Historically, computer numerical control (CNC) machines could only perform the functions which they were programmed to do and required human intervention for the CAD to CAM information conveyance. There was an urgent need to bridge this laborious gap. Solving this issue, CIM-Tech, the inventor of nested-based manufacturing solutions since 1987, began offering computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) software that provided a common interface for designing and manufacturing. The company took a knowledge-based approach in which the software not only recorded certain tasks (such as cutting wood in a particular pattern) but also applied (and reapplied) that knowledge every time in similar situations, thereby automating the manufacturing process. For manufacturers, this turned out to be a game-changer and allowed retaining the “tribal knowledge” within the organization even if the operator left. The method evolved and became rules-based—automatically turning designs into machine instructions with minimal to no human intervention at all, speeding up the designing and manufacturing process while increasing accuracy and efficiency.

Today, along with the evolution in the manufacturing space, CIM-TECH has repurposed their knowledge-retaining, automation-embracing value proposition in the realm of solid modeling.

“We specialize in automated solutions and taking out the human component out of the process,” says Frank Rubino, President, CIM-TECH. The company focuses on high-speed machining for CNC routers that encircles woodworking, plastics, composite materials, and nonferrous metals like aluminum. Applying automation to solid modeling, the company took its automation capabilities a notch higher and obliterated the involvement of humans. “Whenever demand arises, the software that “lives” in a place on a server automatically process everything with no interaction,” adds Rubino.

CIM-TECH’s core product, Router- CIM, is built on AutoCAD, which reduces the clients’ learning curve. The Router-CIM Automation Suite supports various third-party software to control other equipment and delivers a familiar Windows-style interface. The ability to communicate with different machine tools with 100 percent accuracy and throughput without any hand-editing required to get the CNC machines operating makes Router CIM unique. Taking a flexible approach, the company customizes its solution according to the client’s requirements, unlike other solution providers in the market who offers shrink-wrap products. CIM-TECH’s Router-CIM Advanced AutoNEST, which includes automated two-sided nesting, common line nesting, and multiple stock control nesting, increases the productivity decreasing the amount of work. The Multi-CIM complements Router-CIM automatically exporting individual parts out of a drawing that contains multiple parts in just a few clicks and hence saves time.

On the solid modeling domain, CIM-TECH’s Solid-CIM 3D makes models and assemblies ready for manufacturing in just a few clicks with automatic feature recognition and saves many tedious hours of work compared to traditional methods.

With full six-sided feature recognition, Solid-CIM 3D acknowledges parts that have horizontal and backside work and creates layered drawing or DXF files with just one click. Furthermore, CIM-TECH offers Touch-N-Print, automatic labeling generation solutions to increase the efficiency of printing labels. Touch-N-Print presents a nest created by Router-CIM Automation Suite and enables users to print the labels as per their needs with a touch. Additionally, Router-CIM Automation Suite is customizable, easy to use, enables scrap management, heals broken geometry, and handles every type of cutter compensation for aggregate tooling.

From a client onboarding standpoint, CIM-TECH also offers onsite and online training to solve any software operation related issues in real-time. The onsite training also helps CIM-TECH to understand its customers’ manufacturing needs as a whole and provide necessary technical support. In the case of software correction, the support staff escalates the issue to a critical level for solving it quickly.

By continuously assisting clients in tackling their problems, CIM-TECH is adding more solutions to their list to enhance manufacturing, replacing the need for human intervention with computer technology. Realizing the world’s shifts from 2D drawing to 3D manufacturing, CIM-TECH has prepared itself for the change and is continually focusing on enhancing solid modeling to stay ahead in the competition. Following the customer’s demands and requests, the company is foraying into laser type manufacturing to apply solid modeling to the metalworking industry, especially in sheet metal and flat product processing.