Overview

Tooling Metrics is a tool management platform for machining shops. Our solutions provide you with a central cloud-based database, accessible anytime and anywhere, allowing you to complete any job in the tool flow easily, quickly, and efficiently using just a web browser. By leveraging digital twin and digital thread technology for machine shops, you can automate and optimize your machining process to boost productivity and reliability while reducing waste.

Using Tooling Metrics doesn’t change your company’s process but transforms how your team handles daily tasks.

• For example, CNC programmers no longer need to manually send tool lists to the purchasing department, as all tooling product data is shared within your team through a central library.
• Instead of manually entering and submitting purchase or quote requests to vendors, purchasers can focus on more valuable activities, such as reviewing order rules to ensure the right supplies arrive faster while preventing stock shortages. Automatic purchase runs at scheduled intervals generate all necessary purchase requests.
• Operators no longer have to search everywhere—but nowhere—for the tools needed to set up a job. Instead, they can quickly find exactly what they need, with all technical parameters verified by a digital twin in Tooling Metrics. The system then provides guidance on where to pick up the tool—whether inside or outside the warehouse.

In this section, we will get an overview of the tool flow and see how Tooling Metrics enables a more productive and reliable machining process. If you prefer a hands on approach first, you can jump to our quickstart guide.

The Digital Tool Flow

Process Design

In the process design and planning stage, CNC programmers and process engineers design and document the manufacturing process. Tooling Metrics helps engineers create an optimal process and document the results, providing their teammates on the shop floor with detailed instructions to produce the part.

Part Management

With Tooling Metrics, engineers start by creating a Part, entering its number and name, and attaching the drawing or 3D model if available. They can also assign a specific Material to the part from Tooling Metrics’ extensive Material database in the Library module or create a custom material specific to their organization.

The manufacturing process can then be documented by creating a new Job and selecting the Machine that will perform the Operations. For each operation, engineers select the Tool Assembly and define a Cutting Data set.

Tool Library

CNC programmers can quickly select one from the list of available tool assemblies in the company wide Tool Library, or build a new complete assembly from the Product library with confidence, ensuring compatibility across multiple manufacturers using our automatic matching connection code. Additionally, they can filter products to display only those available in the company’s inventory, or filtering what products or tool assemblies can be fit on machine by setting up connection code for the machine spindle/turrets.

The Product Library allows users to create custom tooling products using data provided by manufacturers, such as images, ISO 13399 .p21 files, 2D drawings, and 3D models. Bulk imports are supported via GTC Packages, which can be obtained from tooling vendors, external tool databases, or other tool management systems.

For the benefit of the entire machinist community, tool manufacturers can list their products in Tooling Metrics, making them available to all users. This allows manufacturers to introduce new and improved products, announce replacements, and ensure seamless transitions for users—making upgrades faster, easier, and more efficient.

Cutting Data Optimization

Cutting data is one of a valuable asset of a machining workshop. The suitable cutting parameters significant impact machining quality and performance. By centralizing the tool library, Tooling Metrics enables continuous optimization of cutting data for specific workpiece materials, operations, tools, and machines.

Building a centralized machining knowledge repository enhances engineering expertise and simplifies training for new employees. Our Machining Calculator helps machinists calculate cutting data, estimate cutting results, plan tooling requirements, and optimize machining resources.

Process Designer

Machining operations can be created manually using the Process Designer inside a Job. Engineers can also group multiple jobs into a Project, enabling them to design multi-part setups on the same machine or create entire transfer lines involving multiple machines for a single part.

By integrating CAM software with Tooling Metrics, engineers can eliminate manual data entry—automating export part details (name, number, 3D model) transfer from CAM software, importing tool libraries and cutting data, and exporting machining operations back into Tooling Metrics. Go to CAM Connect to download and install ToolingMetrics Connect for supported CAM software.

Project and Setup Sheet

Once the manufacturing process is finalized, engineers can release a job or an entire project for peer review and approval. This improves communication between engineering and purchasing teams, ensuring accurate tooling requirements and planning.

By documenting the manufacturing process this way, users can generate a Setup Sheet for each job or project. This setup sheet provides comprehensive, step-by-step instructions, helping shop floor personnel set up jobs more precisely, efficiently, and enjoyably. We will take a close look later in the Machining stage.

