Efficient tool management in machining of high-temperature alloys

On 30 March 2023, this event took place at the southern Hessian plant and tool manufacturer AWB GmbH und Co KG in Lampertheim. The topic was the “EnterPrise Project”, a joint project of the consortium partners KOPP Schleiftechnik (tool supplier), UHP Software (IT service provider) and the MiP research group of the PTW Institute (PTW Institute for Production Management, Technology and Tooling Machines), which focused on how to better manage tools in a company by using technology to predict their useful life. The exact timing of tool changes is particularly important in the machining and processing of high-temperature alloys such as nickel-based alloys, titanium or iron aluminides, which are used in power plant construction or in the aerospace environment for example. Thus, the aim of the project was to improve tool management and the associated processes at AWB by using software to track the paths of the tools and predict their useful life.

The event included presentations on various topics such as choosing the proper technology to mark tools to make them easier to track on the shop floor, presenting a tool tracking solution to avoid problems with too many tools and high search times, the possibility of predicting the useful life of tools with machine learning (AI) and developing software to manage the tool cycle from storage to disposal.

The event consisted of three parts: a presentation, a demonstration of the developed solution and the opportunity for networking and exchange. Participants were able to share their experiences and identify and discuss common problems in digitisation.