5R Holdings, LLC
Jeff Hampton – St. Louis, Missouri
“As you know we evaluated just about every software package on the market and quickly realized that Microvellum was the only product that offered us the flexibility and depth that we needed for our business. We have been using Toolbox for about two months and were actually producing jobs within about two weeks following the installation. We have recently started to implement MicroManager and are finding that we have cut our estimating time by about 75% per project after about 1 week of working with this module. We look forward to our continued partnership with Roger Shaw & Associates and Microvellum as we continue to grow and implement the remaining software components.”
“Our primary reasons for choosing Microvellum were:”
1. Toobox being AutoCAD based. This aspect makes it easy for us to find designers/engineers that aren’t intimidated by the software.
2. Depth and capability of the Microvellum software products.
3. The access too and response of the support team.
4. Ease of use and the short learning curve to get up and running quickly.
“By the way, the support and training are top notch and are second to none! Thanks again for your patience as we evaluated so many products and this is the best software purchase we have ever made in our business.”
Cutting Edge Cabinets and Millwork
Ronnie Locklear – Stephenville, Texas
“After researching different cabinetmaking software, I purchased Microvellum. It has really changed the way we do business and has expanded our market tremendously. The technical support to get us going and keep us learning has been excellent. I would recommend Jordan Maberry and Microvellum anytime.”
Francis & Wane, Inc.
Chris Britton Palm Desert, CA
“Best Investment we ever made for the business. Regret how much money we wasted by not buying the software sooner.” “We recovered the software cost with the savings in the first couple of jobs.”
Western Casework Corp
Sean Stewart – N. Las Vegas, NV
A key part of our business. Couldn’t and wouldn’t want to try without it!”
Living Laminates, Inc
Traci Medina – Elgin, IL
“We made the decision to buy a CNC router and Microvellum when times were really slow. People thought we were out of our minds at the time, but I knew that we had to do something. As a small commercial shop, the people who contract with us know they could count on us to deliver on time. What this meant to us was we often had to turn away work because we could not deliver on that promise. We were stuck with no way to grow. Now business is booming. We don’t have to turn work away and we still have the capacity to put even more work through our shop and keep our promises.
The funny thing is we haven’t even had time to go to Microvellum training yet. I can’t imagine how productive we will be after that.”
Advanced Woodwork Installations, Inc.
Philip Nickolich Palm Desert, CA
“Microvellum has changed the way we build cabinets.” We are now able to use joinery we were never able to use before.”
TEMEKA, Inc.
Todd Downs – Perris, CA
“Had been using Cabinet Vision and would never go back.”
“Integration to our Biesse Rover B was a snap with Microvellum.”
Design and Drafting HMC, Inc.
Bob Zeman – Columbia, MD
“HMC, Inc is a custom millwork shop and we had reservations about how Microvellum would work for us. After using this program for 10 months I can tell you now that the Microvellum program works very well for our needs. We feel that we have been saving about 30% on our layout and milling operations, as well as savings in assembly due to the accuracy of the milliing operation. We agree that we would not have been able to keep up with our schedule if not for this program. Thanks for a great product!”
K&Z Cabinet Company, Inc,
Mike Twyford -Ontario, CA
(Long time PSI user) “Even though I’ve only been using Microvellum a short time, it’s everything and more that I wanted in a software.”
Spooner Woodworks
Chris Abubo – Poway, CA
(The best thing about Microvellum)
“The flexibility build into the system enabling us to design whatever the customer wants.”
Gold Plane Custom Cabinets, LLC
John Berry – Engineering – NorthGlenn, CO
“We recently switched to Microvellum. As a long time PSI user I was a little apprehensive, however any misgivings I had wer squashed within days of using the package. Not only has it been everything that was promised, the ease with which we’ve been able to transition over has been nothing short of astonishing. I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone looking for an engineering package in the cabinet and fixture industry give Microvellum a chance to prove to you what they have (proved) to me.”
Robert Marcos, Inc.
Patrick Driscoll – Honolulu, HI
“What I like most about Microvellum is the versatility. As a custom cabinet shop the power of Microvellum is that we can design and build any kind of cabinet we want, and if we choose to we can save it as a new parametric product to use at a later time.”
