Now Available:

The new Thermwood smart-router electronic brochure is now available.  This interactive brochure features over thirty smart-router facts and videos.  Check it out!

What exactly is a smart-router?  

Just like a smart phone does more than make phone calls, a “smart-router” does much more than route parts. The “more” in a smart-router saves material and labor and makes it really easy to use. 

The bottom line:

Smart-routers save time, money and material - A smart-router may initially cost more but is substantially more profitable, making it a much better overall investment.

Smart-routers live on the web. They access updates on the web, are serviced through the web and let you monitor and manage your smart-router using your smart phone or tablet.

Smart-routers do this through the use of apps that allow users to monitor their CNC router(s) and the programs that run on them from anywhere. These apps permit users to obtain the following information and more:

• A listing of every machine (includes an optional user customizable nickname)

• The current state (ready, running or in e-stop)

• The current Feed Override setting

• The current program loaded and or running

• A listing of all current and past part programs loaded/ran in chronological order with extensions

• A listing of machine events during each part program in chronological order

• A listing of the cycle time of every part program ran in chronological order

• A listing of completion or interrupt times in each part program ran in chronological order

• All machine events in chronological order with filtering

• Monitor scheduled maintenance with a cycle time countdown as well as a graphical countdown progress bar

• A time stamp listing of all previous maintenance performed

• The ability to request a service phone call from a support technician right from your device.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

Smart-routers
address backside machining in a different way than ordinary routers. A smart-router groups all parts that need backside operations on the first few sheets of a job and does the back operations on the full sheet.

How this works:

The machine instructs you to load the sheet with the backside up and then does all the backside machining on all parts. Notches are machined on the sheet edges so when it is flipped over, it can be precisely positioned against locator pads. When the parts are cut and removed, they are complete, front and back.

Smart-router Advantage:

This saves a lot of labor compared to doing back operations one part at a time. You save sorting, identifying, selecting the backside program, loading and unloading parts and you save a lot of scrap when parts are identified, positioned or oriented wrong, which can happen all too often.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

The Thermwood CNC Mobile App allows users to monitor their Thermwood CNC router(s) and the programs that run on them from anywhere. This app permits the user to obtain the following information on a tablet or smartphone (updated every 30 seconds):

• A listing of every machine you own (includes an optional user customizable nickname)

• The current state (ready, running or in e-stop)

• The current Feed Override setting

• The current program loaded and or running

• A listing of all current and past part programs loaded/ran in chronological order with extensions

• A listing of machine events during each part program in chronological order

• A listing of the cycle time of every part program ran in chronological order

• A listing of completion or interrupt times in each part program ran in chronological order

• All machine events in chronological order with filtering

• Monitor scheduled maintenance with a cycle time countdown as well as a graphical countdown progress bar

• A time stamp listing of all previous maintenance performed

• The ability to request a service phone call from a Thermwood Support Technician right from your device.

Domestic Eligibility:  While this app is free to install, only machines enrolled in Thermwood’s Advanced Support program or subscribed to Virtual Service will deliver the monitoring service. The machine also requires QCore control software version 8.5.5 or newer. All new machines will include the ability to use this app during the warranty period of the machine free of charge. 

International Eligibility:
All new international machine customers will be able to use the Thermwood CNC Mobile App free of charge during the machine warranty.  Any non-US customers wishing to continue using this mobile app after the warranty will be allowed to do so for a $50 a month fee automatically billed each month to a credit card.  The customer will be notified when the warranty of the machine is about to expire and asked at that time if he/she would like to continue this service.

Also available on any browser here: https://server.thermwood.com/thmmobileapp

View Your Thermwood CNC Router Through Your WebCam

This is a convenient way to watch your machine remotely.  

How it Works

You set up your own web cam (must be an SSL enabled camera for security), and host it on a web page you control.  Then, inside the Thermwood app, you can enter in the address of your camera feed (on your hosted page), and access it through the app.

Click Machine Cameras to bring up a lising of all accessible cameras in the app

Listing of all added cameras and link to add additional cameras

Add a new camera by entering in a name and web address to your hosted web cam

More Details

This feature is not designed to be used as a remote management or operation tool, only as an access point in the app that points to the host of your choice.  It is only designed to be used as a viewer, not for remote operation of your machine.

