Thermwood has added thermographic imaging as a standard feature to our large scale additive manufacturing machines (which we call LSAM "L-Sam"). This addition makes it easier to adjust and control the printing process, resulting in the best possible printed structures.  

Know and Control the Temperature

In order to print high quality, void free large scale 3D printed structures, the previous layer must be cool enough to support the new layer without distortioin, but must also be warm enough to fuse completely with the new layer as it is applied. To accomplish this, we must first know and be able to control the temperature of the surface throughout the printing process. There is a narrow range of temperatures for each material where 3D printing is optimal. The goal is to continuously operate within that range.

Real-time Full Color Thermal Image of the Part
 

Thermwood’s new thermographic imaging system shows the operator a full color thermal image of the part as it is being printed. In this image, different colors depict different surface temperatures of the part. With our system, a green color, is assigned to the ideal range of temperatures for the material being printed. The thermal image is displayed on the control screen in a movable, resizable window. The goal is to continuously print on green. 

Easily Adjust Print Speed and Temperature

Once print temperatures are known and the ideal print temperature can be identified, Thermwood’s print head control makes it easy to adjust printing parameters to achieve the ideal print surface temperature. If the part becomes too hot, fan cooling can be increased or print speed can be reduced to allow more cooling time between layers. If the part temperature becomes too cool, print speed can be increased or cooling can be reduced. 

LSAM High-Output Print Heads Are Important

Thermwood’s high output print heads are also important to quality printing of large parts. In the past, trying to print large parts with low output print heads presented a different thermal problem. Slow print speeds prevented the print head from returning to a point before it becomes too cool to achieve a proper layer to layer bond. With Thermwood’s high output print heads (our largest prints up to 500 lbs/hr) this is no longer a problem. Really good quality large thermoplastic composite parts can be made. Our new thermographic imaging system provides temperature guidance and helps the operator to consistently achieve the desired results. 

Three Different Thermographic Camera Mounting Locations

The thermographic camera can be mounted in three different locations. The first is a fixed position on a stand, inside the machine, looking at the part. The second mounting position is on the print gantry. This works well for parts that are too large to view as a single image. The camera can also be mounted to the print head itself, for special applications. Image output from the camera is integrated with Thermwood’s print gantry CNC control and the full color temperature image is displayed on a resizable window right on the control display itself. A touch screen allows the operator to touch any point on the image and read the exact temperature of that point. 

LSAM Produces Solid, Void-free Parts

Using this technology, Thermwood has been able to produce large tools that are solid and void free enough to maintain vacuum without sealing or surface coating. This simplifies production of the tool, allowing accurate machining of the surface without having to deal with distortions that might be caused by variations in the thickness of a coating. 

Print and Trim on the Same Machine

Thermwood offers a line of dual gantry additive manufacturing machines which both print and trim parts on the same machine. These machines can be up to 100 feet long with print head output rates from 150 to 500 pounds per hour.  

About the Thermwood LSAM

The Thermwood LSAM is used to produce large to very large sized components from reinforced thermoplastic composite materials.

Although suitable for producing a wide variety of components, Thermwood is focusing on producing industrial tooling, masters, patterns, molds and production fixtures for a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, foundry and boating.  

Can I Afford a Thermwood Cut Center?

“I’ll buy a CNC router as soon as I can afford it”.  Is this something you’ve said to yourself time and time again over the years?  Surveys indicate that 50% to 70% of cabinet shops say this, depending on which survey you read. A CNC router is automation, it is productivity and it is on every cabinetmakers short list of things they would really, really like to have. So exactly when can you afford a CNC router?

The simple answer is that you can afford it when it will make you more than it costs.  Taking a look at the Thermwood Cut Center, for instance, the Cut Center may have a slightly higher than average purchase price, but the immediate benefits and ability to get into production quickly can outweigh any initial costs.

