Furniture fronts- help

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Welcome, I'm student of wood technology in Poland. Now I writing my master thesis about manufacturing process of furniture fronts(doors) based on MDF boards. Maybe You have some advice about cnc machining of that boards for this kinds on profiles(see on images)? What kind of cnc software( I'm doing Cad project ind Solid Works) you recomend? Fronts will be covering by foil or varnishing. Maybe You have know some technical problems that I should write about and we don't know it in Poland? Do You know somebody or some factories which manufacture this products?

Thanks for all answers

[Rob Wright]

What kind of cnc software( I'm doing Cad project ind Solid Works) you recomend?

All of the pictures could be done with Vectric's VCarvePro for the CAD and CAM to generate the G-code for the CNC. The first picture's texture is accomplished through the use a texturing toolpath within the software. All of the work depicts appears to be 2.5D and suitable for a standard CNC router.

A fully functional demo download of the software is available at www.vectric.com

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I did this with AutoCAD. The toolpaths were 2D splines in the XZ plane. If I recall, they were about 5/8" apart, and used a 1" ballnose. This was a small sample before cutting 8 4x10 sheets. The product I was duplicating appears to be the same one in your first pic. It was about $400/sheet.

This was much faster than using the V Carve Pro texture would have been. Especially since V Carve Pro wasn't available when I did these. :)

[Michael Schwartz]

I am interested in some details of MDF surface treatments, and faces, as you describe.

The major challenges faced by many of us who work with MDF are generally finding a quality source for MDF that machines well, and then sealing and painting can be very labor intensive. Not to mention the dust and potential health hazards from exposure to the dust.

In general many of use Cad/Cam software that produces so called V-Carve or 2.5D tool paths outside, within, or on 2D vectors. The geometry of tooling allows you to to achieve quite extensive, but limited 3 dimensional results, as apposed to strictly point to point operations.

Personally I use Partworks, which is a re-branded version of Vectrics V-Carve Pro. Vectrics software is pretty popular amongst low to middle end machine owners and almost an industry standard of sorts for smaller shops. Of course I have no affiliation, and speak about there products as a user.

Aspire which many members of this forum use combines 2.5D V-Carving with 3 dimensional capabilities.

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Thank You everybody. Yes I know that MDF is difficult to finishing especially varnishing(this is the reason why I choice foil). Also it is a lot of problems with unhealthy dust (because of formaldehyde glue in the board for example), so important is to have good vacuum instalation.
I have only experience with Genesis Evolution CNC software (for Busellato) and woodwop( for Rover)those are very simple programs but not so inteligent that Vcarve Pro. I want to know what is popular in another countries.
Garry can You send me some Your CAD documentation or VcarvePro program with this project. That can help me very much.
Do anybody know some producer in USA or another countries which produce MDF/foil fronts?
Thank You for all answer.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Sorry, I no longer have the files. It was several years ago that I did those.
Here's the manufacturer of the panels we were trying to duplicate.
http://www.interlam-design.com/Art_Product_Search.cfm

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Thank You. No problem thank You for photo.I know Interlam, they have great product. What kind of CNC machine do You have?

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

That was cut on a Masterwood 327. I just started a new job yesterday with a Morbidelli 636.

http://scmgroup-usa.com/detail.aspx?ID=101

I also have a small home built router.

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Nice machine full profesional. What You will produce with them? (if I can ask)
I heard that Masterwood are good machines, that is true? They aren't popular in Poland.
You surname sound like Polish surname, are You have some connections with Poland?:)

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

We had the masterwood for 10 years, it was a very good machine. The machines are used to build cabinets, mostly in commercial buildings.

And yes, the name is Polish. I believe my great great grandparents came from there.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Chesh Jaroslaw,
Good to see someone using CNC technology as part of their education in the woodworking/furniture industry.

We use Artcam Pro 2009, Aspire 2.5 and Enroute with 4.1 demo. Each one has it's strengths and weakness. Enroute 4.1 now does what Interlam did. but it has several adjustments built-in to tweak the end result and do what ifs.

Let me know if I can help.


Wdzięczności i ma dobry dzień :)

[james mcgrew]

it takes a hair of thunkin but aspire has some amazing talent as well

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Thank You everybody. That is so nice that You want to help me. Michalczyk it also sound like Polish surname .
Yes I'm realy interesting in CNC machines and all wood industry.
Maybe some one have technical documentation or CNC finish program (in Artcam, Aspire or Enroute) from which I can learn this programs. That can help me. In Poland inteligent programs with gravering modul are not popular so it will be good to learn it.
Is it possible to open for example to aspire Solid Works file?

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Thank You everybody. That is so nice that You want to help me. Michalczyk it also sound like Polish surname .
Yes I'm realy interesting in CNC machines and all wood industry.
Maybe some one have technical documentation or CNC finish program (in Artcam, Aspire or Enroute) from which I can learn this programs. That can help me. In Poland inteligent programs with gravering modul are not popular so it will be good to learn it.
Is it possible to open for example to aspire Solid Works file?

[james mcgrew]

aspire allows for a fully functioning download of the software, you cannot produce toolpath files but can save for use after purchase

www.vectric.com (http://www.vectric.com)
jim

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Aspire can do alot but right now I think that EnroutePro 4.1 is the only one that can do what is similar to what Interlam did and do it the most efficient. Sure there is always a work around or a way to trick the program but to do it with vectors and be able to change texture/pattern instantly instead of having to redraw is much more efficient IMHO. Still no panacea CAD/CAM/Artistic/furniture/woodworking program that can do it all YET!!!!

James is right to download Aspire and you can see what it can do on the screen. You just can't make the files to produce Gcode.

Jaraslaw,
Yes I am Polish on both sides. Father's side is Kowalczyk. My Grandfather, legally immigrated from Poland, in the early 1900's +-, served in WW1 and became a citizen in 1929. My Mother's side is Wysocki and My Great grandparents came in, legally immigrated from Poland, through Canada in late 1880's+-.

[Hennie Helberg]

Jaroslaw, it looks like the second material on your pic`s is Valchromat.Google www.valchromatsa.com. (http://www.valchromatsa.com) I use it for shopfitting ,kitchen doors , wall cladding , picture frames and whatever you can think of.If you don`t have the fancy software to cut the profiles do a cad drawing and cut it with something like cut 2d from vectric.

[Jaroslaw Seki]

Yes I download Artcam. I have to say that it is userfriendly software.
Hennie thank You for valchromatsa, they also have nice products. Good effect with color MDF and the same technology.
This is nice solution http://www.marotte.fr/ they have interesting product MDF with corian and veneer. Look at photo.