“Microvellum automatically writes the G-code for all the parts, and the integrated labeling program leaves very little chance for human error. We just use the barcoding to pull up the right program.”
“The real beauty of Microvellum is you can set it up to run how you want, where other software can’t”
All Wood Treasures
Darrel J. Shamah – Tempe, AZ – www.allwoodtreasures.com
“After looking at many different software solutions, Microvellum Toolbox was the only platform fully integrated into the defacto industry standard for CAD (AutoCAD). Due to the highly custom nature of our business, we needed a system that could handle a product with infinite shapes, sizes and materials.”
Contemporary Cabinets
Bruce Pezant Edmond, OK – BruceP@con-cab.com
“As a previous owner of both Pattern Systems and Cabinet Vision, we find the Microvellum software suite surpasses the competion in flexibility and ease of use.”
“In addition, I’ve found that the technical support group is pleasant to work with and works hard to resolve any issues.”
Aloha Cabinetry
Peter Chan – President – Pleasanton, CA – www.alohacabinetry.com
“Microvellum was not the first software we purchased, but after we experienced the competition, we wish it had been. We purchased Microvellum several months ago after being frustrated with the limitations of other software packages and with the plan that it would dovetail seamlessly with our HolzHer CNC. Naturally we are still learning all it can do, but we are constantly finding new ways to leverage the software in our day to day operations.”
“Probably the most important thing to us is the company itself. Unlike our first experience with cabinetmaking software, Microvellum let’s you know the customer comes first AFTER the sale. Microvellum training and support has been excellent every step of the way. We are anxious to move forward with their newest product, MicroManager as soon as we can.”
Creative Cabinets, Inc.
Bill Lason – General Manager – Tucson, AZ – www.creativecabinetsinc.com
“We at Creative Cabinets have been using Microvellum for well over a year now. We have it communicating with all our computer controlled machinery. We had been using CabNetware for over 20 years and the conversion to Microvellum took about eight months.” “We are very happy with the flexibility of the program. We are glad we made the switch.”
Architectural Arts
David Lueck – Des Moines, IA – www.architecturalarts.com
“Microvellum has proved to be a powerful and versatile tool. Specialized cabinets that used to be time consuming can now be processed quickly and easily and I know the machining is right before it goes to the shop floor.”
Classic Millwork Design Co.
Lewis Richard, President – Webster, MA – Lewrich1@aol.com
“Classic Millwork Design Co. is a high-end commercial casework and architectural millwork company. In 2004 we purchased a HolzHer Echo Master, Giben Beam Saw, and (Cabinet) Vision Design and Manufacturing Software, after assurances from all parties that the equipment and software would communicate and perform as demonstrated.”
“The problems were numerous. Vision couldn’t design my products without me having to trick it. Vision wouldn’t optimize to the G-57 post on my beam saw, and I had to redesign everything in AutoCAD and send a DXF file to my Echo Master. I tried to get all three companies to play in the same sand box, but for two years there was nothing but finger pointing and lack of support.”
“I late 2005 I started checking into Microvellum. Right away I realized I could do my design work in AutoCAD and Microvellum, make detailed drawing without having to trick the system and could send G-code straight to my Echo Master. It was flexible and allowed me to quickly build my special projects, and after discussion with Microvellum we (also) opted to use Ardis optimizer to link to the G-57 post. I was very busy and it took me 3 months before I got back to installing the products.”
“Now here is the good part. Two weeks before Easter 2006 we started working with Microvellum and Ardis support. I set up my parameters in Microvellum, established links to my HolzHer Echo Master and Ardis, with Ardis giving me the perfect link to my G-57 post for my Giben Beam Saw.”
“My first project after the installation was a new kitchen for my wife. Carole wanted Cherry raised panel cabinets with built in cabinets for the appliances. We tore out the old Monday after Palm Sunday and designed, built and installed the cabinets in time for preparing and enjoying the Easter meal with my entire extended family.”
“After two years of struggling we now have a manufacturing system that really works. I would recommend Microvellum and Ardis combination to anyone who deals in the high-end commercial and architectural millwork industry.”
CBR Woodworking, LLC
Tom Lott – Hainesport, NJ – tlott@cbrwoodworking.com
“I have been very satisfied with the Microvellum software and its technical support.”
