Modular tooling and Quick change tooling – what is the difference ?
The terms modular and quick change are often confused.
1. Modular tooling may not have any capability for quick change.
2. Quick change tooling on the other hand is always modular.
On machining centers, a modular tooling system is more important than quick change tooling systems. This is because tool setup is done offline, on tool pre-setters. You are not bothered so much about the time of changing tools because there is no machine down time involved in this for getting tool offsets. However, the variety of tools and applications tends to be very large. You need flexibility and the ability to build your own tools. Modular tooling has a common set of building blocks that enable you to build multiple tools for different applications and of different lengths. This reduces the cost of tooling, and the lead time to make special-purpose tool holders.
On lathes, a Quick change tool holder system is very important in reducing machine downtime time for setup changes and for changing worn inserts. Each setup would normally involve fine tuning tool offsets by taking trial cuts, often with the offsets adjusted to leave more material on the part so it does not get scrapped. This is eliminated with quick change tooling. Changing worn out inserts too would normally consume time, both for changing the insert and possibly getting tool offsets again. With quick change tooling you just keep standby heads ready with the insert clamped, and just replace the whole head.
Text source: Cadem NCyclopedia multimedia CNC training software.
