An insert shadow board organises your cutting inserts for fast changeovers and visual control in CNC bays. It helps keep your tooling ready, tracked and at hand.
Pair it with the bays it suits, and read our note on measuring the bed before a quote.
Request fixture noteAn insert shadow board is a dedicated fixture for organising and tracking cutting inserts and small tooling in CNC environments. Each slot or cutout matches a specific insert shape or holder, making it obvious when something is missing or out of place. This boosts tool control and speeds up changeovers, especially when different operators or shifts are involved.
At Feature Equipment, our insert shadow boards suit any of our machines that use indexable or replaceable inserts: Feature Mill 3-Axis, Feature Lathe Compact and Feature Router 1212 (when using insert cutters). Production managers often mount these boards between machine bays or next to the tool crib for easy operator access and stock checks.
Setting up an insert shadow board is about fitting it to your workflow and labelling it for your exact tooling. Boards can be wall-mounted, bench-mounted or fixed to a mobile stand, depending on your shop layout and process.
A well-labelled shadow board lets you see at a glance which inserts are in use, need replacing or are missing. It helps prevent accidental mixing of insert types between machines, avoiding tool breakage and lost time.
Regularly wipe down the board and inserts to remove dust, oil and swarf. Highveld shops should watch for fine dust build-up, while coastal sites must check for early signs of rust or sticky spots from humidity.
If the board is damaged, warped or its labels become unclear, replace or repair it. Swapping out a worn board is much quicker than dealing with lost inserts or mix-ups in the toolroom.
When you contact us, let us know which Feature machine models you run, the types and quantities of inserts you want to store, and any special layout requests or size limits in your workshop.
We can also help plan for multiple boards in larger shops or custom layouts for specific insert types. Send us a message through our contact form and our team will work with you to get the right solution.
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