Steve, Since the tooling you want to control is basicly small, tool-steel cylinders, rounded at one end, and a tapered, machined working end. These vary by little, dimensionally, and can cause real serious problems. The diameter needs to remain unchanged to fit into the press. I don't believe that letters or numbers work well in these situations. If you have a machine shop, perhaps you can cut three grooves into the cylindrical portion, and fill the grooves with a quality paint or epoxy ink. Since your operators already know how to read color codes, perhaps a similar system could be used here. I would have just color dipped the whole thing, but between the wear, interference with the press, and not enough colors, the color-filled grooves seems much more practicle. Good luck, Steve Mikell > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve Gregory" <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [TN] Swage Tooling Identification > Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 14:38:45 -0500 > > > Good Afternon All! > > I've taken on trying to get our swage tooling in order. As a contract > assembly company, you can imagine how many anvil and punch sets we have. > The problem is trying to put some sort of identification on each piece > so that it's easily identifiable, to easily keep things in order. > > Most manufacturers (like Cambion) will have a part number stamped on > each piece, but over time the number will become very difficult to read > and I think that somewhat contributes to things becoming a disarray. > People can't read the number easily, so they just put it in the first > drawer they open (I have a nuts and bolts cabinet with small drawers for > each set). > > I can organize things properly and then go back a week or two later, and > everything is mixed-up again. Then the operators come tell me that they > can't find the proper swaging tooling they need. I go and dig through > all the drawers and finally find it...well I'm tired of doing that. > > So I'm asking what you all do to keep your swage tooling organized. > Stamping numbers is pretty tough because most of the tools are hardened > tool steel, tough to stamp that stuff...an engraver might work though. I > just want to ask what you all do...I'm tired of having to spend more > time tracking down tooling I know we have, than it does to actually do > the job. > > Kind regards, > > -Steve Gregory- -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com/ --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------