“Integrating new software and CNC equipment can be difficult and tedious. However, we only had a few minor glitches that Microvellum helped us though without any loss of manufacturing time.”
“We have been using Microvellum less than 1 year with a decrease in programming time and we look forward to further decreases in drafting and programming times.”
“At this point, shop personnel hunt me down to get the cut reports from Micrvellum so they can start milling parts when I forget to print them.”
“I am glad we bought the software and look forward to its further implementation.”
Gillpatrick Woodworks
Bob Gillpatrick – Louisburg, KS – www.gwoodiinc.com
“In my experience, the major difference between Cabinet Vision and Microvellum is related to WHAT you are trying to produce in your shop. We produce custom everything. While some of our work can be built from a library, many times it’s the few cabinets that don’t fit. It is my understanding from several users that it is VERY difficult in Cabinet Vision.”
“Microvellums major advantage, to me, is that it works within AutoCAD and is flexible enough to handle my drawings. And, if iwant to combine a cutlist from the library, with one totally manually entered, Microvellum allows me to do that.”
“If you are truly custom, then Microvelum is the choice.”
“I will also say that Microvellums support has been exceptional. They have answered every question the same day as we ask it. The are also very open to suggestions and improvements. I’m impressed with their company, and their product.”
Vrieling Architectural, Inc.
Jeff Vrieling – Gilbert, AZ
“We are very satisfied with the Microvellum product. I was surprised how quickly I was up and running, the tech staff is fantastic.”
“MV has given us the ability to work at a larger scale than we physically are. We reduced engineering and shop drawing costs dramatically. Productivity is the name of the game for the smaller guys. MV has been a great partner.”
Excel Millwork & Moulding
Kent Bonds – Midway, FL
“We have found Microvellum to be an extremely flexible, innovative and time-saving program. Along with Ardis, we could greatly increase productivity, improve efficiency, and decrease errors and waste beyond what we could before while using Pattern Systems.
The customer support services are available with just a quick call, and the knowledgeable technical staff on hand was able to help us out whenever we ran into a problem. With the thorough and expert training programs, we’re producing like never before!”
Benchmark Products
Mark Molden – Owner – Westminster, CA
“The power of Microvellum enables me to design anything I can think of unlike the limits I experienced with other programs. In addition, Architects expect to work with professionals, and the first measure they apply is how your drawings look. If they don’t look like AutoCAD, chances are you don’t get the next call from them.
I had used Pattern Systems since 1989 to generate cut lists and reports for the shop. Now that I have Microvellum (and since I bought a nested base router) I go from my drawings to the shop floor in minutes instead of days.
Microvellum plus the new router has already increased our capacity in a major way, has become the foundation for growing the business, and I haven’t even had time to get to your training program yet!”
Kisha & Tabellion CO. L.L.C..
Rob Tabellion – Canton, OH
“We purchased the program Microvellum for our custom cabinet shop. We found the program to be a valuable asset for our company. We would recommend this program for other businesses that are also designing or building custom cabinets and store fixtures. Microvellum’s technical support has been reliable and helpful as we continue to learn the program and all its features.”
Classy Closets
Mark McConaghie – Production Engineer – Chandler, AZ – www.classyclosets.com
“Our company has been using Microvellum for the past two years and I am impressed each day by all the things that I can do with this program. Coupled with the power of AutoCAD our wood design options are only limited by our imaginations.”
The Clearfield Company, Inc.
Kirsten Webb, Vice President
“Its AutoCAD/Excel based platforms provide us a level of accuracy & confidence in our engineering unrivaled in the manufacturing software industry.
Microvellum Toolbox allows us to get it right the first time- every time.
Many thanks to the staff of programmers & technicians at Microvellum.”
Design Odyssey
Jim Yadon – Newman, GA
“I find the ease of setup for subtle changes that are found job to job to be very easy with one piece of advice.
Get to know the Globals, Tooling and Tokens.
The key to success for us thus far has been in being able to adjust the variables within these to fit the job. Most of us are, after all, custom fabricators working to meet our clients’ requests.
Microvellum is an incredibly flexible and powerful engineering data tool at the disposal of anyone prepared to use it to meet those needs.”
