Case Study: Shaving 40% Off Tool Changeover in a High-Mix Mold Shop
A regional mold shop contacted Tooling Components with a familiar complaint: "We spend more time changing tools than cutting metal." Their high-mix, low-volume schedule meant every job required a different cutter lineup, and every changeover meant a trip to the tool crib, a re-setup, and a trial cut to verify. Total changeover time was eating nearly a full shift per week across the shop floor.
The Challenge
The shop ran 12 CNC mills on a mix of P-20, H-13, and stainless jobs. Each job change required swapping end mills, drills, and taps — many of which were stored in drawers with no organization, no standard, and no presetting. Machinists were re-dialing tool lengths by eye, and scrap from "close enough" setups was a monthly line item nobody wanted to talk about.
The Solution
Working with our team, the shop implemented a three-part standard:
- Standardized tool kits per job family. Instead of "whatever is in the drawer," each job family got a documented kit list — the exact end mills, drills, and taps the job needs, stocked together and replenished on a schedule.
- Preset tooling. Tool lengths and offsets are now set before the job reaches the machine, using a simple presetter. Machinists load preset tools instead of measuring on the machine.
- Consolidated cutting tool supply. One distributor, one catalog of record, and standard part numbers for every tool in every kit — no more chasing three different suppliers for one job.
The Result
- Changeover time down roughly 40% — from an average of 45 minutes to under 25 minutes per job change.
- First-part scrap cut by more than half as preset tooling eliminated the "measure and hope" step.
- Machine utilization up ~15% across the 12-machine fleet, worth real dollars per week in a busy shop.
- Tool crib inventory reduced — the kit standard exposed ~30% of stocked cutters that were duplicates or orphans.
The Takeaway
None of this required new machines. It required a standard, presetting discipline, and a supply chain that could be trusted to stock the right tools consistently. In a high-mix shop, organization is a capacity lever — and it is cheaper than any spindle upgrade.
Related catalog item: Tooling Components stocks the full BBI Proferred cutting tool line — jobber drills, cobalt drills, combo drill & tap sets, spiral point taps, reamers, and step drills — so your kits stay complete from one order. Ask about our shop-kit program that keeps standard tool sets stocked for your most common job families.
Ready to measure your own changeover time? Call (800) 992-4766 or visit www.toolingcomponent.com for a free tooling-supply review.