Stage One install Space 3D CAD/CAM

Scenic contractor Stage One has boosted its efficiency by installing Space 3D CAD/CAM three dimensional and parametric software for use with two CNC machining centres.

With more than 20 years experience, Stage One, located near Wetherby, North Yorkshire, is one of Europe's top scenic suppliers.

It produces sets and scenery for live events, films, conferences, exhibitions, presentations, product launches, television productions and museum or visitor centre interpretations.

Its roster of high profile work includes making the opening ceremony sets for the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006, and the scenery for this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki.

The Space 3D modular software is packed with graphic features to produce three dimensional views of planned layouts.

The CAD/CAM documents it creates can be exported and integrated into existing production software.

It can be used with any make of CNC machining centre and is ideal for exhibition contractors, shop fitters, kitchen manufacturers and others who use CNC machining centres.

The Level 4 module purchased by Stage One is used to programme a range of products, including timber, chipboard, MDF, plastic and aluminium components for machining in the workshop.

A CAD drawing is made of each component needed for a project - there can be as many as 1,000 - together with details of the materials needed and the manufacturing processes each part will go through.

The software puts the tool paths on to drawings, previously a lengthy process that had to be done manually.

All this information is imported into Stage One's production control data base.

It was previously keyed in manually so the new method eliminates the chances of manual errors occurring.

Said Stage One's production director Chris Augur: "Being parametric, the software lets me edit three dimensional drawings and still retain all the machining and other data".

"When we had to make a change to a drawing before, we had to redo the whole thing".

""From one drawing I can get individual drawings of each element that I can put together as a single package of work for the shop floor.

I used to send down project drawings with lots of explanatory notes stuck to them, so now they are much simpler for the CNC machining centre operator to understand".

Space 3D worked closely with Stage One to modify the software to meet its particular requirements".

"A nesting facility incorporated in the software ensures the most economic use of the materials being processed, based on the number of elements to be used and the thickness of the panels, which reduces wastage".

"Space 3D adapted this so that it can be used with curved as well as straight materials The software project began with Chris Augur wanting to increase the quality of component finishes".

"With the move to hidden cam and dowel joints he realised it would mean a lot more drawings being produced".

"Once he had decided to go down the CAD/CAM route, the additional benefits soon became clear".

"Said Chris Augur: "There are lots of cabinet software packages available.

I looked closely at them all before choosing Space 3D because I believe it's the most versatile.

It has resulted in much greater efficiency which has helped us streamline the entire production process".

""It saves so much time in drafting, data entry and programming and has made our lives a lot easier, especially when drawings need altering".

"We are now considering using it to prepare drawings and production data for steel components." Chris Augur received thorough training in the software's use from Space 3D experts, which he is now passing on to his team at Wetherby.

Space 3D software is suitable for use with any make of CNC machining centre and available in five levels for users with varying requirements.

Level 1, which contains features usually found only in more expensive panel software packages, creates straight cabinets in a few minutes using simple commands to produce a cutting list.

The Level 2 module incorporates the same features but also has a built-in library of 10,000 components and 70 door models.

This allows around 1,000,000 different design combinations.

Designs can be changed by inserting or substituting different doors, handles, legs, hinges, drawer fronts and drawer guides.

It also creates cabinet tops, shelves, skirting boards and frames, moulds the edges of panel tops and shelves and gives them a smooth finish.

With Level 2 the shape of a room - for example, a kitchen - can be drawn, complete with all the walls, and the cabinets placed in the exact spots they are to go.

You can then obtain a 3D view of the room, which is useful for face-to-face meetings with customers.

Level 3 incorporates all the features found in Levels 1 and 2, as well as being able to deal with straight or curved furniture or curved rooms.

It can develop complex cabinet designs, such as curved cabinets and those incorporating mosaics or marquetry.

It also provides high quality rendering, showing all of the items that make up the room in virtual reality.

As well as containing all the features found in Level 3, Level 4 can estimate the materials used in one or more projects, produce orders for materials suppliers and a bill of materials, and manage standard or structured codification.

It incorporates panel optimisation facilities.

Top-of-the-range Level 5 contains all the Level 4 features plus the ability to manage edge applications and provide production costs and reports together with warehouse management data.

'Face framing' is available with all levels.

To make the software even more productive, Level 1 can be supplied with full CAM capabilities plus the facility to produce barcode labels, as can Levels 2-5, which can also produce cutting lists.

Said a spokesman for Space 3D: "The easy-to-use software is available at different levels so that customers need only buy what they actually need".

"The time savings it provides are remarkable, as there's no setting or marking out needed and no template making, plus there's total accuracy in the product being produced".

A full after-sales support service is available to get new users up and running quickly and make sure they get the very best out of the software.

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