Manual tool changes vs auto tool changers on a 3 axis mill

I finally got to run a job on a machine with an automatic tool changer last week after 3 years of swapping tools by hand on an old Bridgeport. The job was a batch of 50 aluminum brackets with 6 different tools required each. On the manual machine I would spend around 4 minutes per part just changing and indicating tools. The auto changer cut that down to maybe 30 seconds per part across the whole run. Has anyone else made the switch and felt like they were living in the future?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_rowan13d ago

Must be nice, but a manual tool change keeps you in tune with the cut.

brookebailey13d ago

4 minutes per part just changing and indicating tools" Wait, you actually did that for 3 years?