Mafell DDF 40 - Interiorcad

[rikka]

Hello.

I am a new user to Interiorcad, coming over from a different software. 

 

I am trying to replicate my methods that we use for standard cabinet construction, using a combination of nesting CNC and the Mafell DDF 40. 

 

It uses a pair of dowels 32mm apart, and we also add a 5mm hole in between that for screws. On cabinets deeper than 300mm we use a total of 3 pairs (front, centre + back) and smaller cabinets only front and back. 

 

Would you be able to advise on the best way to set this up? 

 

 

I look forward to your reply

 

 

Best,

Richard 

[Mike_M]

Hi Richard,

 

I'm not sure if I will have all the answers you are looking for but might be able to help. I don't use interiorCAD but have designed some furniture both for fun and to be cut on a CNC. If you have an image file/screenshot of what you are looking to replicate I could walk you through what my process would be.

 

My basic process is generally one of two methods.  2D modeling > clipping surfaces > then extruding or creating 3D/"mass models" > then subtracting solids. Depending on the situation, one can more sense the other. Here's an example of both.  If I'm creating molding I will draft the profile in 2D and then extrude it as needed. Sometimes this will involve composing profiles created from polygons/polylines/arcs or converting them to what is desired after. Then in a 3D model, where profiles overlap/join, I'll do just that and subtract solids. The subtract solids command has the option to retain subtracting objects.

 

Again, I don't use InteriorCAD. My workflow resembles AutoCAD in some ways. I do have the custom cabinet tool via Spotlight but haven't had a need to utilize it a whole bunch. I know it's great for throwing together cabinets very quickly and believe it can generate cut sheets. I'm not sure how specific InteriorCAD can get in terms of joinery such as rabbits, dados, dowels, mortise/tenon, etc. Let me see about tagging someone else here who is more familiar with InteriorCAD. @Kevin K

Edited July 5, 2023 by Mike_M

[Kevin K]

Sure @Mike_M throw me under the bus!!  🙂

 

Rikka, I use InteriorCd xs, which is not the full-blown version, so I am not sure about all the CNC items you would need to be addressed..

I am happy to offer suggestions, but if you could post, or send me a message noting / detailing exactly what you want to achieve, that would really help.

No guarantees, but I could give it a go..

[Mike_M]

@Kevin K 🚍

 

Guilty as charged. I realized I had come up with a question of my own and thought who better to ask? 😄

 

[Kevin K]

@Mike_M...Well....there are probably better choices 🙂 

We will see what @rikka offers up.

[Tom W.]

8 hours ago, rikka said:

Hello.

I am a new user to Interiorcad, coming over from a different software. 

 

I am trying to replicate my methods that we use for standard cabinet construction, using a combination of nesting CNC and the Mafell DDF 40. 

 

It uses a pair of dowels 32mm apart, and we also add a 5mm hole in between that for screws. On cabinets deeper than 300mm we use a total of 3 pairs (front, centre + back) and smaller cabinets only front and back. 

 

Would you be able to advise on the best way to set this up? 

 

 

I look forward to your reply

 

 

Best,

Richard 

 

I am using the Interiorxs demo version + I can't see a way to create your own grid in the Fittings tab. Is this another shortcoming of XS over the full CAD version...?

 

This:

 

Gives me this:

 

Which is one-off of what you wanted but without being able to edit the grids I can't see a way to move the dowels/screw up + down the panel + repeat it.

 

@Blinkglitter is someone else who might be able to help.

[Blinkglitter]

8 hours ago, rikka said:

I am trying to replicate my methods that we use for standard cabinet construction, using a combination of nesting CNC and the Mafell DDF 40. 

 

It uses a pair of dowels 32mm apart, and we also add a 5mm hole in between that for screws. On cabinets deeper than 300mm we use a total of 3 pairs (front, centre + back) and smaller cabinets only front and back. 

 

Would you be able to advise on the best way to set this up? 

 

 

Hello @rikka

 

You need to set up some custom grids for dowels and screws. I can record a video to show you how to do it for the Mafell but it would be good to know what the distance between the edge of the fence and the fence centre, or are you using the pins as the edge stop?

 

Let me know and I will post a youtube video to show you.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Blinkglitter]

@rikka actually I've done the videos anyway. This is based on using the Mafell's pin guide which I think is 15.8mm from the edge of the pin to the centre of the dowel, but if I'm wrong you can replace the 15.8 value with whatever the correct spacing is.

 

Mafell DD40 Dowels x3 and x2 per your message

 

 

 

X distribution for x3: 15.8(32mm*2); #(32*2); -15.8(-32*2)

X distribution for x2: 15.8(32mm*2); -15.8(-32*2)

 

And the screws:

 

 

 

X distribution for x3: 15.8; #; -15.8

X distribution for x2: 15.8; -15.8

 

This should work but I've done it quite quickly so any issues let me know. I have also sent you an invite to the interiorcad global community discord

 

Thanks 

 

[Tom W.]

Cool! And you can do this in XS too hurrah! Don't quite understand why stuff like this isn't in the manual. Or is this when you need to watch the German videos...? Jake I think you need to start putting your videos on a YouTube channel... Thanks for sharing the info.