Purchase

Tooling products account for only a small percentage of total production costs, but they have a significant impact on production quality and productivity. Our approach to purchasing emphasizes automation and interoperability. As a comprehensive tool management solution, Tooling Metrics treats tooling items as first-class assets, ensuring full traceability and management throughout their lifecycle—including procurement, usage, and even service orders for maintenance and reconditioning.

Managing your Vendors and Manufacturers

In Tooling Metrics, your sourcing partners include both Vendors, who supply products, and Manufacturers, who produce them. When purchasers receive tooling requirements, they have access to the same comprehensive product data as process engineers—eliminating the need for redundant manual entry. The same structured data is also use by vendors and manufacturers.

Since all parties involved in purchasing share a common data standard, powered by ISO 13399 and the Generic Tool Catalog, sourcing becomes faster and more reliable. This seamless interoperability accelerates the entire process, from sending accurate and complete RFQs to automating procurement and goods handling.

Automatic Purchase design for Tooling Products

When the engineering department approves the project or jobs. Tooling Metrics automatically checks inventory levels and syncs the required products with the company’s Items database. This shifts purchasing from manual data entry, and request drafting to defining Order Rules that ensure the right tools are always available—preventing both shortages and excess stock.

Purchasers can define order rules by specifying the item, its Storage Location in the warehouse, and required stock quantities. The Inventory Scheduler then runs at scheduled intervals to automatically generate and update purchase requests. Order rules can also specify the item conditions, allowing the system to automatically handle regrinding, calibration, or maintenance for solid cutting tool or calibrate a micrometer at specific period.

Purchasers can send the draft Purchase Request to the vendor directly within Tooling Metrics for confirmation. They have all the information needed for proactive procurement expediting—from an overview of purchase order status, ordered amounts, and expected delivery dates to order quantities down to every single order line.

Integrated Purchase and Inventory System

When an order is confirmed, the Purchase Receipt and Purchase Restock are generated automatically, helping the inventory controller quickly and accurately process goods receipts from vendors and restock them into the warehouse, with the exact location indicated by the order rules—thanks to the warehouse digital twin inside Tooling Metrics.

Inventory

The Tooling Metrics inventory system is not just a forecastable system in real-time—it’s a digital twin of your entire warehouse. You build this twin by grouping all Storage Devices into multiple Warehouse Access Points based on their accessible locations in your Workshop. When you’re in the workshop, this is a device running our ToolingMetrics WAP application, where inventory operations can be performed.

A Warehouse Digital Twin

A storage device consists of multiple Storage Modules, and each module can be further divided into Storage Locations, both logically and physically. For example, a cabinet has a number of drawers (the modules), and each drawer is divided into compartments (the storage locations). By assigning each storage location an address, dimensions, and position, you get a complete picture of your warehouse structure. Tooling Metrics uses this configuration to generate a 3D model of your warehouse.

Once the warehouse is well-defined in Tooling Metrics, the inventory controller can create an Inventory Adjustment for the initial inventory by counting physical item quantities and assigning their cost values.

Tooling Metrics supports all kinds of inventory operations:

• Purchase Receipt and Purchase Return are used to record goods received from vendors or returned to them.
• Service Pick guides you in picking serviceable items to send to vendors after a Service Order is confirmed.
• Return Pick is used to remove goods from the warehouse in preparation for a purchase return.
• Purchase Restock records restocking activity after a purchase receipt is completed. All of the above operations can be generated with just a few clicks from the Purchase Order, and all moved quantities automatically update the ordering quantities in the Order Lines without manual recalculations.
• Inventory Adjustment is created when performing a physical count.
• Pick List records items taken from the warehouse for use in a machine by operators, while Return List helps them return used items to the warehouse after a job is completed. Operators create a Scrap List when an item needs to be discarded.
• Tooling Metrics also supports inter-warehouse Transfers, with both the source location pick and destination location restock being recorded.

Depending on the Move Line status, on-hand and forecast quantities will reflect demand and reserved quantities, giving you both real-time physical and forecasted inventory levels. Unlike conventional inventory systems, Tooling Metrics also tracks the in circulation quantity—items that have been picked for use on machines.