Foliot Furniture
Dan Foliot – Saint-Jerome, QC
“We at Foliot Furniture have been very pleased with the Microvellum software. It has become the central nervous system of our entire manufacturing process.
Every piece of furniture we manufacture is custom and Microvellum gives us the ability to create formulas in Excel that drive our products parametrically. This allows the whole process to be completely automated for cutting, edgebanding and machining on our CNC’s.
We have nine CNC PTP’s (including three lines) that we output G-code to of which seven have different controllers, all working from one single software. Labels with bar-codes are applied at the saw and identify the cut parts which then go to machining.
I think the most important is the support we have received from Microvellum to make it all possible. Microvellum has definitely helped us achieve success with the software.”
JB Millworks, Inc.
Al Tipton – Ozark, MO
“After some research, we chose a new software package from Microvellum. We chose Microvellum because we wanted a software that was AutoCAD based.
We purchased Toolbox, which allows us to move easily from walls, to products, to text, to making single parts, to nesting, to generating G-code for the router.
We also use Overdrive Pro, which allows us to be in a spreadsheet environment to work on cabinets. For instance, if you want a shelf to be a little shorter or longer, you can easily change this in the spreadsheet. Every part and comment attached to a cabinet can be viewed and changed in the spreadsheet. Also, in Overdrive Pro you can add cabinets and basically add every box you want in the job without ever drawing a single cabinet, which is great for estimating.
With Nested Panel Optimization, we are using the optimization that is automatically set up in Microvellum. And, we’re using the AWI/WIC Casework Library which is very extensive. We have to change a lot of boxes because of the custom millwork that we do. Every day we learn a new way to change and modify a box. It has been a learning process, but the tech support has been great and they work with us until we get it changed.”
Shioleno Industries
Chris Shioleno – Arlington, TX
“After years of software demonstrations from other software products it solidified in our mind that no software company it seemed, would ever be able to accommodate our needs; that was until the 2004 IWF show in Atlanta came around.
After reviewing the product in Atlanta, it was clear that Microvellum understood what we do as a manufacturer and what tools we needed to get the job done.We implemented the software shortly after, getting our engineering staff trained on how to use the software and began pushing forward.
We currently are processing data to 3-CNC Panel Saws and 4-CNC Machining Centers. Just recently, we purchased an additional CNC Machining Center with the capability of processing 1,800 parts a day. Microvellum adjusted for us with no problem at all. There was only one software for us outside of developing it ourselves.
Microvellum fit the bill and we look forward to their new products of the future for all our manufacturing needs.”
S.B.K. Supply & Millwork
Scott Schwarzenberger – Wichita, KS
“Here at S.B.K. Supply & Millwork Company we concentrate on a lot of custom architectural millwork ranging from cabinets, counters, doors, trim, and reception counters. Microvellum has helped our company in improving our drawing time, the speed in which our designs are converted to code, and allows for changes to quickly be made along the way. After dealing with a couple of other major cabinet programs, we wished we would have found Microvellum sooner. This is the most Flexible cabinet program that we’ve ever dealt with. The technical support team is excellent at helping you get up and running and solving some of those tricky problems too.”
Royal Fixture Company
Bruce Cornell – Kansas City, MO
“Royal Fixture Company recently acquired and put into use Microvellum Software. We actually started using the software in conjunction with the purchase of a Biesse Rover B router. The software was formatted for the Biesse without any problem, and we were up and running in no time.
The time frame for our machining process has increased dramatically. The software itself is user friendly, and any questions we have are answered in a very timely manner by the Microvellum support techs. Currently we are working mostly with the Overdrive Pro portion of the software and are soon to begin the drawing portion also. To date we have found the only limits with the software are those we ourselves place on it.”
Southwest Casework. Inc.
Scott Walker – Production Engineer – Dodge City, KS – swalker@southwestcasework.com
“Microvellum is definitely the way to the future. As a manufacturing software solution for the woodworking industry, it stands head and shoulders above any software I have used. We expect to more than pay for our investment in this software the first full year of use alone, just by being able to produce high quality architectural submittals in house instead of out sourcing them.
This is only the tip of the ice burg of what this software is capable of. Definitely an investment in your business’s future I would recommend.”
