A tool insert for a machine, in particular a cutting, punching and/or folding machine, is disclosed. The tool insert (24) has an identification element (38) comprising tool information about the type of the tool insert (24) and/or about the area of application of the tool insert (24). The identification element (38) is machine-readable such that the tool information is transmitted to the machine when the machine reads out the identification element. Further, a machine, a machine system and a method for operating a machine are disclosed.

A numerical control device is intended for a machine tool that machines a workpiece using a multi-edge tool including a plurality of edges of different specifications, the numerical control device including: a tool information memory that stores edge type numbers in association with tool type numbers; a tool type-edge type selection command decoding unit that prefetches a plurality of blocks of a machining program, decodes a tool type selection command for selecting one of the tool types and/or an edge type selection command for selecting one of the edge types in the plurality of prefetched blocks, and generates internal information including the tool type selection command and/or the edge type selection command that have been decoded; and a tool selection unit that selects one tool with which the number of times of tool replacement is minimized during execution of at least the plurality of prefetched blocks.

A numerical control device is intended for a machine tool that machines a workpiece using a multi-edge tool including a plurality of edges of different specifications, the numerical control device including: a tool information memory that stores edge type numbers in association with tool type numbers; a tool type-edge type selection command decoding unit that prefetches a plurality of blocks of a machining program, decodes a tool type selection command for selecting one of the tool types and/or an edge type selection command for selecting one of the edge types in the plurality of prefetched blocks, and generates internal information including the tool type selection command and/or the edge type selection command that have been decoded; and a tool selection unit that selects one tool with which the number of times of tool replacement is minimized during execution of at least the plurality of prefetched blocks.

To efficiently estimate and detect a tool life of a machine tool while lowering an occupation ratio in a data band of a communication line between a machine tool and an upper-level controller, a management apparatus or the like. A machine tool to be managed by a production management apparatus includes a motor for moving one of a workpiece to be machined and a tool for performing a machining operation, an amplifier for driving the motor, a servo controller for controlling the motor via the amplifier based on a notification of a predetermined machining operation, and an NC device for notifying the servo controller of the predetermined machining operation. The servo controller obtains servo data representing a load on the amplifier, performs a first processing for compressing the servo data, and transmits the compressed data to the NC device.

A numerical controller determines a consumption factor representing the degree to which a tool included in a machine tool consumes the life in association with machining conditions, and calculates a tool life (accumulated consumption life) consumed before each block based on the determined consumption factor and a tool usage for each block. If a command of a block read from a machining program is a tool change command, a tool having a tool life not ending before the next tool change command is selected among tools based on the accumulated consumption life.

A tool management system of machine tools includes a reader, a receiver, a storage unit, a processor and a control unit. The reader is configured for reading at least one category parameter of the tool according to a tool index code of the tool. The receiver is configured for receiving real-time process information of the tool with a preset periodicity. The storage unit is configured for storing the tool index code, the category parameter, and the real-time process information. The processor is configured for processing a weighting algorithm to obtain a result according to the category parameter and the real-time process information. The control unit is configured for sending a control instruction according to the result.

To efficiently estimate and detect a tool life of a machine tool while lowering an occupation ratio in a data band of a communication line between a machine tool and an upper-level controller, a management apparatus or the like. A machine tool to be managed by a production management apparatus includes a motor for moving one of a workpiece to be machined and a tool for performing a machining operation, an amplifier for driving the motor, a servo controller for controlling the motor via the amplifier based on a notification of a predetermined machining operation, and an NC device for notifying the servo controller of the predetermined machining operation. The servo controller obtains servo data representing a load on the amplifier, performs a first processing for compressing the servo data, and transmits the compressed data to the NC device.

A tool management system of machine tools includes a reader, a receiver, a storage unit, a processor and a control unit. The reader is configured for reading at least one category parameter of the tool according to a tool index code of the tool. The receiver is configured for receiving real-time process information of the tool with a preset periodicity. The storage unit is configured for storing the tool index code, the category parameter, and the real-time process information. The processor is configured for processing a weighting algorithm to obtain a result according to the category parameter and the real-time process information. The control unit is configured for sending a control instruction according to the result.

A disclosed machining environment support system that provides a customer with suitability evaluation information regarding working machines and tools, with respect to a workpiece, the machining environment support system including: an input processing unit that inputs processing information regarding the workpiece; a selection processing unit that extracts working machines and tools suited to the processing information from a database and displays the same on a display unit in a selectable manner; and an output processing unit that generates and outputs the suitability evaluation information regarding the working machines and tools, based on the result of processing the workpiece using the selected working machines and tools based on the processing information. The selection processing unit is configured to display the working machines and tools determined as being owned by the customer based on attribute information registered in the database as well as the working machines and tools determined as not being owned by the customer, on the display unit in a selectable manner.