Recommended Camera

Thermwood recommends the Axis M5525-E PTZ Camera, but any SSL enabled camera that you can host on your site should work.  Note:  Thermwood will not be able to provide technical support on your camera or hosting platform, only on our app.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

Smart-routers allow you to nest around defects to use damaged or flawed material.  This feature can save you a lot of material, which in turn can save you a lot of time and money.

When using this feature on nested based jobs, a smart-router saves you money by reducing the amount of scrap material that is wasted.  This in turn saves you a substantial amount of money, and ordinary routers just do not focus on this area. They rely on the user to take care of checking the material for flaws, and this means that the operator must be both skilled and well trained to work within the limits of these systems.  

Smart-router Advantage

Smart routers address areas like this in a big way - they address the areas where you spend the most money because that’s where you can make the most money.  Ordinary routers may seem less expensive at first, but may prove to be much more expensive in the long run.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

In the video below, Thermwood VP of Marketing Jason Susnjara explains what we are showing at AWFS 2013 as well as smart-router technology:

Speed up Production Time with CabinetShop 43
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 nested based production time, and is available both on new machines and as a retrofit.

Solid Wood Machining on 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 us now at AWFS 2013

We are demonstrating many of the features of smart-router technology and nested based manufacturing at the 2013 AWFS show (going on now until July 27th (Booth #8400).  Plan to stop by and check it out, or click the button below to request a personal consultation on how we can help improve your production process.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

What exactly is a smart-router?  

Just like a smart phone does more than make phone calls, a “smart-router” does more than route parts. The “more” in a smart-router saves material and labor and makes it really easy to use. A smart-router may cost more but is substantially more profitable, making it a much better overall investment.

Below is a video demonstrating some of the unique features of a Thermwood smart-router:

 Thermwood at AWFS 2013

Thermwood will be demonstrating many of the features of smart-router technology and nested based manufacturing at the 2013 AWFS show on July 24th-27th (Booth #8400).  Plan to stop by and check it out, or click the button below to request a personal consultation on how we can help improve your production process.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

Replacing bad or scrap parts is really easy with a smart-router. At the end of a job, simply scan the labels of any parts you want to recut and the machine nests them on any material still on the table so you can recut them. This saves a lot over having to create new CNC programs to make replacement parts.

With a smart-router you can even add parts from previous jobs to a new job, provided you are running the same material (it monitors that for you). When replacement parts from another job are cut, a red bar on the label lets you know this part is for a different job.

Thermwood at AWFS 2013

Thermwood will be demonstrating many of the features of smart-router technology and nested based manufacturing at the 2013 AWFS show on July 24th-27th (Booth #8400).  Plan to stop by and check it out, or click the button below to request a personal consultation on how we can help improve your production process.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

Smart-routers can machine a profile edge without a profile tool, by tracing over the edge multiple times with standard tools. It even works on curved moldings.

This saves a lot for any shop that makes custom moldings by allowing you to use Profile Modeler to quickly create a molding or custom shape from a sketch or drawing with no special shaped tooling required.

Overview:  Smart-routers machine a profile edge without a profile tool

In depth:  Profile Modeler - from Sketch to Production

Thermwood at AWFS 2013

Thermwood will be demonstrating many of the features of smart-router technology and nested based manufacturing at the 2013 AWFS show on July 24th-27th (Booth #8400).  Plan to stop by and check it out, or click the button below to request a personal consultation on how we can help improve your production process.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.

Smart-routers give you more

Just like a smart phone does more than make phone calls, a “smart-router” does more than route parts. The “more” in a smart-router saves material and labor and makes it really easy to use. A smart-router does cost more but is substantially more profitable, making it a much better overall investment.

Easily recover from a broken tool

One great feature of a smart-router is the ability to recover from a broken tool without scrapping the sheet you are cutting or restarting the job. This can save a lot of time, effort and money.

How it works

If a tool breaks, press the Pause button to stop the machine.  Then select the Replace Tool option on the control, and the smart-router drops off the tool holder and notifies you to replace the tool. The machine then picks up the new tool, automatically measures it, adjusts the program for the new tool length, recuts the path of the broken tool and continues with the job.

Thermwood at AWFS 2013

Thermwood will be demonstrating many of the features of smart-router technology and nested based manufacturing at the 2013 AWFS show on July 24th-27th (Booth #8400).  Plan to stop by and check it out, or click the button below to request a personal consultation on how we can help improve your production process.

	Please click the "Request a Consultation" link above or give us a call at 1-800-533-6901 and we will sit down and show you how all this happens, in detail.