Hexagon helps woodworkers deliver designer handle-less cabinets and adapt to future trends

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2020-10-13 13:22:00

New software, released by Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, enables cabinet makers and fitters to efficiently meet growing global demand for sleek and modern handle-less cabinetry. Building on 37 years of successful use by global woodworkers, the software has now been re-structured to make it easier and more cost-effective for cabinet makers to start small and grow by only using the functionality they need.

Especially popular in Australia and Europe, the streamlined look and feel of handle-less cabinetry can be a significant challenge to produce efficiently using traditional construction methods. In the absence of handles or knobs, handle-less cabinets must be built with recessed channels to ensure that doors and drawers are easy to open. Designed to help woodworkers transition quickly from design to production, the CABINET VISION 2021 design-to-manufacturing suite simplifies the process of constructing handle-less, also known as Shadowline, cabinets for any job. This new capability is, now available to all CABINET VISION users, helping woodworkers respond to the current design trend while remaining competitive, and better able to retain and win business. 

Cabinet-door production comprises a significant portion of cabinetry work, and many cabinet shops maintain libraries of thousands of cabinet-door styles, making the task of finding and reusing door designs frustrating and time-consuming. In response to this common challenge, a new Door Manager has been introduced, that enables users to manage all activities related to door production efficiently by maintaining a dynamic door database.  

Hexagon has restructured its software so that customers can build the design-to-manufacturing solution they need to meet the immediate demands of their business, eliminate the purchase of functions that are not required to achieve significant cost savings. Users begin by choosing to specialize in either cabinets or closets, which ensures that they receive the industry-specific tools needed for taking projects from engineering through to production. They can then build highly customized solutions by adding the tools they need to fulfill their broader business needs. Dubbed “multipliers,” these tools build upon or multiply, the power of the core industry tools.

“We have reimagined our suite to make it easier for new cabinet makers to get started and larger manufacturers to grow efficiently. When starting out, a new shop owner can simply pay for the core production elements they need, then build those capabilities as they diversify and grow. Meanwhile, larger sites can simply provide access to their staff based on their role – for example, CAD drawings or 3D rendered walkthroughs for their design and salespeople. We’re putting customers’ needs first so new and established businesses benefit equally from access to our high-quality tools and new capabilities, like the updated door manager and Shadowline support,” said Chip Martin, product manager for CABINET VISION, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division.

Available multipliers include xRendering, which offers photorealistic rendering capabilities essential for sales opportunities and presentations, and xmachining, which includes the Screen-to-MachineTM solution used to produce the NC code that programs machines for production. Using Screen-to-Machine, NC code is generated for completed project designs with a few clicks of a mouse, and that code is sent to the CNC machinery that will cut the parts.

The new software architecture is of significant benefit for users in need of two or more licenses. The flexibility to build custom solutions is especially helpful if two or more employees use the software for different functions and acquiring identical licenses would not be cost-effective.

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