A furniture and cabinet-making company carrying out high-end bespoke installations for private clients, builders and commercial contracts in West London, says Cabinet Vision software is an essential tool to guarantee that the panels cut on its Homag Weeke are a faithful reproduction of the original design.
Based in 3500 sq ft premises in Acton with 15 staff, Creative Woodwork is looking to expand, and is seeking additional experienced Cabinet Vision users.
Designer and CAD/CAM programmer Edvinas works with Cabinet Vision daily on a variety of contracts. Projects can vary from simple alcove units, through wardrobes and bedrooms, to fitted kitchens and offices.
Once a draft 3D CAD model has been approved by the client, Edvinus begins programming with Cabinet Vision. “I select the material and design the room, putting the cabinets in and amending the sizes to meet the requirements.”
Frequently-used parts are stored in the Cabinet Vision library as the software’s parametric capabilities make it easy to drag and drop a panel into a new program and quick to adjust it. “Certain-sized cabinets are used regularly, and simply editing the height or width to fit bespoke orders changes the other dimensions accordingly, ensuring that holes for locks, handles and hinges are always in the right place.”
But he says with Cabinet Vision making it quick and easy to create new and accurate cabinets from scratch, the company operates only a relatively small library.
The Cabinet Vision support team programmed a number of fillers and scribes when Creative Woodwork began using the software, which are also saved in the library and deployed all the time.
Having originally looked at Cabinet Vision in 2009 when he wanted to replace the bespoke WoodWOP software that came with its machine, Creative Woodwork managing director, Marc Hickey, decided to go with a different brand, which he felt was more suited to its needs at that time.
However, Edvinas later joined the company, and suggested they both look at the considerable enhancements Cabinet Vision had made, when they visited the software’s stand at the W12 exhibition.
Marc Hickey says: “It had come on in leaps and bounds, and we saw it, it was much more user-friendly and faster than the system we were using, so we switched over to it. We now get work from the initial design stage on to the shop floor considerably quicker than before, and that is absolutely key for us. Also, the ability to set up parametric components like fillers, scribes and new door styles gives us our USPs.
“Our work has been featured in home and interior magazines, as well as on the ITV show 60 Minute Makeover, and Cabinet Vision played a significant part in producing the furniture for those contracts.”
The company opted to go down the CNC machining route because its customers wanted high quality furniture, and with Cabinet Vision they readily achieve the tolerances of 1mm, and even 0.5mm required.
When the design is complete CAD drawings are printed for the cabinet makers in the workshop, and labels from Cabinet Vision’s Label-IT technology, which are placed on the boards after cutting. Information on the labels includes job name, assembly number, room type, material, sizes, edge-band code if required, and relevant comments. Parts for labelling are selected by simply touching the screen. Labels are printed instantly, and the screen is updated automatically to show exactly which parts and panels have been completed.
The software’s ability to rotate parts for optimum nesting is also an important aspect for Creative Woodwork and has reduced the company’s wastage of MDF, chipboard and hardwood. Once the nested patterns are complete, Screen-To-Machine seamlessly transfers the CNC code for cutting them to the Homag.
Marc Hickey concludes by saying that on the rare occasion Creative Woodwork is unsure of how to perform a task with Cabinet Vision, the support service provides a speedy and accurate solution. “You may have the best software in the world, but if you have an issue with it you expect it to be resolved quickly. And with Cabinet Vision we always get that.”
www.verosoftware.com
www.creativewoodwork.co.uk
