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.

Whether you are interested in a moving table machine for low profile machining or a fixed table for large sheet material, plastic or composite sheets or upholstery frames, we have a solution for you:

Multi-Purpose 45

The Multi-Purpose 45 is a heavy-duty three axis CNC router available in either single or dual spindles with optional rotary axis

Model 45 Dual Spindle 5'x5' Single Table

Model 45 5'x10' Single Table

Multi-Purpose 43

The Multi-Purpose 43 is an entry-level three axis CNC router made from fully stress-relieved structured steel for nested-based custom cabinets, custom furniture and support products.

Model 43 4'x8' Single Table - Moving Gantry

Multi-Purpose 53

The Multi-Purpose 53 is a moving gantry, fixed table, (optional roller hold down) three-axis CNC router, and is designed for the routing and stack machining of large sheet material such as fiberboard (MDF), particleboard and plywood. When configured as an optional FrameBuilder with Roller Hold-Down, it has all the elements needed to machine nested upholstered frame parts from sheet stock.  

Model 53 5'x20' Fixed Table

FrameBuilder 53 5'x10' Fixed Table

Thermwood’s new Cut Ready - Cut Center works much differently than a CNC router.  In this post we take an in-depth look at some of the distinctions:

CNC Router

A CNC router operates in a sophisticated technical environment. Computers and sophisticated design software are used to design cabinets, layout kitchens and create the CNC programs needed to make those kitchens. An operating environment has developed around these capabilities that the industry has become accustomed to. It takes a highly-skilled and trained operator to program and operate these machines.

Cut Center

First, 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. To understand how this approach fits into the operating structure of a shop you must first realize that cut centers have been designed for cabinetmakers who are already running a successful business and simply want to make what they are doing more efficient with the least disruption possible. They don’t want to change from woodworkers to computer programmers but they would like to make their products faster, better and at lower cost. 

How Does This Work? 

The cut center works through a large touch screen which essentially performs three functions. First, it allows you to adjust settings that tell the machine how you want to work, plus it watches routine maintenance and tooling. 

The other two areas are picking what you want to make and actually making it. 

To pick what you want you have to know what you want. If a shop is operating, they have already developed some way of determining what they need to make. Some may do it by hand, other might use software or drawings or whatever works today. The cut center doesn’t mess with this area. Whatever you are doing today is what you will do with the cut center. 

-Choosing What to Make

Once you know what you want and the sizes you need, picking it is intuitive and easy. Pretty much anyone can do it the first time, even if they have never seen the machine before. You do need to know how you want your cabinets made, but you don’t need to know anything about the machine. You will group all the cabinets you want to make into a job which the machine will nest together and cut. If you want, you can create a job but not necessarily run it right away, which is probably what most people will do. When you create a job and process it, the machine will tell you how many sheets of each material you will need and how long it will take to cut all the parts. This information can be quite useful when you are working with a customer and developing a quote. 

-Running the Job

Once you are ready, it is simply a matter of calling up the job and running it. Going back to the list of material, it not only tells you what material you will need but also tells you in what order the materials will be needed. You can print this out and use it as a pick list to load the handling carts. The Cut Ready Cut Center comes with two tilt carts that make it easy to retrieve and stage the material for a job. While you are working off of one you can be picking material for the next job. 

Once the cabinet boxes are complete, you can make drawers, doors and drawer fronts. These are easy. Simply select the type of drawer and the door and drawer front designs you want and tell it to make them for your job. If you don’t want to use the machine for your doors and drawers the machine will print out a list of sizes for you. 

-Stopping a Job

Another interesting aspect is that you can stop a job between sheets at any point and then finish it later. This is great when you go home at night or if you have to work in a “hot” job in the middle of regular production.  

-Familiar but Different 

Some of the operations of the machine would be familiar to anyone who has operated a CNC router but a number of areas are different. 

Let’s start with loading. First, the cut center manages the vacuum system. It turns the pump on and off and turns vacuum to the table on and off. When you are told to load a sheet, it pumps air through the table, sort of like an air hockey table, to make it easier to slide the sheet. It also uses special sensors that detect when the sheet is tight against the location stops. When this happens, the machine turns off the float air, turns on vacuum and drops the location stops, all automatically. 

