The problem
The build lives in one programmer's head and a folder of paper by job number. Every job rebuilds the tool list from scratch.
What it does
- Catalogue every tool, holder, insert and consumable with full specs
- Visual tool browser with assembly previews and DXF rendering
- Build an assembly once, copy it to the next job, tweak the stick-out
- GibbsCAM round-trip with three-tier gage-length validation
- Open to other CAM systems, not just GibbsCAM
Who it's for
CAM programmers and engineering.
In the demo: Tool browser drilldown to an assembly preview with DXF, then "duplicate this for the next job".
Works with
Works on its own - no other module required.
Recommended companion: Inventory
Inventory tells CAM where each tool is stored and what is loaded, so an assembly points at real shelf and pot locations. That location data is what makes CAM and magazine management shine.
Common questions
What does it replace?
Most CAM users make up tools as they go: slow, and usually not accurate. Some save tool templates, but then they have to stay in sync with what is actually on the floor, and the data lives in several places that drift apart. Paired with Inventory, that sync problem goes away.
Who is it for, and do I actually need it?
Anyone who programs with virtual tools in a CAM system. If those digital twins do not match reality, the process cannot really be validated. With tool stacks and holders you build a Tool Assembly once and reuse it, and that standardisation is what makes setups efficient and cuts down near-duplicate tools.
Does it need another module?
It can stand on its own, but the real power only shows in combination with Inventory and Pot Manager.
How does it make the rest of TRS better?
It links the production chain from start to finish. Managing tool assemblies is the difference between a factory that runs and one that runs efficiently. Tool IDs are revision-controlled too, so when a tool used across many programs changes, TRS flags it instead of letting the change slip through silently.
GibbsCAM only?
GibbsCAM round-trips today, with three-tier gage-length validation, and more CAM systems are coming. TRS owns the operational layer; it does not lock you to one CAM seat.
No one here runs with tool IDs, we don't need that.
Most NZ shops don't, and they will say they don't need it, right up until they use it. Revision-controlled tool IDs are one of those things you don't go back from: a must-have for any shop that wants to stop wasting time rebuilding and re-checking the same tools.