Koch & Co., Inc. Cabinets
Barry Koch – Seneca, KS
“When our company started looking at using nesting routers in our operation, we knew nothing about nesting machines or the software to run them.
We did a lot of research for almost a year and came to a simple conclusion. For speed and tool life, centerline nesting is the only way to go. The only software company that offers this feature is Microvellum.
With centerline nesting, the tool doesn’t take the same path twice. Any parts that share a border, centerline nesting cuts it only once. If a company looks at its nest sheets and realizes how many common borders there are between parts, they will realize that the machine can waste a lot of time and tool life on each border if not centerline nested.
Accuracy is never a problem with the software either.
I invite any company to come see centerline nesting in action because it is a big part of the future for nested based machines.”
Uncommon Cabinetry Inc
Kris Yates – Corvallis, OR
“Microvellum has been a great asset to our new integration with our nested based CNC machine. The sky is the limit for the items that can be accomplished and built with the software. We have been very satisfied with the product and would reccomend it to anyone.”
New Horizons Woodworks
Scott Thompson – Lead Project Manager – Ashland, OR
“I am the lead project manager for a medium sized commercial casework company called New Horizons Woodworks based in Ashland, Oregon. I have been managing casework jobs and engineering fixtures for about 6 years now and have used Microvellum during this time.
I’d like to start by saying what a pleasure it has been to work with the staff of Microvellum. They’ve been very helpful in supporting us when we had questions or difficulties for any reason.
The software itself, being AutoCAD based, is extraordinarily powerful and versatile. I can’t count how many times over the years I’ve received compliments on our shop drawings from Architects and Designers for the precision and detail that Microvellum offers when using the cabinet drawing utility. Also, you can draw many cabinets in a hurry once you become familiar with the cabinet drawing routine.
The real beauty and power of Microvellum however, is not realized until you export drawings to the spreadsheet and begin compiling your cut list. The critical thing here is to customize the products library and material files to you particular shop construction standards. This enables you to create a formatted cut list complete with machine code and optimization files, producing a result that is no less than astonishing.
I would highly recommend Microvellum to both large and small custom shops that look forward to growth and expansion. As you will soon learn upon acquiring Microvellum, is definitely has power to help you company grow and effortlessly expands to fill your needs.”
Jutras Woodworking
Peter LeBlanc – Smithfield, RI
“Like most of the other examples I have read from your testimonial page, I too started out with Cabinet Vision with the same degree of disappointment.
We produce custom cabinets all the time. Very seldom do we do the same thing twice, and modifying cabinets in Cabinet Vision was extremely difficult, not logical, and frustrating to say the least. There was a huge investment of time and money to really try to get Cabinet Vision to do what I wanted, to no avail. And I was floored when I found out that Cabinet Vision required our company to purchase an upgrade for another huge investment of money.
So at the woodworking show in Atlanta in 2002, I explored all the other possibilities and was drawn to Microvellum. How can you go wrong with a program that draws on two of the most powerful platforms available, AutoCAD and Excel.
I find that making adjustments to cabinets in Microvellum is logical in its approach, and actually working in the spread sheet is enjoyable. When products are changed in some way, whatever that change may be, once the product is redrawn in CAD you can see everything you’ve done. If you make a mistake you can see it. If you do it right you can copy it. If you love what you’ve done, you can save it to a library and use it again. And it comes off the CNC machine the way you see it. Pretty cool.
Generally speaking, Microvellum tech support is great, very responsive and knowledgeable. It might be me, or the way I manufacture cabinets, but I have had the occasion where it has taken a while to resolve a problem. But whatever the problem is, I know it can, and will, be resolved.
I must say that I am very happy with my decision to go with Microvellum and would recommend it enthusiastically to anyone with a mid size shop like ours ready to make a move towards production software.”
LTI, Inc.
Scott Meskimen – White City, OR
“A few years ago our company had an opportunity to take on a store fixture line.
Being mainly a part component driven company we recognized the need for more flexible manufacturing processes. No longer were we dealing with specific parts and single programs, manufacturing hundreds of the same parts at one time, now we faced manufacturing something different every day.
We called on Microvellum for help.