-Using the Clicker

Another difference is the “clicker”, which is a fob-like device you wear around your neck. The silicone cord necklace for the clicker uses magnetic catches so if it gets caught it simply pulls off. This clicker is used to communicate with the machine so you don’t have to go back to the control every time you want to do something. It also allows you to stop the machine when it is cutting, so you don’t need to stay near the stop button while the machine is running. When you get used to the position sensors and the clicker, things that were awkward before become simple, natural and easy. 

-Flipping the Sheet

There is a major difference in the way the cut center handles parts that need to be machined on both sides (more complex pieces like closets or cabinets made from single sided material often require machining on both sides). 

CNC routers generally cut the front side, cut the parts out and then machine the back side one part at a time. Not only is this difficult, but it can be confusing and is prone to error.   

The cut center takes a different approach. It starts by loading the sheet, back side up and doing the back side machining first, on the whole sheet. It then flips the sheet over and machines the front side. When the parts are cut out, they are complete, front and back. A really unique feature of the cut center is that it has a “flipper” on the front of the machine that flips the sheet over, so this process is really easy. Just slide the sheet into a clamp located just off the front of the table and the clamp grips the sheet and rotates it 180 degrees, all within the confines of the table. When you first load your sheet, if the backside is not up, you can use the flipper to fix that too. 

-Tooling is Managed For You

Tooling is also handled differently with a cut center. The machine manages tooling so you don’t have to. It uses standard “Cut Ready” tools. Each tool is numbered and has a “Chuck Line” showing how far to insert the tool into the tool holder. When a tool needs to be changed, the machine brings it to you and tells you which tool bit to insert. It then measures both the length and diameter of the new tool and adjusts all the tooling parameters. If you load the wrong bit by accident, it will know and will bring it back and ask you to fix it. 

Since the machine knows when a tool is changed, it also knows how long that tool lasted. After a while, it knows about how long each tool will last in your operation and will warn you when a tool nears its historical life. This can prevent cutting scrap parts because of dull tools. 

-Vacuum Hold Down

Another area that needs attention is vacuum hold down and waste board management. The “waste board” is a quarter inch thick board that sits on top of the table board. As parts are cut, shallow channels are cut into the waste board and eventually it needs to be resurfaced. Resurfacing is a simple automatic process that can be performed, even in the middle of a job. The machine keeps track of cuts in the waste board and warns you when it needs to be resurfaced. It may even require that you resurface it if it knows that parts on the next sheet will move. 

Final Thoughts

While this doesn’t cover every aspect of running a cut center, it should give you a flavor of what it is like to run this next generation of cabinet machines. They are flexible, easy and require a lot less technical skill and training. This almost makes cabinetmaking fun again.

Where to See

You can see and get hands-on experience with the IWF Challengers Award Winning Cut Center when it makes its Canadian debut November 6th and 7th at the CNC Automation Open House.  You can also contact us here at Thermwood to arrange a free personal and interactive demonstration here at our Dale, IN headquarters.  

Thermwood's Demonstration Center is available for free live demonstrations at our modern factory headquarters in Dale, IN.  During your demo you can expect:

• We will replicate your exact part(s) and show you how we can increase your productivity, while saving you money and time on a Thermwood CNC router.

• Work with our CNC Experts in depth on your exact application(s), and ask questions about programming, machine operation, options, maintenance, financing, service and support.

• See our manufacturing process from start to finish, and how we carefully build each machine from the ground up.

• Tour our facility to see our modern training center (where each machine purchase comes with a 1 week training class for two), factory and demonstration center.

• See a wide variety of our machines, both three and five axis in action as well as the 2014 Challenger Award winning Cut Ready Cut Center.

• We will record a video of your live demo for you to watch later.

 Demonstration Center

Model 90 5 Axis Dual Table 5x5 CNC Router in our Demo Center

Model 45 3 Axis 5x10 CNC Router in our Demo Center 

Cut Ready Cut Center 5x10 in our Demo Center (winner of a 2014 IWF Challenger's Award)

Model 43 3 Axis CNC Router 5x10 with Auto-Offload in our Demo Center

See examples of what our machines can make - Kitchen Design made entirely on a Cut Center

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Web Demos

We also offer live Web Demos that allow you to interact with our Demonstration department via your computer.  These web demos are available for both the latest software solutions as well as our machines.  You can see the machine and control running your application and ask questions in real time.  

