This section defines the machining to support the mechanical fasteners that your organization uses. This can be simply holes to support screws, dowels, confirmats... to more complex fasteners such as LockDowel, OVVO, Rafix, Minifix and Cabineo.
Pattern Example
The following example uses the same drilling pattern for the stretchers and deck of all 3 cabinets.
You control what is in each group, the spacing between holes in a group as well as the maximum spacing allowed between any group. CabinetSense creates as many repeating groups as required to ensure that your specification is adhered to.
Easily set up patterns that can use line boring equipment as well as freestyle layouts.
Here is the machining definition used for these cabinets. It employs a combination of Mini-fix cam-locks and dowels.
The Fastener name of Minifix is what will be displayed in your component options list in SketchUp.
The holes in the cabinet end (in our example above) will be drilled from the inside (drill face) of the cabinet, it will have a diameter of 8mm and be drilled 12mm deep. The layout algorithm of variable means that we are not constrained by things like line boring equipment when we position our holes. (Note: Changing the algorithm to Fixed will alter how holes are positioned such that they always fall on a boundary of your lineboring equipment setup.)
The first hole will be positioned 32mm (Space before first Fastener) from the start and the last hole will be positioned 32mm (Space after last Fastener) from the end. Spacing between holes (in a group) will be 32mm while spacing between groups cannot exceed 230mm.
The first group of “C1” will consist of a Connector (Minifix is the chosen connector), a spacing of 32mm and then a hole (8mm diameter, 12mm deep).
The last group of “1C” will have a hole (8mm diameter, 12mm deep), a space of 32mm, and a Minifix connector. The positioning will be calculated such that the Connector is 32mm from the end.
The repeating group of “C” will solely consist of a Minifix connector. This group will repeat as many times as needed to ensure that the spacing between any two groups is a no more than 230mm.
Finally , here is where we assign drilling instructions in our cabinet.
For our back stretcher (below), we also choose to reverse the pattern. This causes CabinetSense to layout the pattern from the back of that stretcher and move towards the front.
This gives us a front and back stretcher that position the minifix cam-lock on the outside edge.
Connector Systems allow you to have machining on both of the parts being joined.
For example, a Cabineo connector requires a 5mm dowel hole on one part and 3-15mm holes on the mating part.
The 5mm dowel hole is specified in the Definitions table, while the 3-15mm holes are defined on the Cabineo Connector tab. The two definitions are linked together on the Definitions tab by using the Connector selection list as shown below:
Line Patterns describe, in a linear fashion, how a tool must move to accomplish the path for the selected fastener.
For clients who use 3D DXF and whose CNC software can pull the depth information from the DXF, you can have multiple lines attributable to the same Layer (note the two 3D lines above). This will generate DXF that does two separate routing patterns (one at 4.5mm deep and the other at 9mm). Because they are associated with the same template, your CAM package should process more efficiently than if it was on two separate layers (see the 2-Default lines above).
Clients who do not pull the depth information from the DXF will need to process as two separate layers… where each layer will hold the depth of cut.
Header Attributes
Points Table
Example
In the above example, here is how CabinetSense will export the LockDowel Channel to your DXF.
Here the process if you use the 3D template.
Here's the process for the default template.
Preview Drilling:
This section allows you define the names of the dadoes that you wish to use when designing your cabinets. There is a maximum of 29 Dado names allowed.