Thermwood's Award Winning Cut Center is an exciting alternative to traditional CNC routers - just tell the machine what you what to make and it does it...it is that simple!  No programming is required!  Also, you can operate the system as a CNC router in the traditional manner, running programs generated with virtually any CNC software.

Here we present a short video featuring a Thermwood Cut Center owner and their impressions of the machine and its capabilities.

Take a listen to Larry Crutchfield of Alpha Woodworks in Dothan, AL as he discusses their Thermwood Cut Center and what the machine is doing for their business.

Take a listen to Larry Crutchfield of Alpha Woodworks in Dothan, AL as he discusses their Thermwood Cut Center and what the machine is doing for their business.

Below are a few more Cut Center owner impressions as well - take a listen to Tim Richardson of Timberwood Properties in Leesburg, FL, Aaron Barlow of Original Woodworking in Bluffdale, UT, Michael Bednark of Bednark Inc. in Brooklyn, NY, John Allan of Arkansas Wood Doors in Pottsville, AR and Donovan Mumma of Byrne Custom Woodworking in Lenexa, KS as they discuss their new Cut Centers and what the machine is going to do for each business. 

About The Cut Ready Cut Center

Operate as a Cut Center with NO Programming or as a Traditional CNC Router, running programs generated with virtually any CNC software.

Thermwood has introduced our IWF Challenger's Award Winning “Cut Ready – Cut Center” as an alternative to CNC routers for making custom cabinets.  

In this post, we ask two main questions:  Why would you want a Thermwood Cut Center instead of a traditional nested based CNC router?  Why would a major supplier of CNC routers introduce a new product that competes directly with its already successful products in this market segment?

Why a Cut Center?

With the advanced technology available today, we at Thermwood believe that it’s time for something new…. something even better… something a lot easier, so after almost five years of technical development, we have released the Cut Ready – Cut Center. This system is clearly not a CNC router. It looks a little like a CNC router, but it doesn’t work at all like a CNC router. 

A nested based CNC router has three basic elements:

• A control capable of running sophisticated software
• Cabinet design software capable of creating the required CNC programs
• A machine capable of running those programs.

A cut center consists of a single element, the machine. Everything is inside the machine, pre-selected, pre-installed and ready to run. There is no programming with a cut center. That’s right, no programming… none. A cut center actually knows how to make cabinets, allowing the user to make cabinets in about any way they want by just selecting the desired product. You simply tell the machine what kind of cabinet you want (face frame/frameless, single/double side material, toe kick/detached toe, etc.), then select the specific cabinet from all the cabinets made that way and adjust the size.

Installing a Cut Center

Installation of a cut center consists of connecting power, air and dust collection and you are ready to run production right away.

Cut Center Has an Impressive Selection 

The number of products you can make with a cut center is impressive. In addition to kitchen cabinets, there are closet, bath and utility cabinets and furniture (including book shelves, entertainment walls and table tops). You can also make drawers; side mount, undermount or slot slide, quarter inch or full thickness bottom, blind dado or dovetail construction. Simply tell the cut center to make drawers for the cabinets you cut and it does it - just that easy.  

It also makes doors and drawer fronts. There are over 450 designs for MDF doors and drawer fronts including square, arch, cathedral, slab and sophisticated applied molding designs with both raised and recessed panels.

You can also make grain matched slab doors. Just like with drawers, simply tell the machine to make doors for the cabinets you just cut and it does it. It even makes moldings, both straight and arched. Select from hundreds of profiles, resize the profile in width and depth and it makes it. It uses a reverse 3d printing technique for MDF doors and moldings where, instead of adding a small amount of material each pass, it removes a small amount. This means that everything in the system is made with a set of standard tools.

Operating the Cut Center 

Running the cut center is also different. Everything is handled through an adjustable touch screen and a remote “clicker” you wear. Pretty much everything is handled automatically, tooling management and tool life, vacuum hold down and spoilboard management. All the operator does is follow step by step instructions. If needed, there is a “Show Me” video for every step.  You can even call a real live person on the screen if you need more help. 

Why is a Cut Center for Me?