If time or travel is a factor, this might be a good first step to see what our machines can do for you, before you come in and see the process in person.  Our local representative is typically on-site at your facility during these demonstrations to help explain the process and answer any questions you may have.

Request More Info

Thermwood participated at the 2014 IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) in Chicago, as a part of the world's first 3D printed car team.  

This ambitious undertaking was conceived by Local Motors localmotors.com and carried out by several partners on the project, including Thermwood.  The overall concept was to 3D print, trim, assemble and drive the car all in the one-week time frame of the IMTS show in front of the over 100,000 attendees during the week.

After the car body was 3D printed (the additive portion of the process using a Cincinnati Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine), a Thermwood 5 Axis Model 70 10x15 CNC router was used as the subtractive portion to trim and shape the body into the final streamlined version. This process had to be precise to achieve the correct fit and finish of the body, fenders and all other parts.  

Overall, the entire 3D printing process took 44 hours, machining on the Thermwood took one full day and final assembly was two days! 

Additive portion of the project 

 Time-lapse of the Strati being printed

Subtractive portion on the Thermwood Model 70

Thermwood Model 70 5 Axis CNC router performing the "subtractive" portion of the process

Thermwood's Brent East put in long hours programming and running the subtractive portion of the car

Assembling the Strati

Strati 3D Printed Car being assembled at the IMTS show

The Finished Product

After assembly, the finished Strati was ready to roll, and was driven on the last morning of the IMTS show on Saturday September 13th.   This World's First 3D Printed Car begins a lengthy international tour this week.

Local Motors CEO John B. Rogers Jr. (Jay) says in a press release "The Strati was designed by our community, made in our Microfactory and will be driven by you,  This brand-new process disrupts the manufacturing status quo, changes the consumer experience and proves that a car can be born in an entirely different way."

Maiden Voyage

The project team presents the finished Strati to the world right before its first drive!

World's first 3D printed car drives around downtown Chicago

NBC Chicago Story on the Process - Featuring the Thermwood Model 70 - click to view

About the Model 70

The Multi-Purpose 70 is designed for aerospace and composite applications utilizing large/heavy fixtures (various sizes available).

Model 70 10x20 Fixed Table

Model 70 10x10 Fixed Table

 More Info

Below is a new video showing a Thermwood Model 63 5'x45' CNC router machining aluminum. 

This machine features an optional 10-position rotary automatic tool changer, optional saw aggregate and optional Renishaw probe system.

Video

About the Model 63

The all-new Thermwood Cut Center (which makes virtually everything a cabinet shop needs, with no programming) was just announced as a winner of a 2014 IWF Challengers Award.  These awards were given to seven entrants out of a field of over 60 innovative new products.

Try out the all-new cut center at IWF 2014!

You have the opportunity to see just how easy it is to run this new machine - right now, during IWF 2014.  We'll be demonstrating live during the show, and you can be part of it by helping to operate the cut center.  Please visit our booth (#5513) and speak to a Thermwood representative to get your hands on this exciting machine!

What can the cut ready cut center make?

Below are some examples from the displays at IWF.  Everything on these displays was made with the Thermwood Cut Center using standard tooling:

Cedar Closet

This is a set of closet cabinets in aromatic cedar plywood. These feature grain matched slab door and drawer stacks. They use “slot slide” drawers eliminating the need for hardware slides. They also use our proprietary drawer stop system. Drawers are “Blind Dado” construction with edge banded drawer sides.

Cabinetmakers who have worked with aromatic cedar in the past will likely ask where we got the matching edge banding. This particular cedar is highly figured with lots of knots which make it brittle and difficult to work with so it is generally not available commercially. Western and Eastern red cedar are a poor match.

We made our own aromatic cedar edge banding from a paper backed cedar veneer. The sheet was 4’ x 10’ and we cut it into 7/8” strips which we ran through the edge bander. The paper backing kept it from breaking. The system and routine we used is not currently in the machine but we plan to add it shortly. The fine tip tool we used is already one of the standard tools so this system will allow folks to make perfectly matching edge banding for about any material.  These cabinets are assembled using lock joints and cam-lock fasteners.