[Blinkglitter]

3 hours ago, Tom W. said:

Cool! And you can do this in XS too hurrah! Don't quite understand why stuff like this isn't in the manual. Or is this when you need to watch the German videos...? Jake I

think you need to start putting your videos on a YouTube channel... Thanks for sharing the info.

 

No worries, sorry if you had the sound on there was propably a bit of puffing and sighing.

 

It is in the manual put it's not massively clear so i learnt through some trial and error. Yes why not maybe I will do that!

 

Hopefully @rikka finds it useful. Let us know how you get on and please do join the discord if you are a new user, there are some very experienced users on there including Brendan who is a specialist for integrating interiorcad with CNC machines.

 

[Tom W.]

1 hour ago, Blinkglitter said:

 

No worries, sorry if you had the sound on there was propably a bit of puffing and sighing.

 

It is in the manual put it's not massively clear so i learnt through some trial and error. Yes why not maybe I will do that!

 

Hopefully @rikka finds it useful. Let us know how you get on and please do join the discord if you are a new user, there are some very experienced users on there including Brendan who is a specialist for integrating interiorcad with CNC machines.

 

 

Can you show me where it is in the manual? Perhaps the problem is I'm rubbish at finding things! Thanks

[Blinkglitter]

3 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

Can you show me where it is in the manual? Perhaps the problem is I'm rubbish at finding things! Thanks

 

http://conf.extragroup.de/im/latest/creating-custom-libraries

 

scroll down to the area that says 'Creating Grids in Library'

[rikka]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I tried for around 2 hours yesterday with trial and error, and managed to get a total of nowhere! 

This is exactly what I needed. For now I am still using Polyboard to run my cabinets through the machine whilst learning as much of Vectorworks and Interiorcad a I can whenever I have a moment spare. Definitely not ready for the switch but at the moment slowly trying to replicate what I currently have as 'methods' as they are known in Polyboard, and looking forward to learn all of the additional things that become available once I have the basics down. 

 

I have joined the discord also, and look forward to speaking with you all!

 

PS I second what @Tom W. says about the videos! I always find that to be a great way to learn new software. I must admit I struggled somewhat with the interiorcad manual and trying to wrap my head around it

 

Thanks again, 

 

Best,

Rich

 

[Tom W.]

6 minutes ago, Blinkglitter said:

 

http://conf.extragroup.de/im/latest/creating-custom-libraries

 

scroll down to the area that says 'Creating Grids in Library'

 

That's very helpful thank you. I never would have found that! 'Creating Custom Libraries' is a really useful section with a ton of info in it I must remember to look there again in future... Appreciate the guidance.

[Ride]

This is super helpful. I really need to get my discord account setup. I literally just submitted a ticket to Extragroup a few days ago asking for a tutorial on custom grids. They are not at all intuitive. Thank you @Blinkglitter 

[Blinkglitter]

On 7/7/2023 at 4:52 PM, Ride said:

This is super helpful. I really need to get my discord account setup. I literally just submitted a ticket to Extragroup a few days ago asking for a tutorial on custom grids. They are not at all intuitive. Thank you @Blinkglitter 

 

No worries let me know if you need any further advise. The discord should only take a second but the original invite link might not work, let me know if it isn't

 

[Ride]

5 hours ago, Blinkglitter said:

 

No worries let me know if you need any further advise. The discord should only take a second but the original invite link might not work, let me know if it isn't

 

Haha, thanks. I need tons of advice. I love InteriorCAD, couldn't live without it. But I also find that it is not intuitive, or easy to figure out. My end goal is to be able to use it at a level to export fully modelled cabinets direct to my CNC. I am getting there slowly as I work through things like these hardware grids. I'll try that Discord link again soon and let you know if it's expired...

[Blinkglitter]

Just now, Ride said:

Haha, thanks. I need tons of advice. I love InteriorCAD, couldn't live without it. But I also find that it is not intuitive, or easy to figure out. My end goal is to be able to use it at a level to export fully modelled cabinets direct to my CNC. I am getting there slowly as I work through things like these hardware grids. I'll try that Discord link again soon and let you know if it's expired...

 

No worries, you should be able to get it set up to export to your CNC quite easily, maybe with some help. We have had two different CNCs and I have set it up twice, with a bit of effort / some trial and error. What CNC do you have or what are you using for postprocessing?

 

There is also Brendan on the discord who is a specialist in setting up CNCs with interiorcad so (for a fee) you could get his assistance remotely if you wanted to turbocharge getting it working.

 

Also if you want I can do a short zoom call to show you anything. 

[Ride]

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but maybe some of the info here will help others. I have been in touch with Brendan, and he's been super generous in offering his help to get me going. The hold-up has been on my end as I've been far too busy to spend time on getting this up an running, and I've been putting him off. But the reality is not getting this set up will ensure I stay too busy to set it up.

 

My machine is a Biesse Skill GFT1224. Right now I'm writing all the cabinet part files in Biesseworks, and nesting in Biessenest. 

[Blinkglitter]

@Ride that's ok it will probably fizzle out otherwise.

 

Great to hear you are in touch with Brendan. I am interesting to hear how you get on with the Biesse as we might look at a Biesse in the future.

 

I know what you mean about being too busy to sort this sort of thing out. We stop production for an hour every day to do 3Sing and Improvements, that's the only way we ever get any process improvements or workshop improvements made. Sounds crazy I know but we have got more improvements done in three months that we probably would have in two years. 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Blinkglitter