MES & Shop FloorFree worksheetPDF, Excel, Word exportMachining

CNC Tool Life Tracking Log Worksheet

Changing tools too early wastes money and changing them too late wastes parts. Logging how long each tool actually lasts, and why it was changed, turns tooling into a number you can manage.

Download:

Tool	Job	Material	Parts per edge or tool	Cut minutes per part	Cost per edge or tool	Cutting minutes until change	Tool cost per part	Reason for change
						360	$0
						4,650	$0
						84	$0
						132	$0

Sum of tool cost per part

Average cutting minutes to change

1,306.5

Average tool cost per part across tools

Average cutting minutes to change

1,306.5

Enter parts per edge for inserts or per tool for solid tools. Cutting minutes are in-cut time, not cycle time. Use this data to set change intervals in the control or tool management system.

Bring tooling cost into job costing

Optional: a review of how tool consumption could be matched to ERP jobs for a true cost per part.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the log

Record each tool or insert type with the job and material, the number of parts it made and the cutting minutes per part. Enter the cost per edge or per tool. The worksheet calculates cutting minutes until change and tool cost per part. Add a reason for each change, since the reason tells you what to fix. Over a few jobs you can set a standard change interval and compare grades or speeds. Export to Excel to keep a running history.

Tool life and the Taylor relationship

Tool life falls steeply as cutting speed rises. The Taylor equation expresses this as V times T to the power n equals a constant, with n depending on tool and work material. In practice, a modest speed reduction can multiply life while costing little cycle time, but the right trade depends on tool cost, machine rate and change time.

Flank wear is the normal end of life and the basis for most intervals
Chipping suggests interrupted cut, wrong grade or vibration
Built-up edge points to low speed or the wrong geometry for the material
Breakage points to feed, stick-out or workholding problems

Common mistakes

A common error is tracking life in clock time rather than cutting time, which hides the effect of speeds. Another is mixing different grades or suppliers in the same row, so comparisons are meaningless. Count the cost of the change itself too: a cheap insert that stops the machine often can cost more than a better one that lasts. Write down what you changed whenever tool life moves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as tool life?

Commonly the minutes in cut until the tool reaches a wear limit or fails to hold tolerance. Some shops count parts instead, which is simpler and works when cycle conditions are stable.

How do I choose a change interval?

Take a conservative fraction of the typical life you have logged, so most tools are changed before wear affects parts. Revisit after a few jobs and adjust.

Can I use this for solid carbide tools?

Yes. Enter parts per tool and the full tool cost. Include regrind cost if you resharpen.

Why record the reason for change?

Different failure modes need different fixes: speed, feed, grade, coolant or fixturing. The reason column shows the pattern.

If tool usage and cost should flow into ERP job costing, Netray can scope a read-only analysis. The log works by itself.

Talk to an Expert Explore More Free Tools

Related Tools

MES & Shop Floor

More MES & Shop Floor tools

See all

Back to All Tools