that I could keep track of all my tooling I gave every single tool in the shop it`s own specific allocated number at point of creation all in their own designated Type Library as in the image so when ever I want a tool I click on the Setup, then click on the type of tool required from the tools in that section and select the one I want from the list. So whenever I bought/had formed a new tool it was put into it`s correct type classification ready for selection when required, works for me 🙂 🙂 🙂

If I then wanted to re-number the 5 tools in the setup 1 through ** then that is just a simple normal re-number, but I prefer to just leave them as they come from the Libraries as above 🙂 🙂

Having "Hot Swap" ATCs for quite a while it is just a matter of chuck a tool in any "Pot" and tell the control that is the specific T# so when that T# appears in the code the machine the correct tool is used, I like things easy 🙂 🙂

Regards

Rob

[Anonymous]

I love that system and quite frankly, I would use it if I could. As a member of my university’s FSAE team, I share a machine with 2 other teams, so there’s no good way for us to all standardize our tooling, since each team has their own tools. I could setup T1-T10 on monday and by tuesday, T1-T10 could be totally different. At the end of each day, we’re also supposed to remove all our tools from the ATC. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[billB2FDG]

1.  I am having a terrible time with renumber tools.  It simply will not order and renumber the tools according to the milling process I have set up.  I final went to edit tool, Post Processor Tab, and physically changed the tool numbers there.  I can no longer revert to the old Tool Library, correct? 

2. Also, I had some tools saved for different S&F's; they are gone.  I had a lot of time invested.

3. Where is "remove unused tools" option?  Once in a while it shows up but still warns that the tools will be deleted from the library and will no longer be available.

Thank you in advance for your replies. 

[engineguy]

@billB2FDG 

Hmmm, not 100% sure just what you are trying to do, do you want the tools to be in the order of Operation, say you have 5 operations with the tool numbers as per their creation and instead of having jumbled numbers you want them to be 1 through 5 so your first operation then has T1, second T2 etc, etc ??

If so that does work, if you look at the image I uploaded earlier you can see that the Tools in the Setup match the tools in the Tool Library, if I want to do as above it is a simple "re-number tools" action and they will all have changed.

In the image above you can see the tools all match up in the Setup and the Library, if I click on the "Renumber Tools" icon up on the left you can see the Renumber Tools Dialog showing what the tools will change to if I click on the highlighted "Renumber" button at the bottom.

One other small thing, where you see the "Name" above the list of tools next to the "Settings Icon" if you click that more than once the tool order will change, usually three clicks will get the correct tool order as per the operations 🙂

If this is not what you want/need can you be a bit more specific and I am sure someone will be able to help you 🙂 🙂 🙂

Regards

Rob

[Anonymous]

Hi Rob,

That is exactly what I want. However, Fusion is not allowing me to renumber them as they are used in my program. Instead, it renumbers them as they are shown in the tool library, which is not the order that they are used in the program

[engineguy]

@erpwoodwork 

I am really puzzled, the order of your operations determines the tool order, in my image on previous post clearly shows the tools in the same order as the operations in the Setup, can be easily sorted by following the moves in the attached Screencast, it has Audio so have your sound on and follow the action on screen, I am assuming that you want the tools to start at T1 and go T2, T3, etc etc to be able to put them in the ATC in order and to have those numbers in your G Code ??

I am at a loss to see how this can be wrong ??

 

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

@engineguy @Anonymous The tool 're number as used' feature is currently being prioritised by the developers as it was omitted by myself when breaking down the renumbering functionality. I am aware that it is causing some issues to users and we hope to have this in a release soon. In the meantime thanks you @engineguy for offering a potential work around. I guess from your screencast that if you select the tools as you program you can re number by order but if you copy and paste tools into your set up then you lose that functionality.

Thanks

Chris

[engineguy]

@christopher.cooperVHK2N 

Chris, with respect what I have is not a "workaround" but the correct way that tooling selection/ordering/renumbering should be done.

I come from using several other CadCAM softwares over a number of years, I have always created/used Tool Type Libraries, Fusion does already have this facility where when creating an Operation I need a Flat End Mill I go to the Flat End Mill Type Library (Some are Sub split Rough/Finish) and select a tool for the job, a couple of clicks is all that is needed, copying and pasting tools back and forth usually ends up with a number of tools in the Main Library with the same tool number which then have to be altered to suit the job because you don`t want two tools with the same number but different Type/Size and if one "slips through the cracks" then there is a potential for serious problems at the CNC Machine !!

FWIW May I suggest that instead of trying to change something that works quite well the offending "copy/paste" be removed altogether and the Tool Library will then work correctly as I believe that there is no logical/safe reason for having that facility in the first place ??

Surely it has to be much easier/simpler that when a tool is required to just click the relevant Tool Type Library/select tool for job and it is done, no extra tool renumbering, no select and click to copy then go to another Setup and click to paste, too much time wasted there for me, I cannot think of a situation where I would ever want/need to copy/paste, that`s just "unatural" and dangerous to me 🙂 🙂

If a user then has to renumber tools because his/her CNC control doesn`t do "Hot Swap" and/or doesn`t have a big enough Library available in the control to cover the numbers required (Yes, I have had a few of those) and requires the tooling to be numbered T1 through "whatever" to match the "pots" in the ATC then you do already have that covered quite well 🙂

So, once again with respect I would like to put forward as a suggestion that the copy/paste function be removed completely.

This IMHO will bring down the Developement Time on the New Tool Library dramatically, instead of chasing a system to get it to work just remove the problem, now, that is a "workaround" for sure 🙂 🙂 🙂

Regards

Rob

[billB2FDG]

This is reassuring and the tip is helpful! Thank you, Chris!

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

@engineguy I should have chosen my words more carefully. I meant no offence.

I completely understand how you control your tool numbers through your workflow.

Thanks for your feedback!

Chris

[engineguy]

@christopher.cooperVHK2N 

Chris. no offence taken, I was also trying not to offend, just that I come from the days of the Toolroom boys setting up a set of tools for each job, with all the lengths/diameters checked and logged on each machine with every tool in the entire shop having it`s own individual ID so it`s use could be tracked through from purchase to being weighed in at the end of it`s life 🙂 🙂

So you can see why I find it hard to understand some other folks way of working that may not be "best practice" in my mind and then blame the "tool" (Fusion in this case) for not working the way they think it should work 😞 😞 😞

Which is why I have the workflow I do, I even bought a lot of years ago a small Laser that I used to ID every tool and tool holder, I even built a small fixture for it and fitted a Magnetic base so it could be stuck on the side of a spindle to check "run out", it worked for me for nearly 18 years till I sold it on a few years ago when I downsized the shop to pretty much a "glorified hobby", the buyer had been pestering me for years to sell it to him and eventually made me an offer I couldn`t refuse 🙂 🙂 🙂

I`ll just stick to my method thanks and hope that some of my ramblings might create a spark in the gloom 🙂 🙂 🙂

Regards

Rob

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

@engineguy @coltonwheeler @billB2FDG @Anonymous @seth.madore 

Hello all, just wanted to inform you that the 're number tool by order used' has been completed by the development team and is in the latest update. Thank you for your patience with this and keep the comments coming!

Thanks

Chris

[seth.madore]