Best Free & Open-Source Tool Life Management Software in 2025

Cutting tools are a hidden P&L line. When tool life is unmanaged, you pay in scrap, chatter, missed tolerances, and emergency setups. You do not need a six-figure TMS to get control. 

Below are ten options grouped by how you run your shop: ERP based, EAM/CMMS based, CNC control level, and DIY telemetry stacks. All are either open source or free tiers that are usable in production with some configuration.

1) ERPNext Tool Life Kit

Type: ERP module + custom DocTypes
What it does: Track tool inventory, assign tools to operations, count usage by parts produced or machine hours, trigger replacement work orders, link to BOM revisions.
Why it works: Native links between Manufacturing, Maintenance, and Quality let you make tool change a controlled event, not a tribal habit.
License: GPLv3, open source.

2) Odoo Community – Tool Life via Maintenance + MRP

Type: ERP + Maintenance
What it does: Tool registry as Equipment, counters via custom UoM (cuts, minutes, meters). Planned maintenance when counters exceed thresholds, pick lists for tool crib.
Why it works: Simple workflow, barcode support, and broad community modules.
License: LGPLv3, open core.

3) openMAINT (on CMDBuild)

Type: EAM/CMMS
What it does: Treat tools as assets with meter-based maintenance. Store geometry, holder, insert grade, max life rules. Generate service tickets on life events.
Why it works: Strong asset modeling and document linkage with zero license cost.
License: AGPLv3, open source.

4) CalemEAM

Type: EAM
What it does: Multi-site tool lifecycle with preventive tasks, spares, purchase integration. Good for plants with a central tool crib across lines.
Why it works: Enterprise structure without enterprise price.
License: GPLv2, open source.

5) Snipe-IT for Tool Crib

Type: IT asset system repurposed for tooling
What it does: Check in or out cutters, holders, probes with QR codes, track location and custodian, set custom fields for edges left or regrinds.
Why it works: Clean UX and fast adoption on the shop floor.
License: GPLv3, open source.

6) LinuxCNC + QtPyVCP Tool Counter pattern

Type: CNC control level
What it does: Use tool table, wear offsets, HAL signals, and a QtPyVCP panel to increment tool counters by cutting time or plunged distance. Block cycle start when life is expired.
Why it works: Direct enforcement at the spindle. No compliance theater.
License: GPLv2, open source.

7) FreeCAD Path Toolbits + Wear Workflow

Type: CAM + tool library
What it does: Standardize tool definitions in JSON, export to posts with life annotations, push wear notes back into the library after inspection.
Why it works: Keeps CAM, metrology, and crib on the same definitions.
License: LGPL, open source.

8) bCNC + macros for life decrement

Type: GRBL controller
What it does: Macro-driven counters per tool ID, auto-leveling for PCB or light routing, pause on life threshold, operator prompt to swap and re-touch.
Why it works: Perfect for routers and desktop mills where “simple wins.”
License: GPL, open source.

9) ThingsBoard + InfluxDB + Grafana – Tool Life Dashboard

Type: DIY IIoT stack
What it does: Ingest tool usage from MTConnect or OPC UA, compute life per tool code, alert at thresholds, visualize life burn-down and breakage hotspots by machine and material.
Why it works: Scales from one cell to a plant, no license wall.
License: Apache 2.0 + open source components.

10) Node-RED + MTConnect or OPC UA – Life Counter Flow

Type: Low-code integration
What it does: Subscribe to spindle load, part complete, tool change. Increment counters, write back to SQL or ERP. Send Slack or email when an edge is done.
Why it works: One afternoon to prove value. Then harden it.
License: Apache 2.0, open source.

Best Practices - How to Choose Tool Life management solution

• Want plug-and-play with purchasing and quality: start with ERPNext or Odoo CE.
• Need asset rigor with meters and service workflows: use openMAINT or CalemEAM.
• Control at the machine: implement LinuxCNC + QtPyVCP or bCNC macros.
• Already collecting machine data: wire up ThingsBoard + InfluxDB + Grafana or Node-RED for fast alerts and dashboards.
• Tight CAM discipline: standardize with FreeCAD Toolbits and push tool data across your posts.

Minimal viable setup for a small shop

1. Tool registry with IDs, holders, inserts, material mapping.
2. Life rule per tool: by time, edges, or meters.
3. Counter source: machine signals or per-part increments from the operator panel.
4. Block or warn at threshold, not after scrap.
5. Close the loop: write actual life back to the registry, adjust rules by material and cut strategy.

Tool Life Management Software Comparison

Final take

Tool life management is not a product logo. It is a workflow: define, measure, enforce, learn. The stack above covers every maturity level, from a single VMC to a multi-line plant. Start where you have control, feed counters from the real process, and make replacement a planned event. The ROI shows up as stable cycle time, less scrap, and fewer 2 am emergencies.

About MDCplus

Our key features are real-time machine monitoring for swift issue resolution, power consumption tracking to promote sustainability, computerized maintenance management to reduce downtime, and vibration diagnostics for predictive maintenance. MDCplus's solutions are tailored for diverse industries, including aerospace, automotive, precision machining, and heavy industry. By delivering actionable insights and fostering seamless integration, we empower manufacturers to boost Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduce operational costs, and achieve sustainable growth along with future planning.