Tool operator instructions system and method

A method for outputting a build plan to a tool operator at an operator computer system, the method comprising:

• receiving product information about a product, the information received from the operator computer system;
• selecting a build plan based on the received product information, wherein the build plan includes tool information about a tool for performing a machining operation on the product, the tool having different versions for performing the same machining operation, the build plan also selecting a tool version so the tool operator does not have to perform research in order to make the selection;
• and
• outputting the selected build plan to the operator computer system.

A method for outputting a build plan to a machine tool operator at an operator computer system, the method comprising:

• entering a product line number of a product and information identifying configuration of the product at an input device of the operator computer system;
• automatically receiving a build plan from a manufacturing system over a network connection, the build plan based on the entered product line number of the product and information identifying configuration of the product;
• and
• outputting the received build plan to the operator computer system,
• wherein the outputted build plan includes information about tools for performing machining operations on the product, at least some of the tools having different versions for performing the same machining operation, the build plan also selecting tool versions for those tools having different versions, whereby the tool operator does not have to perform research in order to make proper tool selections.