Software

Overall File Format

Notes

Group

Potential new fields

Holder Geometry
Holder Geometry
Holder Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry
Tool Geometry

Feedrates
Feedrates
Feedrates
Feedrates
Feedrates
Feedrates

Spindle
Spindle
Coolant
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Mastercam
Mastercam
Mastercam
Mastercam

Open Issues

Need a way to indicate version of file.

Need a way to indicate the units for the file. Some formats can change units tool by tool.
Need a facility to just hold on to fields as comments and pass them back out on export. It'd b

G-Wizard
CSV

Field
slot
description
serialno
tool
generic
ballnose
flutes
leadang
rougher
diameter
stickout
noseRad
vendor
product
idNo
insNo
sfm
ipt
xcomp
zcomp

new fields

tooltype
material
holderDia
holderLen
arborDia
shankDia
threadPitch
taperAngle
tipAngle
tipLength
tipDiameter
fluteLength
totalLength
zOffset
shoulderLen

cutting-feedrate
entry-feedrate
exit-feedrate
plunge-feedrate
ramp-feedrate
retract-feedrate

direction
rpm
coolant
comment
cycle
peck1
peck2
peck_clr
chip_brk
dwell
shldr_angle
root_dia (tap)
bore_shift
Work offset
Initial dir vector [3]
Head offset [3]
TOOL offset [3]

to indicate version of file.

to indicate the units for the file. Some formats can change units tool by tool.
ity to just hold on to fields as comments and pass them back out on export. It'd be nice if editability were co

Legal Values

cw, ccw
none, flood, mist, air, through
string

xport. It'd be nice if editability were controllable.

Notes

Can this be overloaded to be corner radius?

We currently use the crib to tell what type of machine it is, but
Visual Mill's Tool Type seems nicer
It's much more common to break out the tool material type.

From Mastercam. Presumably for saws and such.

For taps and thread mills?

Visual Mill has this, though I'm not sure what it is yet.
From HSMWorks. How do the others handle it? Minimum set of Tool and Holder Geometry parms.

From HSMWorks.
From HSMWorks.
From HSMWorks.
From HSMWorks.
From HSMWorks.
From HSMWorks.
Feedrates note: Mastercam keeps separate x and z feedrates for finish, rough, and plunge

Preferred rpm
SolidCAM has a huge number of options for this
What took so long to get this obvious thing?
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
From Mastercam.
What do these do?
What do these do?
What do these do?
What do these do?

der Geometry parms.

gh, and plunge

CAM Software

CamBam

Overall File Format XML

Notes
Initial "ToolLibrary" record has number format and version

Field
ToolDefinition
Index
Diameter
ToolProfile
Flutes
FluteLength
Length
ShankDiameter
HelixAngle
VeeAngle
MaxRampAngle
ToothLoad
AxialDepthofCut
RadialDepthofCut

Legal Values

EndMill, BallNose

rd has number format and version

GW Corresponding Field
description
slot
diameter
???
flutes

N/A
???
N/A
ipt
N/A
N/A

Notes
e.g. "1.5in Indexed face mill"

We have Geometry in the UI, but has it percolated through to the Tool Crib?
Grayed out in UI--time to add it.
Grayed out in UI--time to add it.
We have it in the UI, but has it percolated through to the Tool Crib?
Don't have it!
Don't have it!
Don't have it!
Don't have it!

CAM Software
Overall File Format
Notes

Field
ToolType
Name

Type
Holder Diameter
Holder Length
Shank Diameter
Diameter
Corner Radius
Thread Pitch
Taper Angle
Tip Angle
Tip Length
Tip Diameter
Flute Length
Total Length
Tool #
Adjust Reg
CutCom Reg
Z Offset
Direction
# of Flutes
Material
Inserts
Insert Width
Coolant
Comments

Open Issues
What are the other legal values for ToolType? LATHE?
Are units always inches? If not, how do we specify metric?
What are valid entries for the Inserts field?

Visual Mill
CSV
Version field at top

Legal Values
MILL, DRILL
string
BALL, FLAT, CRAD, VEE, CHAMFER, TAPER CRAD, THREAD, FACE,
DOVETAIL, LOLLIPOP, DRILL, CENTER DRILL, REAMER, TAP, BORE,
RBORE
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
number
Tool length
number
number
CW, CCW
number
HSS, Carbide
NO
number
NONE, FLOOD, MIST, THROUGH

e other legal values for ToolType? LATHE?

ways inches? If not, how do we specify metric?
lid entries for the Inserts field?

GW Corresponding Field
description

tool + geometry

diameter

Slot
zComp
xComp

flutes

Notes

CAM Software

HSMWorks

Overall File FormatXML

Group
tool
tool
tool
tool
comment
nc
nc
nc
coolant
material
body
body
body
body
body
body
body
body
body
motion
motion
motion
motion
motion
motion
motion
motion
capabilities
capabilities
capabilities
capabilities

Field
version
type
unit
guid
number
diameter-offset
length-offset
mode
name
diameter
corner-radius
flute-length
shoulder-length
shaft-diameter
body-length
overall-length
number-of-flutes
thread-pitch
spindle-rpm
clockwise
cutting-feedrate
entry-feedrate
exit-feedrate
plunge-feedrate
ramp-feedrate
retract-feedrate
finishing
roughing
maximum-axial-step
maximum-radial-step

Legal Values
ball end mill, ?
inches

flood, ?

yes, no

yes, no
yes, no
0-100
0-100

GW
Corresponding
Field
tool

description
slot
xcomp
zcomp

diameter

flutes

rougher

Notes

Software

Mach3 CNC
Controller

Old school BASIC .DAT file.

