Copy of Tool Usages Tab
- Kevin Strider (Unlicensed)
The Tool Usages table is your go-to tool for checking the suitability of the selected ‘Tool Library’ (the *.TOOLDB file), and controlling the use of the tools within that library, for use with CAM Assist.
Intelligent reporting
CAM Assist populates the Tool Usages table with a list of all tools in the selected ‘Tool library’ (see the General Tab). It does so using the following columns:
Tool Summary - a summary of the tool’s parameters to enable easy identification.
Allowed Materials - uses a 4-state button for the ‘Stock material’ (see 4-state buttons, below).
Allowed Usages - uses a 4-state button for each relevant operation (see 4-state buttons, below).
Status - reports any identified Tool Manager configuration issues (see ‘Status’ column, below).
Each of the 4-state buttons has the following features:
Tooltip - hover over the button to see an informative tooltip.
Abbreviation - for an explanation of the abbreviation, see the button's tooltip or refer to the pages Supported Materials and Supported Operations.
4-state buttons
The Tool Usages table uses 4-state buttons to report how the tools in the selected ‘Tool library’ will be used by CAM Assist.
‘Allowed Materials’ column
The following table shows the shows how the 4-state button is used in the ‘Allowed Materials’ column.
State | Border | Color | Tooltip (hover over the button) |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Blue - CAM Assist has found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific material. | Green - CAM Assist is ‘allowed’ to compute toolpath strategies using this tool | Lists all matched Tool Manager Cut Parameters for the tool that can be used on the 'Allowed materials’. |
No border - CAM Assist has not found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific material. | Green - CAM Assist is ‘allowed’ to compute toolpath strategies using this tool | “No matching presets” | |
Blue - CAM Assist has found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific material. | Grey - CAM Assist is not allowed to compute toolpath strategies using this tool. | “This tool will not be used for the [material]” | |
No border - CAM Assist has not found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific material. | Grey - CAM Assist is not allowed to compute toolpath strategies using this tool. | “This tool will not be used for the [material]” |
‘Allowed Usages’ column
The following table shows the shows how the 4-state button is used in the ‘Allowed Usages’ column.
State | Border | Color | Tooltip |
|---|---|---|---|
Blue - CAM Assist has found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific usage/operation. | Green - CAM Assist is ‘allowed’ to compute toolpath strategies using this operation for the associated tool. | Lists the matched Tool Manager Cut Parameters for the operation that can be used on the selected ‘Stock material’. | |
| No border - CAM Assist has not found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific usage/operation. | Green - CAM Assist is ‘allowed’ to compute toolpath strategies using this operation for the associated tool. | “No matching presets” |
Blue - CAM Assist has found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific usage/operation. | Grey - CAM Assist is not allowed to compute toolpath strategies using this tool. | “This tool will not be used for the [operation]” | |
No border - CAM Assist has not found Cut Parameters for the tool for the specific usage/operation. | Grey - CAM Assist is not allowed to compute toolpath strategies using this tool. | “This tool will not be used for the [operation]” |
‘Status’ column
If CAM Assist has identified a Tool Manager configuration issue for the tool, an orange exclamation icon is displayed.
Hovering over that icon displays details of the configuration issue.
An alert in the Status column is for your information only: CAM Assist will overcome related issues with an ‘intelligent’ action.
Filtering the Tool Usages table
The tools that are displayed in the Tool Usages table can be filtered using the ‘Filter’ textbox (just above the ‘Tool Summary’ column).
The list of tools is filtered as you type into the filter’s textbox.
Filter options
Any of the following options can be used for the ‘Filter’:
Filter by tool number:
In the Filter, enter ‘22112’ and only that tool will be displayed.
Enter ‘221’ and all tool numbers that contain ‘221’ will be displayed.
Filter by tool type:
Enter ‘Bull nose end mill’ and only that tool of that type will be displayed.
Filter by tool diameter
Example: enter ‘0.24’ and only tools with that diameter will be displayed.