Tool Presetting and Tool Setting

Tool presetting measures a tool assembly's length, diameter and other dimensions, either offline on a presetter or on the machine with a contact or laser tool setter, so accurate offsets can be loaded into the CNC.

An offline presetter uses a precision spindle adaptor and an optical or camera measuring system to measure tool length from the gauge line, diameter, corner radius and runout before the tool reaches the machine. On-machine tool setters measure tools in the spindle, either by touching a contact sensor or by breaking a laser beam, often while the tool rotates at operating speed, and write the result to the offset table.

Offline presetting moves measurement out of machine time, which shortens setups and supports high-mix production. On-machine setters capture the tool as actually clamped and running, detect broken or missing tools between operations and track wear and thermal growth. Many shops use both.

Presetters and tool setters must be calibrated and referenced to the machine's spindle gauge line, and tapers and adaptors must be clean. Transferring data by network, post-processor or RFID tags in the holder avoids manual transcription errors. Measured values feed the tool length offset and cutter radius compensation, so their accuracy directly affects part dimensions.

Key points

Measures tool length, diameter and radius offline or on the machine
Laser setters can measure rotating tools and detect breakage
Electronic data transfer avoids manual offset entry errors
Accuracy depends on calibration, clean tapers and correct referencing

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Related terms

Terms that refer to Tool Presetting and Tool Setting

Automatic Tool Changer (ATC)CNC & Precision Machining