Not safe to access while
Overall File FormatMach3 is running!

Field
Number
Diameter
Height
Diameter Wear
Height Wear

Legal Values
1..255
number
number
number
number

GW Corresponding
Field
slot
diameter

Notes

Is this the value or the register?

Is this the value or the register?

Software

Tormach Tool Assistant

Mach3 Tool Tables or CSV with similar

Overall File Formatfields

Field
Number
Diameter
Height
Diameter Wear
Height Wear

Legal Values
1..255
number
number
number
number

GW
Corresponding
Field
slot
diameter

Notes

Is this the value or the register?

Is this the value or the register?

CAM Software

BobCAD

Overall File FormatBinary

CAM Software
Overall File Format
Notes

Field
Tool
IdNumber
ToolType
ToolUserType
UnitsDiameter
Diameter
Angle
Radius
NumTeeth
Description
TaperAngle
ShankDiameter
UnitsLength
Length
TotalLength
ShoulderLength
TipLength
CuttingLength
HLength
Material
UnitsFeedSpin
Ftype
FeedXY
FeedZ
FeedFinish
Stype
Spin
SpinFinish
FeedZPenetration
ToolName
ToolGroupName
HolderName

GroupHolderName
Direction
Pitch
ChamferLength
TipDiameter
NumThreads
Message1
Message2
Message3
Message4
Message5
FloodCoolant
MistCoolant
HighPressureCoolant
LowPressureCoolant
ThroughHighPressureCoolant
ThroughLowPressureCoolant
AirBlastCoolant
MinimumQuantityLubricationCoolant
MinimumQuantityLubricationValue

SolidCAM
CSV
Has a series of shapes entries below the tools for defining custom tool shapes

Legal Values
number
number
BULL MILL, END MILL, BALL-NOSED, CHAMFER
DRILL, ???
ROUGH MILL, END MILL, BALL NOSE MILL,
CHAMFER DRILL, SHAPED END MILL, ???
Inch, ???
number
number
number
number
string
number
number
Inch, ???
number
number
number
number
number
number
none, Carbide 1/4" Endmill: Is it just any string?
Inch, ???
F, ???
number
number
number
S, ???
number (rpm)
number (rpm)
N, ???
string
string
string

GW
Corresponding
Field
slot

Notes

string
FromFace, ???
number
number
number
number
string
string
string
string
string
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
0, 1?
number? String?

CAM Software
Overall File Format
Notes

Group
Line 1

Line
Line
Line
Line
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Line
Line
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Line
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2
3
4
5
6
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
8 - Drilling Attributes
8 - Drilling Attributes
8 - Drilling Attributes

Line
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888888999999999999999999910
10
10
10
10

Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Drilling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes
Milling Attributes

Line 11 - Canned Text Coolant Information

Tool Types:
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#

CENTER DRILL 1 ROUGH & FINISH 0 SIMPLE DRILL 0

SPOT DRILL 2 ROUGH 1 PECK DRILL 1
DRILL 3 FINISH 2 CHIP DRILL 2
TAP-RH 4 TAP 3
TAP-LH 5 (tool corner radius) BORE1 4
REAMER 6 NONE 0 BORE2 5
BORING BAR 7 CORNER 1 MISC1 6
COUNTER BORE 8 FULL 2 MISC2 7
COUNTER SINK 9
END MILL FLAT 10 (coolant types)
END MILL SPHER 11 OFF 0
CHAMFER MILL 12 FLOOD 1
FACE MILL 13 MIST 2
SLOT MILL 14 TOOL 3
CORNER RAD MILL 15
DOVETAIL MILL 16 (spindle direction)
TAPER MILL 17 CW 0
LOLLIPOP MILL 18 CCW 1
END MILL BULL 19
BLOCK DRILL 20
ENGRAVE TOOL 21
BRADPT DRILL 22

Mastercam

Text File. There is also a SQLite format

See: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/mastercam/2194-tool_tables.html
See: http://www.emastercam.com/board/index.php?showtopic=33503&st=0&p=151182&hl=+tool%2
#' is a comment if 1st char in line

Field
TOOL

TOOL material
TOOL comment
TOOL name
TOOL manufacturer
chuck designation
tool_no
tool_type
rad_type
dia
crad
thds
tip_angle
dia_off
len_off
feed
plunge
retract
rpm
coolant
n_flutes
bottom_turret
station
cycle
peck1
peck2

Legal Values
TOOL

1 = HSS, 2 =
Carbide, 3 =
Coated Carbide, 4
= Ceramic, 5 =
Borzon, 10 =
Unknown
string
string
string
string

GW
Correspo
nding
Field

Notes

This is actually a geometry

peck_clr
chip_brk
dwell
shldr_angle
root_dia (tap)
bore_shift
cut_able
rgh_x
rgh_z
fin_x
fin_z
tip_dia
root_dia (thd mill)
thd_angle
pilot_dia
flute_len
oa_len
shldr_len
arbor_dia
hldr_dia
hldr_len
spindle_ccw
sfm
fpt
metric
Holder type
Work offset
Initial dir vector [3]
Head offset [3]
TOOL offset [3]
canned text 1, canned text 2, ,canned
text 20

0 SIMPLE DRILL 0

&p=151182&hl=+tool%20+library%20+format&fromsearch=1&#entry151182

his is actually a geometry reference for backplot!)