This assembly method is ideal when the cabinet must be assembled inside the closet. Often, you cannot physically move an assembled closet cabinet into a confined closet area and you must assemble the unit inside the closet. Lock joints are the easiest way to do this although we also offer lock joints with pocket screws fasteners. Also, these closet cabinets have detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions that you can print right at the machine. Items with lock joints must be assembled in a fixed sequence. The instructions make this much easier.

Kitchen Cabinet Design:

This one features upper corner pantry cabinets and a sink base in the center. This is also a face frame design using style 2, which has a mid-rail only under the top drawer.
MDF doors and drawer fronts are mounted using traditional partial overlay with a half inch overlay on face frames.

Drawers are dovetail construction with half inch thick sides and bottom. They are mounted on Blum undermount, soft-close slides.

Tall Corner Pantry and Cabinets:

This display features a tall corner pantry cabinet with connected base and uppers. Cabinets are “open frame” (Style 1), face frame designs made using ½ inch single side material. There are no mid-stiles or rails. The corner pantry features right hinged upper and lower angled corner doors and a left hinged appliance garage door for storing kitchen appliances. The left hinged door makes it easier to move appliances from storage to the counter top. It also features a full side door on the left end, increasing accessibility to a huge amount of storage space.

For the cabinet, ½” Columbia Pure-Bond maple veneer was used which was clear coated with a pre-cat lacquer on one side prior to cutting. The shelves are made from ¾” Columbia pre-finished Pure-Bond plywood edge banded with pre-finished edge banding.

The base cabinets feature a three drawer stack and a double door/drawer cabinet. Drawers are dovetail construction with a ¼ inch slide in bottom mounted on undermount Blum Tandem soft close slides. The machine automatically sizes drawers for the undermount slides which come in three inch increments. This is important because these slides only work with fixed depth drawers. Width measurements are from the inside of the drawer to the cabinet sides rather than from the outside, as with side mount slides.  This means the width of the drawer must be adjusted for any variation in material thickness, which is all done automatically.

Doors and drawer fronts are MDF from the “Applied Molding” area. They are sized and mounted as “Full Overlay” meaning they cover most of the face frame and present a frameless “Euro” look on a face frame cabinet. This style is becoming popular in the US today.

Bath Cabinets:

This is a set of bath face frame cabinets that show both the 30” height and 35” height cabinets available in the cut center. They also demonstrate how you can modify the standard face frame structure. Standard Cut Ready face frames have 1.5” wide stiles and 2” rails.

These cabinets use the standard 1.5” stiles but reduce the width of the rails so we can install inset drawers. The top rail was made at 1.5” instead of 2” and the mid-rails are 1” instead of 2”.

The 48 inch high counter top mounted corner cabinets are topped by a shelf from the same area, resized to act as a top cap. The mirror frame was made using the same molding shape as the doors and drawer fronts but sized wider when made in the molding area.

Walnut Frameless Closet:

This is a walnut closet based on the frameless closet designs available in the cut center. Although essentially the same as the previous display, appearance is dramatically different, demonstrating the variety of products that can be made from the core designs. It is also cam lock construction although pocket screw construction could also work since the unit must be assembled and finished before it is installed. The solid wood doors were made from moldings cut on the machine. Several molding shapes from MDF applied moldings doors are available in the “Mid-molding” sections of “Moldings” making mitered wood doors possible. The wavy restoration glass in the doors add an “antique” appearance.

The walnut carving along the top as well as the crown molding were both cut on the machine and are both part of the current offering. The carving takes almost five hours to cut but adds a unique, “expensive” look that demands a premium price. The design can also be made without the carving. Note: carving and molding material such as walnut or oak is quite difficult because of the tendency of these materials to tear out during machining. The machine allows for this tendency and creates rather nice results as you can see here.

See at IWF 2014:

The all-new Cut Ready Cut Center is on display and cutting live at IWF 2014 in Booth #5513 at the Georgia World Congress Center - Atlanta, GA.  Make plans now to visit us and see this exciting new technology in person!