According to the Sandvik Group, they believe that the new international standard ISO 13399 “Cutting Tool Data Representation and Exchange” will provide an “information highway” into the manufacturing environment, allowing smart decisions to be made, resulting in productive metal cutting. The developers of ISO 13399 claim it will improve the situation for gathering cutting tool information. Currently, the information gathering process for metal cutting is time consuming, with metal workers having to look through numerous catalogues and handbooks, and navigate variations in terminology among suppliers. The ISO 13399 standard will aim to provide cutting tool information in a neutral format that is independent of any particular system or company nomenclature. Manufacturers will be able to import the relevant information directly into a PLM, CAD, CAM, CNC simulation or tool management system. The manufacturer, by quickly accessing needed cutting tool information, will then be able to find the best suitable machining solution paired with the most efficient cutting tool selection. ISO 13399 “Cutting Tool Data Representation and Exchange” was developed jointly by Sandvik Coromant, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, French Cetim, and other metal cutting stakeholders.