At that time all our work orders were each generated individually with word processing, and accounting software. Microvellum carefully analyzed our current processes, especially in the shop, and set out a plan of attack. At the time we implemented the software package, our methods and machinery on the floor were not the best, but needless to say, Microvellum communicated and integrated all of our processes as well as the equipment on the shop floor.
We have been using Microvellum for three years now and I can honestly it’s the hub of all our manufacturing processes and has enabled us to take on mountains of work otherwise left behind. We have since purchased a new CNC saw and two new CNC machining centers making a total of 5 different machine tools communicated with on a daily basis.
Microvellum easily transitioned based on our new needs and today, by processing the job we can simply decide what machine we want to run the parts on that given day, or even split the job up and run parts on multiple machines simultaneously. We now have taken Microvellum into our part component business without 1 part ever bypassing the system to get cut listed, cut, or machined. I can only speak for myself and my division when I say you can’t get any better.
Our company has 1 other division that has recently started implementing the system based on our success. We are looking forward to implementing version 7 of Microvellum Toolbox along with what will be the ultimate shop management software in the industry, Microvellum’s MicroManager product.
Thanks Guys!”
Custom Millwork Designs
James and Karen Torrence – Oakwood Village, Ohio
“Since we purchased Microvellum in December 2004, and considering we have not yet taken training, we have been able to do our shop drawings with great ease. The time we have saved using Microvellum is one of the best features. We have gotten several compliments from Architects regarding our submittals.
We are looking forward to using the panel optimization, material schedule reports and linking to the CNC machine. We are working on that process now. As our staff projected, the learning curve would be about 1 year. We seem to be on target with that goal.
Please continue to keep in touch periodically as you have been. Your suggestions have been helpful and motivational. ”
Woodtek Industries, Inc.
Juan Wong – Richmond, BC – Canada
“We have been using Microvellum for over a year now, and we are very pleased with it! This powerful software is not only able to produce the shop drawing for presentation/approval but also generates accurate cut lists. With the combination of Microvellum and Autocad, we are producing much quicker shop drawings than before.
What I like the most is the ease of changing the construction methods/fomulas of each product. Currently, I am building a different library for the shop which includes different products like 3 door cabinets, 3 door 3 drawer cabinet, etc. I find this truly amazing on how Microvellum can perform.
I did not know the software would be able to perform the way it has when I first bought it.”
Great work!!!
Craftsman Kitchens & Baths
Justin Woodward – Salt Lake City, UT www.craftsmankitchen.com
“Our cabinet business is successful for two reasons: 1. We sell an incredible product. 2. We have incredible service. Being a salesman, I can not sell something if I do not know it’s the best. That’s my personality. Eight years ago, we we’re looking into different software’s to help our production. We could get special one on one meetings with just about anyone. They would fly out just to come show off their product. We jumped right into it and bought Cabinet Vision. It could do just about anything we wanted!
After a few months, we got stuck. It would not do this, or do that. We would call tech support and they would say we needed to buy this upgrade or that upgrade. We come to find out there are 15 -20 upgrades we need to do everything they show in the demo!!! For 2 years we never touched the software until Spencer Harris and I got involved. Spencer used it the best he could for the past several years. While during that time, the only thing we ever heard from Cabinet Vision we’re the renewal fee’s for customer service!! So once you buy the product, they have made their money which is obviously the true importance to them.
So I was on the lookout for an incredible software. I LOVE AutoCAD and always have wanted to design with it. I soon heard of a product microvellum that uses AutoCad so I checked it out. Now of course this is where we had a tough time. Because it of course, did everything we wanted it to do. It became very personal between Tom and our company and that’s where we we’re sold. Tom is just like us. He will not sell something he is not sold on. He has been in contact with us since day one. When we bought the product, we struggled finding a date for training. Rather than throwing his hands in the air, he keeps calling to tell me to get my butt to training. So he has not dropped us after the sale. I believe Tom is interested in the success of our company and has the tools to make it happen. His passion meets his job. So that is my advice to anyone looking around for software. Do you have a guy getting paid by the hour, reading from a program he did not make? Or is your salesman truly passionate about making you successful. Microvellum has all we need and has great service.”
