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.

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	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'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.

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Steps used in the video:

In eCabinet Systems:

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

On Thermwood QCore SuperControl:

• 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.

 

Thermwood Corporation, a leading US manufacturer of CNC routers, announces the MTR 30DT dual table CNC router for machine paced panel processing.

The MTR30 DT is designed for machining jobs that require multiple tools and dual tables for nonstop machine production.  The machine is configured with two stationary 61 inch by 121 inch high flow vacuum tables with dual programmable part locators.  It is equipped with a 12 HP spindle with an automatic tool changing system that includes both fixed and at the head tooling; for a total of 20 tool positions for routing.  It also includes a drill bank with both horizontal and vertical drills, available up to 25 spindles.

 

Included within the QCore control is Thermwood’s featured Control Nesting software along with a dxf convertor for accepting dxf files for automatic nesting.  The control also includes a huge 1 terabyte hard disk for program storage and is enclosed in a dust protected air conditioned cabinet.

Visit www.thermwood.com or call 800-533-6901 or email info@thermwood.com for more information on this product.

Thermwood is a US company with dealers and distributors worldwide.  In addition to machine manufacturing and software development, Thermwood has a technical service organization that provides support, machine installation, training, retrofits, custom programming and production assistance.

 

 

Dear eCabinet Systems Members,

eCabinet Systems version 6.0 Build 7 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.

eCabinet Systems Version 6.0 Build 7 is ONLY a time extension release:

eCabinet Systems Update Page:
http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/ecabinet_systems_updates.htm

To obtain eCabinet Systems V6.0 Build 7, install click on the link above. Save this file to your computer then double click it to run.

If you need a new reg code, please email cabinets@thermwood.com or go to www.ecabinetsystems.com to generate a new code.

Sincerely,

Your friends at eCabinet Systems

Today is the first day at the WMS show in Toronto where our Canadian Dealer, CNC Automation has a very nice booth with a couple of Thermwood CNC Routers including the New CabinetShop43. We are continualy adding pictures from the show to our TwitPic account. You can view them here:

http://www.twitpic.com/photos/thermwood

You can also follow Thermwood, CNC Automation and the WMS show on our twitter page or blog:

http://www.twitter.com/thermwood

The booth consists of two Thermwood routers, CabinetShop45 and CabinetShop43., and two Fravol Edgebanders, S4 and S7.  They are demonstrating eCabinet Systems and QuickCut on the CS43, cutting random cabinets and 20-20 Technologies is sending files to the CS45.

The CS45 is also creating furniture for Canada's Habitat for Humanity. Once the parts are cut on the machine, they will get edgebanding, finished and assembled right there in the booth, so there are other secondary type of machines within the booth.

 Here are a couple of pics of the CNC Automation /Thermwood booth at the opening of the show:

 

 

 

A CNC panel saw coupled with a machining center is the most common production arrangement for higher volume cabinet production. Nested based machining is more productive in lower volume shops but hasn't offered enough throughput for larger shops. Now there is a way to combine the best of both approaches to achieve even higher throughput and higher productivity.

The idea is simple but the technology to achieve it has been elusive until now. The basic approach is to use the panel saw to cut rectangular parts that do not require additional machining and use a CNC router to cut parts that require machining using a nested based approach. As simple as the idea sounds, it offers some significant benefits.

1. You only need to cut parts on the panel saw that don't require additional machining. Less panel saw labor.
2. You don't need to sort parts at the panel saw that need additional machining since they are not cut there. Even less labor.
3. You don't need to transfer parts from the panel saw to the machining center.
4. At the CNC router, you load full sheets of material instead of identifying, selecting programs, handling and setting up each part, one at a time. Much faster.
5. During the machining cycle the operator has time to do other operations such as edge banding which is not possible if you are handling one part at a time.

The technology to do this now exists and in a very refined form. For example the system can easily do the following:

1. Automatically separate rectangular parts and send them to the optimizer and send all machined parts to the CNC router.
2. Automatically nest the job at the machine control accommodating whatever material is available.
3. Print nest diagrams and part labels at the machine control.
4. Trim and bar code scrap for later use.
5. Easily re-cut a damaged part or add it to the next job right at the machine.

This approach offers more throughput, smoother operation with less labor and less chance for operator error and implementing it is rather easy. You will keep your panel saw, since our software will work with virtually any panel saw optimizer. Replace your machining center with a CNC router. We will program your product line into our manufacturing software which will work directly with your existing cabinet sales software. That's it, you are ready to run.

This approach is especially attractive if you need to replace your existing machining center. Our large table, nested based CNC systems are about the same price as traditional machining centers but, are a lot more productive and offer better throughput.

 

 Are you working with Layered DXF files and Control Nesting? Do you run into issues with any of the following?

• OUTLINE layer depths not matching material thicknesses at the machine...
• Parts to be machined in "grained" material being drawn in the wrong orientation...
• You need a left-hand AND right-hand gable but only have the left-hand DXF...
• The DADO layer is not being recognized because if was incorrectly labeled "DAOD"...
• You need to flip the back operations to the front and then front operations to the back...
• No CAD system or CAD operator out at the machine...

DXF Buddy

is here! This small and easy utility will run at the machine and help you rectify all of the issues listed above and then some.

DXF Buddy is available in two versions - Standard and Pro. The Standard version incorporates a DXF Part Viewer and the ability to manipulate many aspects of the Layered DXF file without the need of accessing a CAD system. The Pro version has all the capabilities of the Standard module and also provide a DXF List Management module that allows you to create a list of DXF parts, set quantities, easily assign materials, mirror/rotate or "pair" individual parts and annotate each entry with a JOB/ASSEMBLY and CAB/SUB-ASSEMBLY designation. The lists DXF Buddy Pro "builds" can then be loaded into Control Nesting in one easy step.

Both versions of DXF Buddy 1.0 have an introductory price of less than $100 CAD!

NOTES:

• Each license can be installed and run on only one (1) computer. (Software registers to the computer.)
• All support is done via a email (dxf.buddy@cncautomation.com) or on the special forum on the

B2B-Online-Community. No phone support is provided.

Visit the SOFTWARE section of the CNC Automation web store - http://store.cncautomation.com/