In the Woodworking industry, laser scanners and touch probes have been used for some time for digitizing objects, but due to severe technical or practical limitations, neither has seen significant use in the market. Software and CNC machine technology already exist to take advantage of 3D digital models, so digitizing has been the weak link in the process. The recent introduction of the FastSCAN to the woodworking market has changed that, and allows woodworkers to leverage digital technology to increase their productivity and get more return on their CNC investment.  Click HERE for the full article.

This is a news broadcast of medical technology making orthotics and prosthetics for military soldiers. A 3d laser is used to scan the soldier's foot or other parts of their body and is rendered in software. It is then taken to a Thermwood Model 67, five axis machine, and machined to the custom shape.

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Carson City, NV: Classic Dash has announced a new molded ABS composite dash panel in three finishes for GM G-body cars, rear-wheel drive iterations that were produced from late '78 until early 1988. These cars include the Buick Regal/Grand National/GNX, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, El Camino, Malibu, GMC Caballero, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Pontiac Gran Prix and Grand Le Mans and Bonneville.

In keeping with all the company's previous offerings, the G-Body panel is clean and stylish. Lightweight and exceedingly rigid ABS plastic sheets are vacuum-formed at 320 degrees Fahrenheit and the material is impregnated with a UV inhibiter that protects it from sun damage. Accuracy is the key. A Thermwood 5-axis CNC high-speed router consistently trims the dash panels to within 0.005-inch.

The Classic Dash panel is available in carbon fiber, brushed aluminum, or black finishes. All panels are offered in two forms: with or without gauge openings, and with or without gauges. Gauge selection includes several variations from Auto Meter and Classic Instruments. Auto Meter kits include wiring harness from gauges to factory loom, LED turn signal indicators, and high-beam and emergency brake light indicators.

Classic Dash was formed in 2002 and was the first company to create replacement ABS composite dash panels for vehicles of the muscle car era. Their new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located in Carson City, Nevada. Its website has a new make-over with easy navigation and access to ordering. Staff members can easily answer any technical questions you may have and same-day shipping is available on orders received before 3PM, PST. Classic Dash instrument panels complete with gauges are priced from $849.95

For further information contact:

Classic Dash, 5225 Grumman Drive, Suite 100,

Carson City, NV 89706

Telephone (866) 882-3525

Royce//Ayr manufactures and distributes premium quality cutting tools for wood, composite, plastic, rubber and steel cutting applications for cnc routers and other machinery.  Royce//Ayr makes it easy to determine Feed Rates, Knife marks per inch & Chipload per tooth. View the recommended values in the charts located here and use the calculator to determine approximate settings for your machinery. The calculation results should serve as a starting point to determine optimum feed speeds and RPM for your machinery. 

eCabinet Systems version 6.0 Build 1 is now available. This latest version of eCabinet Systems is available as a download only. No disc is required. It is a full install. It will either update your existing version of eCabinet Systems or complete a full install.

To obtain this version, click on the link below. Save this file to your computer then double click it to run.


Full Installation/Upgrade:
http://order.ecabinetsystems.com/updates/eCabinetSystems6-0Build6.asp
(113 Mb)


NOTE: Fresh installations (not upgrades) do NOT include pull, wood product, or lazy susan store entries. So to have access to these 3D objects you must download and install them from the following links. If this installer is used on a pc that already contains eCabinet Systems then the 3D files are already on your pc and these downloads are not needed.

Pulls:
http://order.ecabinetsystems.com/updates/PullsV6.asp

Wood Products:
http://order.ecabinetsystems.com/updates/WoodComponentsV6.asp

Lazy Susan:
http://order.ecabinetsystems.com/updates/LazySusanV6.asp



Features available in version 6.0 Build 1:

- Full install downloadable. No disk is required.

- Vista & Windows 7 compatible

- Windows 64 bit compatible

- Ability to save Cabinets and Assemblies in a location other than that specified by the installation.

- Improved cabinet construction and Part Editor operation recognition. Problems in previous versions where Part Editor cuts can not hit a construction operation should not exist any longer.