Heritage Creations
Pat McCreary – Engineering Technician – Bend, OR www.heritage-creations.com
“Heritage Creations purchased the Microvellum program two years ago after using Cabinetware for many years.
Our company was pleasantly surprised to find out how much more power and flexibility we gained by making the switch to Microvellum. The optimizing features provided by Microvellum have cut our waste by 33%. The coding for the CNC machine works smoothly and is error free.
Technical support is great! Anytime we have any questions or problems, the technical support team is not only easy to work with, but help us to find solutions in a timely manner, which is worth it’s weight in gold! Dollars are quickly lost when solutions are not found quickly in a manufacturing facility.
We value our relationship with Microvellum and highly recommend their products and services to anyone who is looking for a program that will save their company time and money.”
Custom Interiors
Rand Pulk – CI Drafting Department Manager – Marysville, WA
“Custom Interiors has played a strong role in the commercial and high end residential markets in Seattle for the last 22 years. With our growth over the last few years, we upgraded our manufacturing processes several times.
Our early manufacturing software was found to be “sub-par” in our submittals. Our move to Microvellum was partially based on the compatibility with AutoCAD and the ability to have a quality architectural submittal.
There was some training at the start and Custom Interiors had Microvellum design our “starter” library to fit our custom construction methods. This I would “highly recommend”. This library allowed us to concentrate on manufacturing almost immediately with our new CNC.
Microvellum’s support has been a “quick solve”.
I am very pleased with our decision to purchase Microvellum.”
Store Kraft Manufacturing Company
Gary Kumpf – Beatrice, NE – www.storekraft.com
“Store Kraft Manufacturing Company is in the process of implementing unlimited seats of Microvellum software. Store Kraft is a custom store fixture manufacturer for wood and metal products. We spent months in research and evaluation of software products to help us automate our engineering and production. In the end, we chose Microvellum because it appeared to be the most flexible, limitless software on the market.
Currently we are using AutoCAD 2D for 98% of our fixtures. We know the advantages of using 3D solid modeling for interference checks and verification of fit based on our metal programming software. What sets Microvellum apart is the ability to automate AutoCAD for custom woodworking. We will be using the software for very custom applications in bidding, 3D Engineering, and running our CNC wood equipment.
We believe this software will eliminate errors, reduce training time, and standardize construction. The elimination of part drawings will save large amounts of time. Automatic bills of material, automatic CNC code and automated 3D machining for hardware will all save time and reduce errors. We intend to utilize Common Line Cutting to save routing time. We will use labels to track parts and assemblies in the plant. Utilization of the material reports will save time ordering materials. We also intend to have cost standards in place to use Microvellum for bidding jobs. Microvellum will change the way our business works and reduce the time it takes from estimating to shipping of product.”
KS Wood Products, Inc.
Lee Grant – Project Coordinator – Springfield, MO – www.kswoodproducts.com
“At the 2003 AWFS show in Anaheim, California, I came across Microvellum, a software program for designing cabinets, fixtures, furniture, or practically anything.
We at the time had been using Cabnetware, which I would continuously be aggravated at because of its limitations. When I first looked at Microvellum, I immediately realized the great potential for it in our company.
It seems like every job I do has something odd in it and Microvellum allows me to create that product quickly and be able to create shop drawing submittals for the customer.
Two years have gone by and we use Microvellum almost exclusively as our engineering software and Ardis as our optimizing software. We send products from screen to machine, order materials, create custom reports, part labels, product labels and G-code.
I am very pleased with Microvellum and when I do have an occasional problem I can call them and almost always resolve the problem immediately over the phone.”
Nye Portfolio, Inc.
Ron Nye – Owner – Boca Raton, FL
“We tested other cabinet based software programs and quickly came to the conclusion that Microvellum was the best software program to provide us the flexibility to design the complex details that are involved in our projects.
Our experience with Microvellum to date has been very positive. Our local representative, Russ Rucks, as been very supportive and helpful. Microvellums’ Tech Support has been very responsive. We were comfortable with the program after about three months without formal training.
One of our greatest concerns in committing to CNC equipment was the seamless integration of the software. Our visit to the recent AWFS Show in Las Vegas further confirmed our decision to use Microvellum software to generate our machine codes. Every major manufacturer was touting their ability to run flawlessly with Microvellum.