The Cut Center is Different in a Good Way

The Cut Center is not like any regular CNC router you may be familiar with.  It doesn’t require you to learn complex programming to operate, and is so user-friendly that it walks you through every step of the process when making cabinets, closets, furniture, doors, drawers and much more.  You simply tell the machine what you want to make via an easy to use touch screen interface, and it does it.  No programming is required.

"No Programming" is a Huge Factor

That little bit about “no programming” is huge factor – no matter how great of a deal you get on the purchase of a CNC router, it will still need to be programmed.  This means that you either need to learn to program yourself or you’ll need to hire a CNC programmer. 

A typical CNC programmer will cost you more each month than the payment on a Thermwood Cut Center.  And every few years, that programmer will most likely cost more money, while the payments on a Cut Center will go away once the machine is paid off.

How About Programming it Myself?

Programming it yourself is possible, but it isn’t simple.  CNC routers require a constant stream of programs to run. Solving problems (like damaged or scrapped parts or defects in material) means even more CNC programs. Programming custom cabinets on a CNC router is a full time job….good thing you have nothing else to do! 

No Software Required

And don’t forget about the software to run the CNC router. Cheap cabinet software is limited and difficult. It will most likely take more time to learn and operate, which means more money. Really good software can cost as much, or more than a cheap CNC router, and then you still need to learn to use it.

Save By Using Scrap Material

Another consideration is scrap material. You will most likely have one or more partial sheets left from each job. Regardless of what they tell you, it is so difficult, complex and expensive to add this to new jobs that virtually everyone just throws it away. With the Cut Center, you just scan the label on any extra material lying around and it is added to the job, automatically. This can mean a lot of money saved at the end of the year. 

Get Into Production Quickly

With the typical Thermwood Cut Center installation, you can be in full production is a little as about half a day.  A regular CNC router can take as much as six months to get to that point.  A half a day or half a year?  In business, time is money, and there is serious cost associated with that half a year.

Enhancing Employee Productivity

A new CNC router can sometimes be seen by employees as intimidating or threatening when it is installed into a shop.  Your workers may either be worried that their jobs could be affected by this dazzling new piece of equipment, or that they will be required to learn an entirely new programming language or operating procedure.  With the Thermwood Cut Center, there is no programming knowledge necessary.  Basically anyone can walk up to the machine, pick out part(s), select their desired quantities/sizes and make it.  The Cut Center is designed to be as simple as possible to operate, and to help shops and employees be more productive and efficient.

Another Way to Make Money with a Thermwood Cut Center

Finally, there is Production Sharing. This is a program where you sell production time on your machine by making parts for other shops that don’t have a Cut Center or CNC router. Thermwood provides an area on our web site where you can advertise your services (there is no cost for this), and you work directly with the other shops to set up your jobs.  Thermwood receives no money for these transactions.

More about the Thermwood Cut Center:

Operate as a Cut Center with No Programming

With the award-winning Thermwood Cut Center, there are no computers or design software. Everything is already in the machine. There is no programming. The cut center doesn’t need a computer to tell it how to move because it already knows how to make cabinets. Just tell it what you want to make, and it does it - it is that simple!  

Operate as a CNC Router

Also, you can operate the system as a CNC router in the traditional manner, running programs generated with virtually any CNC software. Thermwood has created a simple way to switch between operating as a CNC router and operating as a Cut Center to assure that all machine parameters are properly reset and that the standard Cut Center tooling is properly installed, checked and ready to run.

This part was machined on a Thermwood 5 Axis Dual Table 5'x'5 Model 90 CNC router.  

The bust was machined out of polyurethane low-density foam and took approximately 5-6 hours for the cycle time.  The tool path was completed in MasterCAM X9, and had over 1.6 million lines of code.  

About the Thermwood Model 90

The Thermwood Model 90 is a heavy-duty, high-speed 5 Axis CNC Router specifically designed for high-speed trimming and pattern machining of thermoformed, composite and fiberglass parts.

It is available in a variety of table sizes including:

Single table sizes 5'x5', 5'x10' and 10'x5' and Dual table sizes from 5'x'5, 5'x10' and 5'x12' with other table sizes available.

