Thermwood has been a pioneer in the development of systems to automate the production of fine wood carvings for furniture, cabinets and architectural applications. We have developed much of the fundamental technology and are highly experienced in applying CNC systems to wood carving. Today, Thermwood offers a variety of equipment, software, technology and business programs that make carved parts practical and profitable.

Historically, production carving of wood components was restricted to larger companies with the skills to create carving patterns and equipment and skilled operators to reproduce those components in volume. Recently, carved components required in volume have been outsourced to third-world countries where people carved them by hand for a few cents an hour. These are inexpensive but generally made from undesirable wood species and of inconsistent quality. Today, new technology and new business approaches are making the use of fine custom carvings practical and profitable for even the smallest shop. Thermwood is the driving force behind this rebirth and is the sole source for much of the technology, equipment, software and programs that are driving it.

The biggest barrier to using CNC systems for wood carving has been the cost and time required to create the original sample of the carving and then translate that model into a refined CNC program. The investment required to do this has limited the use of these components to larger companies producing products with high enough volumes to recoup the initial investment.

Thermwood has addressed this in two ways.

First, we have developed efficient methods for scanning models and creating refined CNC programs in less time with less investment. We offer both mechanical and laser scanners, fully integrated with our CNC control as well as powerful software that can process the scan data into production programs, quickly and easily. This offers a superior approach for developing CNC programs for volume production of original carvings.

The second approach Thermwood has developed makes carvings practical and profitable for even small shops that need as few as one part. Instead of investing in programming equipment, paying someone to carve the initial pattern and developing the carving programs yourself, Thermwood has developed a library of carving programs that you can just rent, on a per part basis. These carvings can be scaled up or down and combined to create an almost unlimited number of designs, without ever writing a program yourself.

Thermwood currently has, in its possession, thousands of carving patterns we are scanning and adding to the library. They include all types and designs including inset and raised carvings, crowns and shells, legs, feet and posts, finials, carved moldings, pilasters, onlays, Queen Ann, Ball and Claw, French, English, French Provincial, Classical, Modern, Caribbean, 18 th Century French, English and American, Eclectic, Gothic, etc, etc.

These carving can be scaled up or down and added to your projects, quickly, easily and inexpensively.

The carving program is rented directly through your Thermwood CNC control. When you want to run a part, you simply buy a license directly through your control, for a couple of dollars which is charged to your credit card. The control then lets you execute the program.

Flat carvings, both raised and inset, can be produced on any Thermwood 3 Axis CNC router. If you want to produce three dimensional parts such as legs, feet or posts, you will need the optional Rotary Playback Axis, which is mounted on a Thermwood 3 Axis machine table.

The carving rental program opens exciting new opportunities for Thermwood owners. You can make parts for yourself, adding designer touches to your products and making you more competitive in the market. You can make parts for others, as they add these same designer touches to their jobs.

Each of the available carvings also has a file that can be imported into the eCabinet Systems software, textured and used to develop, refine and display your designs.

And should you decide that you want to produce carving in volume, Thermwood offers a proven, high-throughput, carving system capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It has eight, 10 HP, 24,000 RPM spindles (Over 80 HP !), each equipped with an automatic tool changer that can access up to eight tools per spindle. It has an integrated downdraft dust collection and is capable of producing eight 14 inch diameter carvings simultaneously. Larger diameter carvings can be produced four at a time.

And then there are special requirements. We have produced three dimensional carved parts for everything from the podium seal for the President of the United States to prosthetic arms and legs, custom carved for each patient. If you have a special requirement, give us a call. We do carvings.