Increasing productivity in custom manufacturing does not mean making every job the same. It means finding more efficient ways to engineer and produce varied work, without limiting the flexibility that bespoke furniture and joinery demand.
Investment in CNC machinery and automation can increase production capacity, but the machine is only one part of the equation. Every component still needs to be designed, engineered and translated into accurate manufacturing information before machining can begin.
This makes the digital connection between design and production increasingly important.
Hexagon’s Cabinet Vision and Alphacam CAD/CAM solutions support different but complementary requirements within furniture and joinery manufacturing.
Cabinet Vision connects design and engineering with production for cabinet, furniture and joinery applications. Information established within the design can be used to generate material requirements, cutlists, assembly information, labels, machining operations and CNC output, reducing the need to recreate manufacturing data as a job moves towards production.
Manufacturers can also incorporate their own construction and manufacturing rules using Cabinet Vision’s User Created Standards (UCSs). Defined conditions can automatically trigger specific modifications or machining requirements, helping businesses apply established production standards consistently while retaining the flexibility needed for bespoke work.
For more complex components and machining requirements, Alphacam provides CAD/CAM capabilities for CNC programming across applications including furniture, doors, windows, staircases and other solid wood products. Manufacturers can program operations ranging from 2D routing and profiling to multi-axis machining of complex three-dimensional components.
The two solutions can also form part of an integrated workflow. Cabinet Vision x2AC enables manufacturers to output native Alphacam files directly from Cabinet Vision, transferring part and operation geometry into Alphacam for further CNC programming and machining.
This becomes particularly valuable for businesses producing a wide variety of work. Rather than treating automation as a means of standardising the finished product, manufacturers can use software to automate more of the repeatable engineering and programming behind it.
For furniture and joinery businesses, digitalisation does not have to mean replacing craftsmanship. Skilled knowledge remains essential, particularly when working with solid wood, complex components and bespoke designs. The opportunity is to capture more of that manufacturing knowledge within the digital process and reduce the repetitive work surrounding production.
As manufacturers look to increase capacity and make better use of existing CNC equipment, connecting design intent with accurate machining data can help turn even highly customised work into a more repeatable and efficient manufacturing process.