One reason you might want a cut center is that it can be run by just about anybody. Another reason is that you can produce a lot of different products with no programming and almost no effort. Thermwood has invested thousands of hours developing, testing and refining these programs. To duplicate this for a CNC router will also require thousands of hours. 

There is also the smooth integration between cabinets, drawers, doors and drawer fronts. Once you cut the cabinets, you can make everything else by just telling it to make it for those cabinets.Another reason is that details in these cabinet designs, some patented, make assembly easier. Assembly marks machined into the joints show you which parts fit together and in which orientation. Alignment pin holes make installing drawers really easy. The machine will print detail step by step assembly instructions for more complex items like closet cabinets. It also prints a label for each part showing you which job and cabinet the part is for, which edges get edge banded and a bar code in case you need to re-make the part. 

Ongoing Updates

Thermwood is continuously expanding the products our cut centers can produce, driven by feedback from users, and these new designs are available to all cut centers as a free download. System software updates are also available as a free download as they are released. The “Virtual Service” feature mentioned above is also available to cut center users for free. 

The Bottom Line

This is clearly a new approach. It is not for everyone, but we believe there are a significant number of cabinet shops that would rather make cabinets than program computers and so we created the Cut Ready – Cut Center.

Do you realize that nested based cabinet technology was first developed thirty years ago?

For technology, that’s ancient, and it really hasn’t changed much! It’s time for something new… something better… something easier… a lot easier

what is it?

It’s called a “cut center” and it’s really different. It makes virtually everything a cabinet shop needs, but there is no programming. That’s right, no computer, no software and no programming…none….EVER !

no programming?

A cut center doesn’t need programming because it already knows how to make cabinets, closets, furniture, doors, drawers, moldings and more…. thousands and thousands and thousands of designs. Just tell it what you want and it makes it, the size you want and the way you want

Thermwood has just announced the very first cut center, called "Cut Ready".  This amazing new technology has already been discovered by the business media and is being featured on Fox Business News, Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg International Europe and Bloomberg International Asia multiple times this summer and fall

The amazing thing about this machine is that it can be run by just about anyone, no special training, no special technical skills. This is manufacturing for the average person

Now cabinet shops can remain cabinet shops and not be enslaved by technology. It installs and you are in full production in a couple of hours.  It can be run by your current folks and make you a ton of money

more info

See videos and more info at cutready.com

If you want the ability to create any type of custom cabinets you can conceive, as well as closets and custom furniture, we have a solution for you.  eCabinet Systems paired with Thermwood's CNC routers (featuring smart-router technology) allow you to program and run anything you can imagine and design, while offering total flexibility and absolute control of the entire process.

Although our CNC systems work with just about any cabinet design software, eCabinet Systems software is so well integrated with the machine control that production is smoother, problems are fewer and profit is much higher. Systems are available for custom or high volume custom nested based cabinet production.

Thermwood smart-router technology is...

Model 43 and eCabinet Systems

A great custom cabinet package is the CabinetShop 43 paired with eCabinet Systems.  This high-performance CNC router, comes standard with Thermwood’s smart-router technology as well as a fully stress-relieved rigid steel structure.  Table sizes range from 4’x’8 up to 5’x20’ and it comes with an 11 position automatic tool changer as standard.  This solution allows you to quickly and profitably produce any type of custom cabinets you can imagine and design, as well as a lot more.

AutoProcessor series for nested based feed through machining

For high-speed/high-volume nested-based CNC routing, the AutoProcessor series is another excellent option.  This heavy-duty system comes standard with auto-labeling and auto-load/offload to increase throughput and cut down on labor.  Table sizes range from 5’x10’ to 7’x12’ and it comes with a standard 10 position rotary automatic tool changer.  With a rapid speed of 4100 IPM and a 6000 lb automatic lift table for loading material, the AutoProcessor series is a very fast and extremely tough solution for nested based feed through machining.

Description:

The AutoProcessor-21 is a high-speed, automatic load/unload, heavy-duty CNC routing system for nested based feed through machining.  It is used in nested based production of cabinets, closets and custom furniture. 

