The tool magazine is very important to the machining center. There are three kinds of magazine: Arm type, umbrella type and chain type. Small machining center in the choice of the tool and tool magazine can according to the result of the machining process analysis to determine the required tool number, usually need a component in a clamping tool number needed to determine the capacity of knife library, because in the other parts processing, need to arrange the small machining center tool, or cutting tool management complex and error prone. 
 
Small five-axis machining center is a popular machine tool at present. It is mainly used for processing small parts in university maker studios and scientific research units. Its biggest characteristics are high cost performance, good stability, strong reliability and high machining accuracy. Small machining center can process some planar, curved and bevel parts. The biggest disadvantage of small five-machining center is that it has certain constraints on the scale of the parts. 
 
According to the statistical data, the small machining center is suitable for 20 tools, while the horizontal machining center is suitable for 40 tools. Of course, the final decision should be made according to actual needs. For FMC or FMS machining center machine tool, the tool storage capacity should be large capacity, or even interchangeable. 
 
Installation, change and selection of tool in small machining center: 
 
It is very simple to install the tool in the small machining center, and record the type and use of the cutter and the corresponding tool seat number. It is ok to choose any tool seat in the tool library and put the cutter in it. 
 
When changing knives, it is divided into the following three situations: 
 
1. The cutter on the main shaft of the machining center is optional, and the cutter to be replaced is fixed 
 
Step: tool magazine - selecting tool - changing tool position - mechanical hand take out cutter - loading main shaft, the cutter from the main shaft into empty cutter position nearby. 
 
2. The cutter on the spindle of small machining center is placed in the fixed cutter holder, while the tool to be replaced is optional or fixed 
 
Tool changing steps: tool storage, tool selection, tool changing position, mechanical hand taking out the cutter, and loading the spindle. When the tool from the spindle is put into the tool storage, the tool storage should be turned to the position of receiving cutter in advance. 
 
3. The tools on the spindle and the tool to be replaced are all optional 
As the above procedure, the cutter taken off the spindle is loaded into the tool holder for replacement. 
 
There are also three ways to choose tools for small machining centers: 
 
1. Select the tool in sequence, and install the tool in the tool holder according to the using sequence of the cutter, and select the cutter one by one according to the sequence, and put it back in the original position after the use. 
 
2. Select the tool randomly and encode the tool holder. The corresponding cutter should be put into the designed cutter holder.  

3. Remember the tool selection. In the storage of the machining center, record the tool number, tool location and tool seat number.