This robust system offers a variety of options and features to tackle a multitude of different applications, and is laser calibrated to assure the most accurate absolute positioning and repeatability.

Time-lapse Video 3D Printing/Trimming a Mold on the LSAM

Here we present a time-lapse video demonstrating the Thermwood LSAM 3D printing two parts of a mold at once and then trimming. 

About the Thermwood LSAM

The Thermwood LSAM is used to produce large to very large sized components from reinforced thermoplastic composite materials.

Although suitable for producing a wide variety of components, Thermwood is focusing on producing industrial tooling, masters, patterns, molds and production fixtures for a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, foundry and boating.  

Latest Update Summary

We are constantly adding new features and abilities to the Award-Winning Cut Ready Cut Center. Our latest update adds another unique library to the Cut Center that can be selected, resized and machined with NO Programming!

Contemporary Floating Bedroom Suite

The Contemporary Floating Bedroom Suite is a collection of unique contemporary bedroom furniture that appears to float above the floor without visible legs or support. It presents a simple elegant style that compliments any contemporary setting. 

Beds (available in all standard sizes) can be used with a traditional box spring and mattress offering a more traditional appearance or they can be used with a platform and mattress for a low, modern look.

While these pieces can be made from any material, it is recommended that they be made from either pre-finished or unfinished hardwood veneer plywood. The unfinished material supports a variety of contemporary finishing techniques from a simple stain or clear coat to dramatic solid colors.

This collection is assembled using just a screwdriver and “lock dado” joints. The dresser, chest, and night stand are all resizable. Drawers use “slot slides” where the drawer bottoms extend out each side and ride in slots machined in the sides. This offers easy assembly, smooth operation and precise alignment.

This collection offers simple, elegant and highly attractive furniture with high-end, avant-garde Italian styling.

About the Cut Center

The Thermwood Cut Ready Cut Center is an exciting alternative to traditional CNC routers for making a wide variety of products including cabinets, closets, furniture, doors, drawers and much more.  Just tell the machine what you what to make and it does it...it is that simple!  NO programming is required. 

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Time-lapse Video

Here we present a time-lapse video demonstrating the Thermwood LSAM 3D printing two parts simultaneously. 

About the Thermwood LSAM

The Thermwood LSAM is used to produce large to very large sized components from reinforced thermoplastic composite materials.

Although suitable for producing a wide variety of components, Thermwood is focusing on producing industrial tooling, masters, patterns, molds and production fixtures for a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, foundry and boating.  

The Multi-Purpose 90 is a heavy-duty five-axis designed for high-speed trimming and pattern machining, available in single or dual moving aluminum tables.  It is capable of full five axis simultaneous motions with extremely fast accelerations.

Model 90 5 Axis 5'x12' CNC Router

Available Features:

• 12HP HSD Tool Change Spindle (3,000-24,000 RPM larger spindle sizes available)
• Continuous C-Axis
• Impact Resistant Head 
• Moving Aluminum Table
• Fixed Gantry
• 24" Z Standard (available up to 60")
• Full 5 Axis Simultaneous Motion
• Siemens Intelligent Servo Drives Throughout
• 3D Laser Compensated Axis Alignment
• Thermwood QCore SuperControl
• Tool Center Point Programming (TCP)
• 5 Axis Chip Collection
• 10 Position Rotary Tool Changer
• Enclosure 
• Gantry Lighting 
• Multi-Function Gridded Pod Table 
• In the Leg Tool Changer
  
• Bar Style Tool Changer
• Automatic Tool Length Sensor 
• Machine Training and Installation
• Free Lifetime Phone/Forum Support 

More Info

The Thermwood Cut Center has an extensive offering of products including cabinets, closets, furniture, doors, drawers, moldings and more, and the sizes can easily be changed with no programming. 

We can also help you develop custom libraries for your specific product(s) in the size range you want, in the material you want and install them in your machine. 