Tooling Metrics is a fully transparent, trackable, and traceable system:

• Get the current Locations of items and serialized items, whether stored in warehouse locations or in use on machines and tools.
• Moves History records all inventory movements of tools, items, and serialized items.
• Usage History displays all usage cost values automatically allocate and post when an item is used on a machine, using its own cost allocation method or that of its Category.
• Tool Life allows operators to track the lifespan of cutting edge items, monitor remaining tool life, and receive warnings when a cutting edge needs to be replaced or indexed.
• Serialized Items is an option that assigns each individual physical item a serial number, enabling tracking of its location, condition, cost value, service information, move history, usage history, and tool life throughout its entire lifecycle. Cutting tool manufacturers have started printing data matrix codes on each piece they produce, making the serialization process even easier.

A Self-Service Inventory System

Maintaining a precise, reliable, and up-to-date inventory system takes effort and discipline. With Tooling Metrics, your team can focus on their daily tasks without being interrupted by administrative burdens. Our goal is to provide the tools and guidance needed to set up and run a fully self-service inventory system. That way, everyone in your team can perform inventory operations efficiently.

Stock Rules and Automatic Purchase help maintain a well-organized warehouse by automatically drafting necessary stock movements, ensuring the right tool is in the right place at the right time, with the correct quantity and condition for each job. Setting up and maintaining these rules helps you optimize storage space, processing time, and inventory valuation.

• Organizing based on item conditions ensures you not only place the right item in the right storage location but also match the correct condition to machining job requirements while reducing waste. Stock rules help prevent mistakes and eliminate reliance on memory.
• Refurbishing serviceable serialized items can be automated using service thresholds. The system triggers service requests based on usage cycles, usage time, usage cost, or remaining cost.

Assembly

A Tool Assembly is the tool’s digital master, defining all its properties as designed, but it does not contain data from its actual usage. A Tool is the digital twin of its physical counterpart on the shop floor. It inherits all designed data from the digital master and continuously gathers data throughout its lifecycle when being used on the shop floor.

Tool Digital Twin

When an operator needs a tool for a job, the job setup sheet lists the Tools List—all its physical counterparts, whether in a warehouse location or a machine tool crib. Since they all refer to the same tool assembly in the job’s operation, the operator can also refer to the Bill of Materials—a list of items with detailed required quantities, inventory on hand, and forecasted quantities.

If the operator needs to assemble a new tool, they start by creating a new Tool in Tooling Metrics. By selecting a specific tool assembly from the library, they can generate a Pick List with a single button click. This Pick List contains information about the required items, their quantities, and where to pick them up. The warehouse digital twin and its digital master provide operators with step-by-step guidance, enabling them to complete the task in just a few minutes.

A tool tag can be printed with a unique Tool ID for easy identification and a barcode/data matrix code of the Tool UUID for machine-readable tracking.

• Tools can be transferred from the WAP Tool Station to a machine using Tool Transfer, returned to a storage location with a Return List, or moved with a Pick List or Transfer, just like any other inventory item. All movements are recorded in Move History, and the last known location is tracked.
• Setting the tool’s life limit allows getting remaining life, as well as tracking of usage life, and cutting edge condition. Tool lifetime data provides real performance insights, down to individual cutting edges.
• When items are picked for assembly or disassembled for return to the warehouse, these movements are recorded in Assembly History, just like other stock movements.
• The tool’s Usage History provides insights into how and where the tool is actually being used in machines.

In-machining

In Tooling Metrics, tools checked into a machine can be assigned to a specific slot number according to their position. This ensures operators always know where each tool is located in the machine’s tool magazine and helps CAM programmers generate ready-to-run NC programs by renumbering tools based on those available in the machine tool crib. This speeds up job setup, prevents tool number conflicts, and avoids unnecessary relocations.

Operators can manually update tool life data whenever appropriate, such as after completing their work shift or when returning tools from machines to the warehouse location.

All of this enables tools to be shared between machines, reducing the required inventory while maintaining availability. Operators can proactively prepare and set up new jobs or a sister tool while the machine spindle is running, significantly reducing setup time and increasing the machine’s OEE.

Machining Analysis

While the production team gets the guidance to accomplish their tasks with Tooling Metrics, tool data is automatically captured across the lifecycle. The data can be analyzed in real time with just a few clicks using various Dashboard templates, or you can design your own by laying out a combination of different Widgets.

Dashboard

A Dashboard is a collection of widgets. You can fully customize it by defining the data source, filtering a particular data set of interest, and choosing how the data is aggregated. Widgets also allow configuration of how the processed data is sorted and presented in different display sizes and types, such as metric, table, and various chart types.

