A 3D printed boat hull pattern, from which fiberglass boat hull molds are made, has been completed using a near net shape additive manufacturing process and then successfully used to produce a production capable fiberglass mold in a proof of concept joint evaluation program. The completed pattern was recently displayed at the AM2017 Additive Manufacturing Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Video 

Finished boat hull pattern - shown with Thermwood LSAM® 10'x20' machine

A Collaborative Effort

This achievement was the result of a collaborative effort between Thermwood Corporation,Techmer PM and Marine Concepts. The tool was printed slightly oversized and then trimmed to final net size and shape using a Thermwood’s large scale additive manufacturing (LSAM®) system.

It was made from Techmer’s Electrafil© ABS LT1 3DP, which has proven ideal for marine tooling applications when processed using LSAM print technology. The entire print, assembly and trim process required less than ten working days to complete. After the printed and trimmed tool was coated and finished, a fiberglass mold was produced using the printed pattern. This effort clearly demonstrates the feasibility, practicality, economics and advantages of using additive manufacturing in the production of boat tooling. 

The Details

Thermwood LSAM® 10'x20' machine printing two of the six sections

The final tool was printed in six sections, four major center sections with walls approximately an inch and a half thick and a solid printed transom and bow, which were pinned and bonded together using Lord plural component urethane adhesive before being machined as a single piece on the Thermwood system.

Bonding the boat hull pattern pieces together

Bringing the two sections together

Boat hull pattern after bonding together and before machining

Thermwood LSAM® 10'x20' machining boat hull pattern

The final trimmed pattern weighs approximately three thousand pounds. It required approximately thirty hours to print and fifty hours to machine.

Final trimmed pattern before coating

Thermwood’s demonstration machine, used for this program, has a 10 foot by 20 foot worktable and features both print and trim capability on the same machine. The print head used for this project can print at rates approaching 200 pounds an hour when running this particular Techmer material. Thermwood also offers larger machines and higher throughput print heads as part of its LSAM product line. 

Pulling the Mold

Building frame on boat hull pattern to pull mold

Finished frame on boat hull pattern after casting the fiberglass mold

Removing fiberglass mold from boat hull pattern

Finished boat hull mold in red

Additive Manufacturing Could Change Marine Tooling Process

Additive manufacturing offers the promise of even more advances in marine tooling such as printing the hull and deck pattern as a single piece, allowing a production mold to be taken from the hull and then flipping the pattern over and taking a deck mold from the other side of the same pattern. All of these possibilities result in dramatically lower tooling cost and substantially faster build time. 

For large boats and yachts, Thermwood is evaluating the feasibility of printing molds directly, rather than printing a pattern from which the mold is taken. Because of their large size, these tools will need to be printed and machined in sections, even with very large LSAM® printers. It may also be possible to print integrated cooling channels for air or liquid into these large tools as part of the print process. 

With this initial success and some radical new ideas that appear to be possible with current materials and technology, it is becoming apparent that additive manufacturing may very well represent a disruptive force for the marine tooling industry.

Save Big Money on your CNC router purchase in 2017! 

Some great news is the current dual benefit of the Section 179 deduction/100% bonus depreciation which allows you to write off 100% of the equipment you purchase in 2017 (up to $500,000) makes this an ideal time to purchase, but you need to act now!

Want a Thermwood CNC before the end of the year?  Act now!

Fall is here, and the time to lock in a production slot for end of the 2017 year shipment is now. 

To take advantage of the Schedule 179 deduction benefit for 2017, contact us today! 

How Does Schedule 179 Work?

Schedule 179 allows businesses to deduct a large part or all of the cost of a machine purchased in 2017 up to a limit of $500,000:

You can basically write-off 100% of all the equipment your business needs to buy or finance this year (up to $500,000)!

From Section 179 of the IRS tax code:  This allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income.

Important:  Section 179 can provide you with significant tax relief for this 2017 tax year, but equipment and software must be financed and in place by midnight December 31, 2017.

An example of Section 179 at work:

For More Detailed Information  please click here

Calculate Your Potential Savings with Schedule 179  please click here

Please use the following links to view our line of 3 axis and 5 axis Thermwood CNC routers.  

Visit Why Purchase a Thermwood? to see why our machines are the most reliable, technically advanced and safest choice for almost 50 years.

Latest Cut Ready Update Summary

We are constantly adding new features and abilities to the Award-Winning Cut Ready Cut Center.  

Included in this update is an additional mattress size (Double) to the existing Vertical Wall Beds collection.  Like the Queen sizes, these can be customized in the Cut Ready software to fit your application.

About the Vertical Wall Beds

Also known as “Murphy Beds”, these are a collection of stylish, attractive bedroom furniture pieces for the home. They are ideal where space is limited, such as guest rooms, dorm rooms, etc. 

This collection provides you with a simple, yet elegant design that is easily assembled with a screwdriver using “Lock Joints”.

Create Your Own Custom Configuration

Vertical Wall Beds come in several styles and configurations, however, you may also create your own unique design. Side units may be adjusted to any width, depth, or height within a given range. Choices of undermount or side mount slides are also available.

Get creative by applying different moldings to obtain your desired look. This simple, clean design will blend with virtually any decor.

About the Cut Center

The Thermwood 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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Latest Cut Ready Update Summary

We are constantly adding new features and abilities to the Award-Winning Cut Ready Cut Center.  

Included in this update is a collection of Puzzle Joint Picture Frames (all may be resized within a given range allowing you to find you own custom fit) and more.

New Puzzle Joint Picture Frames

We've had numerous Customer Requests for Picture Frames, so we've added a collection of them.  All picture frames may be resized within a given range allowing you to find you own custom fit.  