Features of the AP 21:

• 7'x12' Machining Table
• Automatic Load/Unload System (6000 lb automatic lift table for loading and 7'x12' steel offload/work table)
• 12HP (3,000-24,000 RPM) Spindle
• Universal Vacuum 1 or 2 Zone
• Rake w/Integrated Dust Collection
• Rapid Speed:  4100 Inches per minute
• Siemens Intelligent Servo Drives
• 3D Laser Compensated Axis Alignment
• 10 Position Rotary Automatic Changer
• Automatic Pop-Up Pins
• Automatic Tool Length Sensor
• Automatic Labeling System
• QCore SuperControl
• Machine Training and Installation
• Free Lifetime Phone/Forum Support 

AutoProcessor 21 in action:

Drawings:

Smart-routers may very well be the next wave in CNC routers. Just like smart phones have replaced regular phones, smart-routers may replace regular routers. Why? Because they are a lot easier to use and they make a lot more money from nested based jobs.

The big difference with smart-routers is not only do they know how to move, they also know the job they are doing. They can help in ways no simple machine can.

For example, when a smart-router finishes a job, it already knows how to make every part in that job, so if you need to cut a replacement part, the smart-router can do it without creating a new CNC program. In fact, they remember parts from all previous jobs. Just scan the label and it will cut it from the material left on the table. And, mentioning material left from a job, smart-routers use that material first when cutting a new job. You no longer have to throw it away or create specialized CNC programs to deal with it. It’s quick, easy and virtually automatic. It’s simple and saves the average shop thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in material each year that would otherwise be scrapped, and we’ve just scratched the surface.

Just like a smart phone handles dozens of daily tasks through special apps, smart-routers handle dozens of aspects of running nested based products. The list is impressive and each feature saves labor, saves material, avoids scrap and makes the whole thing so much easier.

Please click here for a detailed list of some of these smart-router features.

	If you would like to see just how much a smart-router can save you compared to an ordinary router, please give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and go over it in detail.

Thermwood to Demonstrate New Auto-Labeling and Unload System on Model 43 and Solid Wood Machining on Model 45

The 2013 AWFS Show (July 24th-27th) promises to be an exciting opportunity to visit Las Vegas and see the very latest in CNC Router technology from Thermwood! 

For AWFS 2013, Thermwood is proud to demonstrate our affordable CabinetShop 43 CNC Router equipped with the new optional Auto Labeling and Unload Rake System for nested based production.  This new system will be in action at AWFS 2013 in Booth #8400.

Featuring the CabinetShop 43 with New Automatic Labeling and Unload System:

Speed up Production Time

This new option helps save time by automating the process of placing labels and off-loading finished material.  The automated system quickly places the labels and then machines the parts.  It next unloads the finished material to a sorting table.  This automatic and economical addition can greatly speed up production time, and is available both on new machines and as a retrofit.

Also at AWFS we will be demonstrating a Fravol edgebander.  Fravol, known for high quality edgebanders, is exclusively represented and serviced in the US by Thermwood.

Also Demonstrating Solid Wood Machining on the Thermwood Model 45

We will also be demonstrating solid wood machining utilizing the Nemi Pod Hi-Flow System on our Thermwood Model 45. 

The heavy-duty Model 45 is designed for a variety of functions including the machining of rotary operations when equipped with our optional C-Axis.  This expands the capability of this already useful machine to include volutes, carvings, chair parts, stair components and much more.

See at AWFS:

This new system will be in action at AWFS 2013 (July 24th-27th) in Booth #8400.

Thermwood's Profile Modeler allows you to quickly create a molding or custom shape from a sketch or drawing on a Thermwood CNC Router with no special shaped tooling required.  

This video demonstrates using Profile Modeler to create a custom curved cherry molding from Sketch - to Profile Modeler - to Machine - to Completed Shape.

Steps used in the video:

• Verify the measurements
• Create the shape using Shape Manager in eCabinet Systems
• Create Tool
• Apply Tool to create Shape

• File loaded into Profile Modeler on QCore SuperControl
• Verify Tool Path
• Run Program
• Machining Part (Roughing/Finishing/Detail Passes)
• No special shaped tooling required - Tools Used: 1/2 Straight, 1/2 Ballnose, 1/8 Ballnose, 1/8 Flat
• Completed Shape

For more information on Profile Modeler or any of our other products, please click here or contact us at 1-800-533-6901.