This is part two in our blog series demonstrating some of the ways that modern smart-routers can make your job easier as well as help save you money. 

Here, we focus on a couple of ways a smart-router can improve your nested-based production process: 

• Allowing you to nest around defects in damaged material

• Giving you the ability to create a profile edge with standard tooling

Smart-routers allow you to nest around defects to use damaged 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.

Smart-routers machine a profile edge without a profile tool

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

Today's smartphones are essentially handheld computers that also make phone calls.  The speed of technological advancement in this area has been nothing short of phenomenal over the past decade.  Not so with CNC routers.  There has been the occasional improvement here and there, but not until recently with the introduction of the modern smart-router, has a CNC router come along that does much more than just route parts.

A modern smart-router saves material and labor and is really easy to use. The intial cost may be a little bit more than a traditional "dumb" router, but the benefits make it an overall much better investment for nested-based manufacturing.

Over the next several postings, we are going to demonstrate some of the ways that modern smart-routers can improve your production process and help you save money:

Pause button allows machine operator to safely do other jobs

With standard routers, the operator must remain close to the control so he can stop the machine if something goes wrong. The only job he can really do is watch the machine. With a smart-router, a pause button clips to his belt. Pressing it anywhere in the production cell stops the machine. It works like an emergency stop, but is not a “wrench in the gearbox” emergency stop. It immediately stops the machine, but offers options.  With this feature, the operator is free to perform other tasks away from the control. A progress bar, visible from a distance, shows the operator how long before he needs to service the machine. It’s like getting an extra worker for free.  More info on this feature.

Smart-routers can recover from broken tools without scrapping the material

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.

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.  More information on this feature.

Our annual Christmas party was held today, and it was a fun time for everyone to gather in the demo center and enjoy great food and fellowship:

Thermwood Graphic Designer Jennifer O'Brien handing out goodies

Thermwood VP of Sales, Dennis Palmer - having a good time.

As we head into the new year, we are very grateful for all of the positive business that we've enjoyed in 2013, and encouraged that 2014 promises to be even better!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here at Thermwood!

Interview by Jon Cantin of CNCKingdom.com

Thermwood Corporation has an impressive range of industrial CNC routers but more importantly, Ken started the company back when NC was transitioning into CNC nearly half a century ago! This makes Thermwood the oldest CNC router company in the world.

I approached Ken to see if I could interview him and he was very keen… watch their corporate video for a quick review of the company...Read the rest of this interview at CNCKingdom.com

This video shows a variety of large sculptures created on a Thermwood 5 Axis Model 67 CNC Router.  These were all done at John Cox's Creature Workshop in Queensland Australia. 

The Model 67 is a fixed-gantry, moving table 5 Axis CNC Router that features single table sizes from 5'x5' to 10'x5' or dual table sizes from 5'x5' to 5'x12'.  It has a 7.5HP HSD Dual End Spindle (3,000-18,000RPM) and Z axis height up to 60".

Thermwood Model 67 5'x12' Dual Table CNC Router shown

SHORTSVILLE, NY -  NEWwoodworks, the fine woodworking group at New Energy Works Timberframers, is expanding its custom woodworking capabilities with the addition of a Thermwood MTR-30 CNC router.

NEWwoodworks has specialized in handcrafted cabinetry, furniture, stairs, doors, and other custom designed interior furnishings. Incorporating the new CNC technology will increase the group’s flexibility in design and create greater efficiency...  Read the Entire Article at WoodworkingNetwork.com

Thermwood MTR 30 CNC Router

NEWwoodworks Thermwood MTR 30 Features:

• 18 HP vacuum pump
• Multi-function gridded vacuum top table
• Pop-up pins
• Touch screen
• Printer system
• 6 Position tool bar
• At-the-head tool changer

MTR 30 with Multi-function gridded vacuum top table

 MTR 30 with At-the-head tool changer

 Dimensions

Description:

The AutoProcessor-21 is a high-speed, automatic load/unload, heavy-duty CNC routing system for nested based feed through machining.  It is used in nested based production of cabinets, closets and custom furniture. 

Features of the AP 21:

• 7'x12' Machining Table
• Automatic Load/Unload System (6000 lb automatic lift table for loading and 7'x12' steel offload/work table)
• 12HP (3,000-24,000 RPM) Spindle
• Universal Vacuum 1 or 2 Zone
• Rake w/Integrated Dust Collection
• Rapid Speed:  4100 Inches per minute
• Siemens Intelligent Servo Drives
• 3D Laser Compensated Axis Alignment
• 10 Position Rotary Automatic Changer
• Automatic Pop-Up Pins
• Automatic Tool Length Sensor
• Automatic Labeling System
• QCore SuperControl
• Machine Training and Installation
• Free Lifetime Phone/Forum Support 

AutoProcessor 21 in action:

Drawings:

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.