This powerful analytics engine enables you to measure and benchmark the key production indicators that matter to your workshop. Dashboards can be designed to provide personalized insights for each user. By setting a dashboard as the default home screen upon login, users can proactively and timely accomplish their required tasks.

Tool Cost Analysis

Whenever an item is checked out for machine usage, there may be a need to allocate the item’s inventory cost to production costs. Tooling Metrics allows you to define a cost allocation method for each item, or for all items within the same categorized structures. The usage cost will be posted automatically when the item is picked—either directly or through a tool containing it—for use in a machine.

Tooling Metrics provides a comprehensive tool cost report. Usage cost values can be grouped by item, usage date, user, or machine. This gives you insight into what tools were used, when, by whom, and how, and helps you determine the precise cost-per-piece for individual customers, parts, and work orders. This enables deeper insight into how to maximize your organization’s profitability.

Tool Life Analysis

Item lifetime is recorded by its serialized items and the tools holding them, allowing you to understand not only the overall performance, but also its stability and variability. Having access to this precise tool life data enables accurate benchmarking for productivity and cost improvement projects.

Inventory Analysis

With Tooling Metrics, you can gain a clearer picture of your tooling inventory valuation. It provides insight into both inventory valuation and incirculation valuation—the total value of items that have been picked for use in tools or machines. Valuation can be grouped by categories, vendors, storage devices, machines, or warehouses, and displayed in either actionable tables or informative charts.

Administration

Tooling Metrics is fully flexible and can be configured to support your team in completing tasks, not add a new layer of complexity. For example, you can restrict how stock moves based on item conditions and stock rules, ensuring a highly organized inventory system once everything is stable and the rules are fully set. However, in the beginning, a better approach might be to loosen the rules.

Member Privileges

Controlling user privileges is intuitive. The administrator creates Groups with any combination of permission levels for each document type, such as Admin, Manager, User, and Viewer. Each user can then be granted permissions by being assigned to one or multiple groups.

Technical Settings

Tooling Metrics supports multiple Units of Measure, allowing you to configure item inventory and purchases in different units. You can also set up multiple Currencies to issue orders in different currencies rather than just your base currency.

Each document in your organization has a unique identifier, which can be generated automatically using Sequences. The organization administrator can easily customize these to match your organization’s numbering practices.

Document History

Each document has its own change history, which automatically tracks who made changes and when. Team members can collaborate by leaving Comments directly within the document. Comments provide a centralized way to discuss updates, ask for clarifications, and resolve issues without relying on external emails or messaging apps. This improves tracking by maintaining a clear history of changes and discussions, ensuring transparency and accountability. With all communication kept in context, collaboration becomes more efficient, and information is always accessible when needed.

A cloud-based Platform

As a cloud-based software, Tooling Metrics helps your organization save costs and simplify system management without the need for a dedicated IT team. With automatic updates and maintenance, you always have access to the latest version without worrying about installation or software upkeep. Additionally, Tooling Metrics enables flexible access from anywhere, allowing your team to work efficiently without relying on internal systems.

Its scalability also allows businesses to easily adjust usage based on demand, optimizing performance without incurring unnecessary costs. Furthermore, Tooling Metrics supports seamless API integration, enabling your organization to connect with existing business systems effortlessly. This enhances workflow automation, improves data synchronization, and ensures a more efficient and connected digital ecosystem.

Summary

Tooling Metrics delivers real-time, automated tool management, driving cost reductions, efficiency gains, and enhanced quality

Key benefits include:

• Faster setup & execution – Centralized tool library, proactive planning, digital twin warehouse, and digital setup sheet cut time from CAD to part.
• Higher quality & consistency – Optimized cutting parameters, error prevention, and tool life monitoring ensure a stable and secure machining processes.
• Boosted productivity – Automated workflows, paperless processes, and digital wit minimize downtime.
• Lower costs – Extended tool life, reduced inventory waste, and optimized cutting data lower cost-per-piece.
• Smarter, easier work – Intuitive access, guided workflows, and digital automation simplify tasks.
• Sustainable growth – Data-driven decisions and centralized machining knowledge enhance long-term competitiveness. proactive planning and continuous process improvement

In the following page, we will introduce you to the Tooling Metrics interface, familiarizing you with its basic elements before you begin hands-on a demo project.