Although it’s not a new phase in woodworking, components manufacture and supply is a sector that is gathering considerable momentum, spurred on by the availability of high-speed, high-precision CNC machining centres and advanced, continually developed software.

PRAXIS-CNC, founded by Bill Nicholas 14 years ago, is becoming a key player in this field. Its 15,000ft2 premises, near Bognor Regis, house three sizeable SCM CNC machining centres, and a full complement of classical machinery. In January, a state-of-the-art Cefla finishing line was installed, taking investment to more than £1m.

If PRAXIS-CNC appears to be more advanced than other companies of its type, this may be because its founder, trained as an electrical and mechanical engineer, has a detailed understanding of both CNC and the kind of software needed to ensure the greatest speed and efficiency in the design and production of often complex components.

Industry standard

In PRAXIS-CNC’s case the software is AlphaCAM, from Licom Systems. AlphaCAM, declares Bill Nicholas, is recognised as the industry standard. It provides a comprehensive CAD/CAM system for Microsoft Windows platforms, and has been devised to take designs successfully from concept to production.

It is highly adaptable, integrating with any production control software and all CNC machines. Anything from a simple routed part to complex, five-axis components can be produced simply and more cost-effectively, according to Licom.

It incorporates both VBA (Visual Basic for Application) and API (Application Planning Interface) to provide total integration of the software into a company’s production. The new AlphaCAM 03, which greatly extends the scope of the original software, is already installed at PRAXIS-CNC. “We upgrade continuously. Licom’s maintenance package is good value,” said Mr Nicholas.

PRAXIS-CNC has allied its AlphaCAM machining functionality with SolidWorks, a solid modelling CAD system. The systems provide automatic feature recognition and associative toolpaths, ensuring that a part is machined precisely as designed, even when the design is changed.

In addition, AlphaCAM provides the opportunity to select tools, material and all machining processes. An operations list is automatically compiled, providing a detailed description of the machining processes. The systems’ Project Manager allows the editing of any geometry or operation to be easily achieved.

Retail outlet

Bill Nicholas’s connection with furniture and woodworking has been a lengthy and varied one. For many years he designed and made contemporary furniture. He and his partner had their own retail outlet in Arundel. The idea was straightforward. PRAXIS made the bespoke furniture, and the shop sold it. The distinguishing features of his furniture were its design and exceptional quality. The difficulty was largely due to an “almost zero availability”of people with a high enough skill level to allow the business to grow.

Although his partner still runs the furniture shop, Mr Nicholas turned away from bespoke furniture – “there was no point in being a martyr to the trade” – to only supplying other businesses and, particularly, to shop and store fitting manufacturers. From there it was a relatively short step to being a fully-fledged components manufacturer, backed by an imposing array of CNC machining centres and advanced software.

The change has been remarkable. Mr Nicholas introduced his first CNC machining centre – a four-axis SCM Record 220 with independent drilling – six years ago; since then he has not looked back. Within two years he added a huge SCM Record 242, another four-axis machine but also carrying a piggy-back routing head, a drilling unit and a universal for heavy horizontal routing and sawing; the bed on this machine handles two 9x5ft panels with ease. Less than 18 months on from the introduction of the Record 242, a massive twin-table four-head SCM Ergon was installed which boasts nine independent axes. This machine can process four 8x4ft sheets continuously. PRAXIS-CNC thus has immense capacity and flexibility.

Another remarkable feature of this high output company is that it has just six employees. Too few, agrees Bill Nicholas who, having combined the role of managing director, sole programmer, plus many other tasks, is keenly seeking top quality people. “The skills problem has been largely overcome with the introduction of CNC, the output per head is at least 10 times what it would have been without CNC, but the need for top quality people is still there. I would be very keen to hear from anyone who feels that they could be a valuable part of this fast moving company. I’m looking for a top-notch programmer, a programmer/operator and also help on the management side; with so few people and such a lot of kit, this is an unusual role. We will be installing AlphaCIM, Licom’s management software by summer, and I am confident that this will help enormously”.

In the meantime he’s delighted with the greater level of simplicity and efficiency provided by Licom’s AlphaCAM 03. For one thing AlphaCAM has been particularly adept at downloading files from any type of CAD system, the enormous range of designs sent to PRAXIS-CNC, outputting as 2D drawings or 3D models, and swiftly translating them into a form suitable for the CNC production of individual parts.

Pace of work

The speed with which this can be achieved is helped enormously by AlphaCAM features such as automatic macro creation from APS fast geometry parts, providing an easier means of creating parametric geometries with variable values, direct importing into AlphaCAM of Native inventor files, and the locking and unlocking of toolpaths either individually or all at once. There’s also more flexible 3D toolpath creation, a manipulation of nesting for VBA Macros, with the new rectangular nesting providing sheet utilisation, typically, of more than 90%. This is powerful and, as PRAXIS-CNC specialises in Nested Based Manufacture, especially useful.

“Machining Styles is a new feature in Alpha 03 and this alone has revolutionised the way we work. Licom is constantly driving the software forward,” said Mr Nicholas.

It’s an important factor for a company heavily engaged in machining an especially large number of wood-based panels. “Without Licom and SCM,” said Mr Nicholas, “I would still be a conventional maker. They’ve opened up and supported a whole new world of manufacturing for me.”