- Ability to add hardware components. This means that the old Members Store is completely removed. The only items that are kept from the old store are those with 3d objects. These components are pulls, wood components, lazy susan & moldings. (To obtain these components on a fresh installation you will need to download them with the links provided above. NOTE: Moldings are already included in the install.) An additional field has been added for Distributors. If you load a job, cabinet or assembly that has a component from the old store you will be asked to add or alter this component with a New Hardware dialog. NOTE: Moldings can not be added or manipulated in this version.

- Item Window for quick access to cabinets,assemblies,doors,drawers,display items for the Room and Cabinet Editor. This supports dual screen systems as well.

- Drawer Box parts can be modified in the Part Editor and Constraint Manager

- Stretchers from the Stretcher Editor can be modified in the Part Editor and Constraint Manager

- A new buy list is available in the Item Window. There is one for the entire job and one for a single cabinet. This buy list can be exported for a means to create a purchase order.

- Export/Import in CSV format for hardware items. This offers a quick means for altering pricing on all your components in Excel.

- CNC Output immediately creates twd for current job. The batching jobs CNC Output is now only available when there are no items in the room or batch area.

- Ability to Nest the items in the Cabinet Editor by clicking Nested Output when in Cabinet Editor


NOTE:
If downloading the install is not an option, an install cd may be purchased online HERE

The fee for the installation cd will be $30.00 (Shipping Not Included)

This past September at the WMS 2009 Show, CNC Automation in collaboration with our Suppliers and customers built kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and vanities that were then donated to the Habitat for Humanity Restore Program.

Many of the people who worked together during the show to not only illustrate what our products and machines could do in a real time production environment, were humbled by what was being created for the Habitat for Humanity program.  Too often during shows, raw material is wasted and finished products are destroyed once the show is completed.  This time CNC Automation and our partners wanted to make a difference.  We contacted Habitat for Humanity to see if there was a need.  This partnership proved to be rewarding to all concerned. 

I would like to share with you, a letter that was received from Stewart Hardacre, President and Chief Operating Officer for Habitat for Humanity Canada.

Habitat for Humanity Letter of Appreciation

Thermwood Corporation, always on the cutting edge of technology, is now taking its CNC expertise to new markets

Written by Militza Richard & Produced by Shaheen Mohammadipour

The Thermwood Corporation has never been intimidated by technology. Founded in 1969 as a plastic molder for wood-grained parts for the furniture industry, the company developed their own CNC tool in the mid 1970s.

"We ended up building the first CNC control system ever offered commercially," says company founder and CEO Ken Susnjara. The company developed its own operating systems and evolved their CNC routers into a very powerful and capable system.

Used to cut, trim and shape a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic, composites, foam, honeycomb core and non-ferrous metals into either flat or three-dimensional shaped products, CNC routers have changed the face of the machine industry. Thermwood is the oldest CNC router company in the world and the only CNC manufacturer in the country with a GSA certification.

With customers ranging from NASA to Broadway, Thermwood offers a wide variety of systems, in both three and five axis configurations in a wide range of sizes. The company has also become a major international player with operations across the globe.

NEW MARKETS

For many years, Thermwood Corporation has been extremely successful focusing on three key markets: woodworking, plastics and aerospace. However, the company has recently begun expanding into new markets, such as the growing wind sector.

"We've made a huge number of changes in the downturn," says Susnjara. "We've revamped marketing, targeted the wind energy market, and created some new machines. We didn't pull into our shells. You have to go out there and get the business."

With Ken's son Jason Susnjara heading up the marketing department, Thermwood Corporation has embraced online marketing and begun attending new tradeshows, opening doors into new business sectors.

"We had a traditional marketing plan that had worked well for us, but over the past few years we have begun embracing electronics and becoming internet savvy. It's worked rather nicely. By spreading out our marketing we have been able to pick up business in new sectors," says Ken Susnjara.

Entering these new markets has been essential as the economy continues to struggle. "The biggest trends are our competitors going out of business," says Susnjara. "We are in a dozen markets in 35 countries, and we would have never believed they would all dip at the same time."

But the company has taken the down time to revamp and is now excited about the future. "As the economy recovers we will be much stronger," states Susnjara. He believes the economy is turning around and is excited that more and more companies are beginning to adopt CNC technology.

