Tool database

Use the Database item to search for a tool that you want to use in your current PowerMill project. Reusing an existing tool can help you save time.

Click Home tab > Tool panel > Database to display the Tool Database Search dialog.

The options on the dialog are grouped by type:

Search Settings — Use the Search Settings to enter the search criteria necessary to find the required tool or tools. You can select a tool by entering search criteria in any number of the fields (or, entering no search criteria, to display the whole database for the selected tool type), and then clicking the Search button.

• Name — Enter a name to search the tool database
• Search String — Enter characters you are looking for in the Tool Name.
• Search Mode — Select an option to define how the characters in the Name field are searched.
  • Equals — The Tool Name only contains the characters in the Name field.
  • Like — The Tool Name contains some of the characters in the Name field.
• Diameter — Select to search for a tool by diameter. Enter values in the Min and Max fields to narrow the search.
• Length — Select to search for a tool by length. Enter values in the Min and Max fields to narrow the search.
• Tip Radius — Select to search for a tool by tip radius. Enter values in the Min and Max fields to narrow the search.
• Type — Select a tool type from the list to search for the selected tool type only. By default the PowerMill searches for all tool types .
• Flutes — Select to search for a tool by number of flutes. Enter the number of flutes the tool is required to have.
• Tool Family — Select to search for a tool by tool family. Select the tool family from the list or create a new tool family by selecting .
  • Delete Tool Family — Click to delete the tool family selected in the Tool Family list.
  • Rename Tool Family — Click to rename the tool family selected in the Tool Family list.

  For a tool to use a different set of (existing) cutting data, you need to respecify the tool family on the Cutting data tab. You cannot use the rename option.

• Tool Tags — Click to enable you to search the tool database with tool tags. Use one of the following options:
  • Tool tag field — Enter the name of the tool tag that you want to search for.
  • Select tags— Click to select a tool tag from the database.
• Use Stock Material — Select to search by the currently selected stock material.
• Search — Click to search the database.
• Reset — Click to reset the search criteria.

Stock Material — Use the Stock Material options to specify the stock material. The stock material displayed here is the material that is associated with any new tool created in PowerMill, whether it be from the tool database or otherwise. If the tool is created from the database, it inherits any cutting data that exists for that tool and stock material combination in the database.

• — Select an existing stock material from the list.
• New Stock Material — Select to create a new stock material. This displays the New Stock Material Name dialog.
• Delete Stock Material — Click to delete the stock material selected in the Stock Material list.
• Rename Stock Material — Click to rename the stock material selected in the Stock Material list.

Holder — Use the Holder options to search for a tool holder and apply the selected holder to the specified tool.

• Load Holder Options — Choose how to select the holder from the database.
• Tool's Holder — Select to import a tool assembly and its holder.
• No Holder — Select to import a tool assembly without its holder.
• Specified Holder — Select to import a tool assembly with the holder of a different (specified) tool assembly. Uses the holder specified in Select the Holder.
• Select the Holder — Select a holder from the database and apply it to the specified tool.

Search Results — The Search Results table displays all the tools in the database that meet your search criteria.

• Tool List — Displays all tools that meet the search criteria. It also gives details of tool dimensions and connection types.
• — The field displays the number of tools found.
• Select All Search Results — Click to select all listed tools. This is useful if you want to create more than one tool in one go.
• Deselect All Search Results — Click to deselect all selected tools.
• Edit — Click to display the Edit Database Tools dialog.
• Delete — Click to delete the selected tools.
• Create Tools — Click to create the selected tools. This adds the newly created tools to the Explorer.
• — The field displays the tool database that is being searched. To change the current Tool Database click .

Tool Assembly Preview pane — The pane displays the selected tool, tip, shank, and holder.

Options for Tool Database — Click to display the options for the Tool Database.

Note: If a PowerMill Error is displayed, reporting that there is no connection to the database, you must register the Tool Database Server.