There are also several framing widths to choose from and the option to include a back.  The frames use our unique "Puzzle Joint" construction method making assembling them a breeze.  

These items are available with or without backs along with several frame widths to choose from. All picture frames may be resized within a given range allowing you to find your own custom fit. 

Drawer Box Updates

We've also increased the length of tennons and dados on Drawer Box parts.  This gives you a stronger box, while also addressing an issue for a particular height choice.

Improved Display

Entertainment Centers and Hidden Beds now have their overall dimensions displayed within their thumbnails and photos to more easily determine which to choose.

About the Cut Center

The Thermwood 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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Latest Cut Ready Update Summary

We are constantly adding new features and abilities to the Award-Winning Cut Ready Cut Center.  

Included in this update is a collection of Vertical Wall Beds, that can be customized in the Cut Ready software to fit your application.

New Vertical Wall Beds

Also known as “Murphy Beds”, these are a collection of stylish, attractive bedroom furniture pieces for the home. They are ideal where space is limited, such as guest rooms, dorm rooms, etc. 

This collection provides you with a simple, yet elegant design that is easily assembled with a screwdriver using “Lock Joints”.

Create Your Own Custom Configuration

Vertical Wall Beds come in several styles and configurations, however, you may also create your own unique design. Side units may be adjusted to any width, depth, or height within a given range. Choices of undermount or side mount slides are also available.

Get creative by applying different moldings to obtain your desired look. This simple, clean design will blend with virtually any decor.

Update Info

This update contains over 200 configurations for a Queen mattress. In the coming weeks, we will release two other sizes: Double/Full & Twin.

About the Cut Center

The Thermwood 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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New For AWFS 2017

Experience the award winning Cut Ready Cut Center at the AWFS Show July 19th thru 22nd in Thermwood's booth #9200.  New for AWFS 2017 are "Single Pass MDF Doors" that offer a wide variety of door styles and profiles. 

The Cut Ready Cut Center also includes a number of new control features making it even easier to use.  No programming--no learning CAD/CAM or CNC code--just tell it want you want to make, load the material, and let it make the parts for you!

Single Pass MDF Doors using Diamond Tools

(tooling may be purchased on www.thermwoodwebstore.com)

We now offer the ability to create single pass MDF doors using diamond tooling. This feature offers the following benefits:

• Letting you create Single Pass Doors much faster versus Multi Pass Doors.
• You can choose to leave the inside corners as a radius, or have Cut Ready clean them out automatically.

Choosing Muti-Pass or Single Pass Doors in the Cut Center is easy

Click to view MDF Door with Corner Cleanup Video

Easily Create Radius or Mitered Inside Corners

MDF door with mitered inside corner shown below

MDF door with radius inside corner shown below

Easily Choose Your Profiles

The Cut Center can also help narrow down which door to use by selecting only the profiles you want.  The matching drawer fronts are automatically shown. 

Frameless Uppers now have both Flush Bottom Doors and Overhang Doors

Another new added feature is the addition of both flush bottom and overhang doors to frameless uppers.

Flush Bottom Doors in Cut Ready

Overhang Doors in Cut Ready

Verify Tooling Screen Easier to Use

The Verify Tooling interface has been updated to be easier to use and more specific (only displaying mandatory tools).

Cut Center Now Monitors Tooling Used During CNC Access

We've also made the Cut Center even more accident-proof.   It now monitors any tooling changes made while in CNC Access.  If you forget to change a tool back or if you changed something in the tool table, the Cut Center will automatically verify those tools prior to cutting.

Try out the award-winning Thermwood Cut Center for yourself at AWFS 2017!

The 2017 AWFS Show (July 19th-22nd) promises to be an exciting opportunity to visit Las Vegas and see the very latest technology from Thermwood!  Like the award winning Thermwood Cut Center (make virtually anything a cabinet shop would want to make - with no programming) and the powerful and versitile Model 45 with a pod system (machining solid wood, plastic and aluminum).

See just how easy it is to use the Cut Center

The Thermwood Cut Center will be in action during AWFS 2017.  You'll have the opportunity to see just how easy it is to run this new machine.  Just tell it what you want, and it makes it...it is that easy! 

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 (#9200) and speak to a Thermwood representative to get your hands on this exciting machine!   More Info

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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The Thermwood Mobile App now has a new feature - the ability to view your Thermwood CNC router through your web cam. 

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 P5514 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.

Thermwood Demo Center Web Cam View

Try out the award-winning Thermwood Cut Center for yourself at AWFS 2017!

The 2017 AWFS Show (July 19th-22nd) promises to be an exciting opportunity to visit Las Vegas and see the very latest technology from Thermwood!  Like the award winning Thermwood Cut Center (make virtually anything a cabinet shop would want to make - with no programming) and the powerful and versatile Model 45 with a pod system (machining solid wood, plastic and aluminum).

See just how easy it is to use the Cut Center

The Thermwood Cut Center will be in action during AWFS 2017.  You'll have the opportunity to see just how easy it is to run this new machine.  Just tell it what you want, and it makes it...it is that easy! 

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 (#9200) and speak to a Thermwood representative to get your hands on this exciting machine! 

Solid Wood Machining on the Thermwood Model 45

We will also be demonstrating solid wood, plastics and aluminum utilizing a pod system and a horizontal aggregate 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 in addition to cabinets, solid wood, millwork, phenolic, display fixtures and much more.  This high-performance three axis CNC router is available in either single or dual spindles, multiple table sizes and many other options as well.

Thermwood Model 45 Videos (including machining HDPE plastic sheets):

See at AWFS 2017:

Both of these machines will be on display and cutting live at AWFS 2017 (July 19th-22nd) in Booth #9200 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  Make plans now to visit us and see this exciting new technology in person!