2. Operate as a Cut Center or a Traditional CNC Router

The Thermwood Cut Ready 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!  NOprogramming is required!

Also, you can operate the system as a CNC router in the traditional manner, running programs generated with virtually any CNC software. Thermwood has created a simple way to switch between operating as a CNC router and operating as a Cut Center to assure that all machine parameters are properly reset and that the standard Cut Center tooling is properly installed, checked and ready to run.

3. Powerful Testimonials From Our Customers...

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4. With Other CNC Routers - Programming Required?

Every CNC router, regardless of price, has one thing in common..it must be programmed. You will need a CNC programmer.  You will also need an operator with knowledge of tooling, feed speeds and holddown.  

This programming and operating knowledge takes a lot of time and experience to master. That can be time away from running your machine and making money.

5. You Can Get Into Production Quickly

It is likely you will be in full production with a Thermwood Cut Center in about a half a day. A typical CNC router can take as much as six months to program and get to that point. A half a day or a half a year? There is serious cost associated with that half a year.

6. Other CNC Routers - Not So Cheap After All

A typical CNC programmer will cost you more each month than the payment on a Thermwood Cut Center, which does not need CNC programs or CNC programmers.

So, even if a machine was FREE, it would still cost you more than a Thermwood Cut Center, and in a few years the Cut Center payments go away while your programmer costs most likely will go up. 

When you consider everything, a cheap router isn’t so cheap after all. In fact, to match a Thermwood Cut Center THEY would have to pay YOU to use their router. 

7. Constant Updates and Additions

We are constantly adding new libraries, features and capabilities to the Award-Winning Cut Ready Cut Center.  For instance, our latest update ads:

• New libraries and furniture (new Floating Bedroom Set)
• The ability to create stair stringers and free-standing stairs
• The ability to merge materials for a more efficient nest
• The ability to specify whether your material is sheet stock or board stock (with a whole host of options for each type)
• The ability to add sheets as off-fall even if they weren't created from the Cut Center
• The ability to resize the height on face frame base cabinets (while maintaining proper drawer front heights)

8. Commitment to Your Success

Thermwood is committed to you and your success.  We want you to love your new Cut Center, and for it to help move your business to the next level.  

We have the best service and support in the business, and help is available with a push of a button on your Cut Center.  We also have free phone, email and forum support.   In addition, we are available to help you create custom libraries for your projects to quickly get you going.   

The Bottom Line...

Don't have extensive programming experience?  Have programming experience and want both the flexibility of a CNC router and the ease of use of a Cut Center?  Looking for a machine that will grow with your business?  Then Thermwood's Cut Ready Cut Center might just be the machine for you!  

Thermwood PH50 Head Successfully Tested

After recently announcing our line of LSAM (large scale additive manufacturing) machines, Thermwood has now built and tested a high output version of our PH Series composite thermoplastic 3D print head.

At a print rate of 500 lbs/Hr, our newest and largest print head, the PH50 is more than three times faster than even our current PH15 print head (which we believe is currently the highest output composite thermoplastic print head available).  

The Thermwood-designed PH series print head uses three servo drives in a unique configuration.

The advantages of this new design include:

• a highly accurate print bead, the ability to change bead size while printing
• high output print rates
• better fusion between printed layers
• a virtually void-free printed structure

Thermwood has been operating the PH15 print head on the development version of our large scale additive manufacturing machine, called LSAM (L-Sam). The PH15 features a maximum print output rate of 150 Lbs/Hr when running a 20% carbon fiber filled ABS material. Our newest, and largest print head, the PH50, has been successfully bench-tested at a print rate of slightly over 500 Lbs/Hr running the same material.

A New Way to 3D Print

Fast print rates make possible all new ways to 3D print. The maximum print rate on a particular part is dictated not by the output of the print head, but instead, by cooling. When a layer is printed it must be allowed to cool sufficiently to stiffen enough to support the next layer but should not be allowed to cool so much that it doesn’t fuse properly with the next layer. This means that, although you may be able to print much faster, with most materials, you must wait at least 1 ½ to 2 minutes before you can print another layer. This would tend to make high output print heads unnecessary except for really large parts, but there are situations where this is not the case. 