IMPROVED MACHINES

As Thermwood enters new market places, the company has also developed larger, more accurate machines. However, one problem with large machines is the head alignment. Ensuring accuracy comes with a high cost.

To solve this problem, Thermwood has employed 3-D laser systems to measure the exact position of the head everywhere in the working envelope. They then developed technology that allows their CNC control to take this data and compensate for any machine error.

This system cuts down on the cost, making it practical to build larger machines. "We have sold 60ft machines and with the new system we can run the Z axis into the 10-12ft range," explains Susnjara.

As Thermwood continues to improve its systems, its technology continues to become more accurate and easier to use. For example, mounting a fixture used to be a task that could take hours of painstaking work, but Thermwood's new technology can transform the program to match the fixture instead of the other way around, cutting out hours of work.

"Things that used to take a lot of time and skill are now being handled in the control," says Susnjara. "Once we discover the needs of a client, we can generally come up with a way to meet those needs better than our competitors. We can offer the machines for 1/3 less money with specs that are better."

Thermwood hopes to apply this technological savvy to the growing wind sector. Susnjara says the company has programs in place with leaders in the industry and is excited about the "unique technologies they will be able to bring to the industry."

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

Thermwood is able to offer flexible technological solutions to its clients thanks to the hard work and skill of its employees. "We get pretty good folks. This area has a strong work ethic and skilled people," says Susnjara.

In fact, he says many of the people who were with the company in the beginning are still there today. Their very first employee just retired last year, and many employees are second generation. And while there have been layoffs and pay cuts due to the economy, Susnjara says that in a normal year a turnover rate of 1 or 1.5 percent is bad.

Thermwood also cultivates long-term relationships with its vendors and distributors. Having been in the same business for so long, they have maintained great relationships with all of their vendors. "We have a philosophy that everyone needs to make money. We don't squeeze our vendors. It's better to create relationships where you support each other," says Susnjara.

Similarly, the company has worked with many of its distributors for 20 or 30 years. Many are now second generation.

FACTS AT A GLANCE:

Company Name: Thermwood Corporation

CEO: Ken Susnjara

Operations: Thermwood is the oldest CNC router company in the world and the only CNC manufacturer in the country with a GSA certification

Established: 1969

http://www.thermwood.com

A & C Products had sent us pictures of their new Thermwood Model 90 nicknamed "The Beast".  They machine a wide variety of materials including REN, Aluminum, Plastics, Copper, Brass and other composites. They also manufacture pleated window shades for private jets.  Below are the pictures of "The Beast"

The members of projectione recently utilized the 3 Axis CabinetShop 45 CNC Router at Associated Fabrication in New York to create several cool projects.

The first is a combination of CNC Router and a set of drafting and art pens to draw abstracted versions of character sketches.  For more information on this process, please click here:

Click here for more information 

Bamco Custom Woodworking is a Thermwood machine owner:

Guelph Ont.-based cabinetmaker Bamco Custom Woodworking has received a $2.77 million loan from the Ontario government under the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy (AMIS) program. Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello made the announcement in early October in Guelph.

"We proposed a project to the Ontario government whereby we would bring in some very high-end finishing equipment from Italy to help us create a 100% water-based finishing system," says Bamco president Bill Van De Ven. The equipment, he says, will also allow the company to create a high gloss buff-less finish. "Currently most high gloss finishes are sprayed on and then buffed to a gloss. This equipment that we bought is so advanced that you won't need to buff it - it will come out with a glass or mirror finish without the hands-on buffing."

Bamco will become one of the first manufacturers in North America to offer the environmentally friendly finishing process. "From a marketing standpoint we plan on targeting companies that would traditionally import that product from Italy or Germany - give them a North American solution," says Van De Ven.

Vice-president of business development, John Fazari says the finishing system also gives the company an edge with businesses in the U.S. "We're not competing with the American dollar so much as with the euro because this product is not available in Canada and the U.S. the way that it will be when we're finished."

Doug Weidner, brand director for Bamco's DolceMano cabinet series, says the new technology will allow them to offer a high quality "green" product. "It gives our dealers a huge advantage in the market."

The finishing system is expected to be up and running in early 2010. It's anticipated that it will help create approximately 70 jobs over the next five years.