The latest release of woodwork engineering software Cabinet Vision contains more than 100 items of new and enhanced functionality, including greater flexibility in organising materials, through to greater control in where and how edgebanding is assigned to components.
Many of the new features in Cabinet Vision V9 are in response to customer requests. Product business manager, Marie Cassidy ,says: “Cabinet Vision is used extensively by companies designing and manufacturing kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and furniture for schools and offices, along with bespoke case goods.
“Every user will find many of the updates in the latest release invaluable in improving their processes even further, whether they have manual cutlists or have CNC equipment.”
One item of new functionality is especially important to manufacturers transferring their design codes to CNC machines through Cabinet Vision’s Screen to Machine module. “Mitre construction can now be defined using construction standards, which are then transferred to Screen to Machine.
“We’ve introduced this facility as there’s a big demand for this style of construction, as many companies strive to produce cabinets with non-visible fixings and easy assembly. The mitre assembly option provides an easy User Interface for this.”
V9 sees a major improvement to the material database, with the introduction of a new Material Manager, giving greater flexibility in organising materials. Woodworkers can now create material categories and sub-categories and carry out quick material searches. The improved user interface is more in line with Windows Explorer, making it easier to manage and maintain the material database.
“We’ve also introduced Material Kits, which will be a big advantage to many companies,” says Marie. “It allows users to add miscellaneous materials into a kit, or hardware pack...for example, a hanging rail that includes hanging brackets and screws.”
Another feature included with the new Material Manager is the Hardware Model Import, for importing 3D Sketchup or 3D DXF models into the model editor.
“This gives the functionality to apply all the associated operations to the model and provide accurate visuals to complement the already-accurate machining data. It applies to all hardware within a job, including handles, hinges, drawer guides, hanging rails and legs.”
Reports are now generated much faster thanks to the Integrated Reporting Engine which has replaced the standard version. All existing reports are still available, along with the ability to create new or modify existing reports. “Many woodworking companies using cutlist reports are used to having them laid out in a specific way, and the new engine enables them to do that,” says Marie.
Cabinet Vision V9 has added the Lamello Clamex assembly fitting to its existing range of Blind Dado, Rafix, Cam and Dowel, and Screw fix assembly construction styles. These fittings are non-visible and can be used on any angle.
The Assign Banding feature in the Assembly Wizard gives more control over where and how edgebanding is assigned to cabinet parts. “The interface is easy to use, and provides simple images of parts requiring banding,” says Marie.
Other new and enhanced items of functionality include 43 new bid methods; New Connect Tool which is simply a tool that does what is equivalent to using a typical CAD Fillet tool with a 0 inch radius; the ability to reverse the toolpath on operations such as circles, arcs and lines in the CAM editor; significant improvements to rendering/redraw speed at room level; material name limit of 23 characters extended to 50; and a new utility for defining moulding profiles.
