Tooling Shop
Three Biggest Operational Challenges in the Tooling Shop
Untracked or Poorly Managed Tool Usage and Maintenance
Tools get worn, misplaced, or used past their maintenance interval due to lack of visibility or tracking, impacting product quality and machine uptime.
Manual, Fragmented Processes for Tool Design and Workflows
Tool design changes, job statuses, or repair requests are often communicated via paper, emails, or disconnected systems—causing delays and errors.
Limited Traceability and Tool History
Without digital records, it's difficult to trace tool lifecycle (manufacture, modification, usage, repair), limiting insights into performance, failure root causes, or cost per tool.
Key Personas Involved in the Tooling Shop
Phil, the Production Engineer
Designs tools in CAD, reviews customer or production requirements, manages revisions, and supports manufacturability and quality.
Pete the Production Manager
Coordinates tool readiness with production plans, flags critical tools for pre-staging or preventive maintenance.
Quincy the Quality Engineer
Inspects finished tools, validates tolerances, and investigates tool-related production issues or failures.
Five High-Value Use Cases for MBrain and Mint
1. Use Case: Tool Lifecycle Tracking and Digital Tool Passports
Challenge: There’s no clear digital record of each tool’s manufacturing, modification, usage, and maintenance history.
How MBrain + Mint helps:
MBrain assigns each tool a unique digital ID ("passport") logging every machining, repair, inspection, and use event.
Mint integrates tool records with MES/ERP for traceability across work orders and production batches.
Benefit: End-to-end traceability of every tool and fixture—supporting root cause analysis, warranty investigations, and better planning.
2. Use Case: Tool Maintenance and Calibration Alerts
Challenge: Tools go out of spec or fail unexpectedly due to missed maintenance or calibration intervals.
How MBrain + Mint helps:
MBrain sets up usage-based or time-based maintenance schedules and alerts technicians before thresholds are hit.
Mint integrates these intervals with CMMS and usage logs from machines or ERP.
Benefit: Improved tool reliability, reduced machine downtime, and compliance with calibration standards.
3. Use Case: Digital Job Instructions and Drawings at the Workbench
Challenge: Toolmakers waste time searching for the right paper drawings or outdated job cards.
How MBrain + Mint helps:
MBrain provides toolmakers with digital access to up-to-date instructions, 3D CAD files, and part programs.
Mint syncs design files and tool specs directly from PLM or CAD vault systems.
Benefit: Faster setups, fewer errors, and reduced time spent searching or reworking tools due to outdated info.
4. Use Case: Prioritized Tool Repair Queue with Live Status
Challenge: Urgent repairs get stuck in the backlog due to poor communication and unclear priorities.
How MBrain + Mint helps:
MBrain displays a real-time, visual repair queue showing tool condition, urgency level, and progress.
Mint syncs requests from production or MES to help planners prioritize tools needed for upcoming jobs.
Benefit: Faster tool turnaround, better alignment with production schedules, and less disruption on the shop floor.
5. Use Case: Tool Cost and Usage Analytics
Challenge: No insight into which tools are most used, costly, or prone to failure—limiting decisions on redesign, outsourcing, or inventory stocking.
How MBrain + Mint helps:
MBrain captures tool usage, downtime due to tool issues, and repair frequency.
Mint aggregates this data into analytics dashboards integrated with ERP or BI systems.
Benefit: Data-driven decisions about tooling design improvements, lifecycle costs, and supplier performance.