At times, parts are printed as completely solid structures. When this occurs, bead length adds up quickly. A 5 foot by 5 foot solid layer requires 375 feet of bead length with a 0.800” bead width. Even with a 125 foot per minute print speed (which is the print speed of the PH50 at full output), it will require at least three minutes to print that layer. While this is still within a good layer to layer working time, it is clearly not overly fast. 

Some parts which are printed vertically are so long that they must be printed in multiple sections which are then bonded together. With a fast enough print head and large enough table, all sections can be printed at one time rather than printing them one at a time. In this approach, you print a layer on one part, then move to the next and the next, until you have printed that layer on all the parts. Then, you return to the first part which should then be ready for another layer. You can also mix different types of parts and print them all at the same time, rather than one at a time.  With additive manufacturing technology today, this is the only way to speed up production rate. This approach makes fast print heads and large table sizes not only practical but quite desirable. 

Thermwood's PH Series Print Head Design

Thermwood’s PH Series print head design uses a servo-controlled plastic extruder with a specially designed, patented plasticating screw to heat and soften the composite thermoplastic material. It then uses a servo-controlled fixed displacement polymer pump to deliver the softened material at a precisely controlled rate to the print nozzle. This dual-servo, two-step approach to generating the print bead eliminates a variety of problems encountered when trying to use just an extruder to print and generates a highly controlled material flow rate which results in a highly accurate and controllable print bead size. 

Thermwood’s PH Series system generates a relatively large print bead, applied at high speed. The print head is slaved to machine speed so as the machine speeds up and slows down, the output of the print head automatically adjusts to keep the size of the print bead consistent and accurate. This print speed control is automatic and doesn’t need to be incorporated into the CNC print program, greatly simplifying programming. An additional feature of this approach is that the print program can vary the size of the print bead during printing, something Thermwood has found to be a valuable capability. 

Once the bead has been applied, the PH Series print head uses a unique servo-controlled compression wheel to flatten and fuse each new print layer to previous layers. This wheel is the third servo in the PH series print head and can be instructed to automatically track machine motion. 

Since it tends to squeeze out any air that might otherwise be trapped between layers during printing, Thermwood has found that this compression wheel results in superior bonding between printed layers and a virtually void free printed structure. 

Another Unique Feature

A unique aspect of this new print head design is that, unlike machine motion, the three servo drives in the print head are not machine axes. Thermwood’s print gantries have six servo drive systems, but only three of them are axes. A machine axis needs to be programmed. The servo drives in the print head have their own unique, independent, self-operating intelligent control functions, which they continuously perform without specific ongoing CNC program commands.

The CNC program simply tells them to perform their function and they do it without further specific instructions, even if those functions require them to interact with the machine program, machine motion or each other. For example, simply turn on the print function and move the machine and the print head will print the proper size bead as the machine moves, automatically adjusting for acceleration, deceleration and different machine speeds. Engage the compression wheel and it follows machine motion automatically. During printing, a delicate balance exists between the extruder and polymer pump in the print head. Achieving and maintaining this balance during all aspects of operation is also automatic. 

PH50 Successfully Operated at Full Output

Currently, the new PH50 print head has successfully operated at full output in a static position. Thermwood is replacing its 10x10 foot LSAM development machine with a 10'x20' foot demonstration machine to verify and demonstrate operation of this new head at full print speed. Thermwood believes that 10'x20' is as small a machine as is practical for this high output print head. LSAM machines are available with table lengths of up to 100 foot or more. Thermwood is confident that technology in the PH Series print heads could be used in even higher output print heads should a need ever develop.  

For More Information

The Thermwood line of LSAM machines are available now, and you can get more information and see videos of these new heads in operation here