The evolution of our manufacturing process incorporating Microvellum has already yielded impressive improvements in reducing our labor factor and increasing our capacity.
I know we have made a positive investment in our company with Microvellum and would recommend it to any business owner looking to potentially integrate this software. Know that any further discussions with anyone looking to speak on the matter will only get the most positive response from me.”
Midwest Cabinet Co.
J oe W. Rogers – Operations Manager – Ottawa, KS – www.midwestcabinet.com
“Midwest Cabinet is a mid-sized commercial millwork shop that produces interior fixtures for Hotels & Restaurants. We have two plants with approximately 150 employees total.
We have “been through the list” as far as software goes. We used Cut-Planner in the 90′s, we tried Cabinet Vision, we used Pattern System “Rapid-Engineer” for a time – all with little success. We came to the point that we were VERY skeptical of new software and whatever claims were made regarding it’s capabilities.
Microvellum was a pleasant surprise. We did our research. We actually flew out & met with two users in our industry that are currently building projects using Microvellum. These folks were very helpful. They, like us, had been through similar software struggles and seemed to know where we were coming from. We followed specific projects through their shops & actually watched the Microvellum jobs being built in their shops. We were impressed with what we saw there, and more importantly – we were convinced that Microvellum could do the job.
We’ve been using Microvellum in our environment since September of ’04 and we’ve been very happy with the result. We are able to parametrically design commercial fixtures and get the benefits of Microvellum’s CNC programming capabilities. We occasionally run some “box cabinet” jobs and have been using Microvellum exclusively for those. We’ve been very pleased with Microvellum’s technical support. There are ongoing issues – probably always will be, but every time we’ve run into something, they’ve been there to assist us and solve the problem. We certainly are not using all the capabilities of this system yet, but we’re very happy with the results so far, and hope to continue to increase our use as Microvellum grows.”
Sweig Construction
Steve Bednar – San Diego, CA
“The thing I like most about Microvellum is that it operates with Autocad. In the commercial market, this is very important.”
Form and Structure
Mark Horvet – President – Portland, OR
“I just wanted to let you know some feedback I’m getting from the guys about the Microvellum casework program. When we did the installation of the software and had to coordinate this with our machinery we had a number of issues to work out. Every time we called for technical support our questions were answered within a half hour and as a result we were able to get up and running a lot sooner than we expected. Also we were pleased that the part programming info that is sent to our cnc machinery is accurate. The program is a nice improvement over the system we’ve been using and we were able to transition to it pretty easily. Thanks again for your support and we are looking forward to another step forward with the MicroManager program.”
AMD Cabinets Inc.
Gary McDaniel- Phoenix, AZ
“One of the ways we have been so happy with Microvellum is the customer service and technical support. For many years our shop ran Cabinet Vision, we started in the DOS days then made a bumpy transition into CV Solid. Cabinet Vision was limited in what it could do and the tech support was nonexistent. In contrast, our experience with Microvellum has been very positive. We had Microvellum configure our first library, which I highly recommend. There is a learning curve with the program, but with the aid of the Microvellum forum and tech support almost anything is possible. Between the forum and the formal tech support I have been able to resolve issues nearly ’round the clock, which has been amazing.
Another example of the superiority of Microvellum has been in the shop drawings. Previously, we were not satisfied with the quality of the shop drawings from Cabinet Vision. We ended up doing our shop drawings in AutoCad and would then draw the job in Cabinet Vision, which frequently resulted in numbers getting transposed or otherwise messed up. The double entry was time consuming and left too much room for error. Microvellum eliminated the double entry and improved the professional appearance of our shop drawings.
In closing, we have been very pleased with the Microvellum product and equally pleased with the technical support that we have received. Many thanks to the technical staff for their help and for their continued “fine-tuning” of the product.”
K & M Casework & Design
Kevin McCoy – President – White City, OR
“With the help of Microvellum in conjunction with our cnc router, our production capabilities have soared. Our efficiency increases by the day as we get our library better tuned to fit our needs. We are a small shop trying to get bigger, but we have found that with Microvellum and our cnc, fewer people are getting more accomplished than a year ago.”
L.K. Schweitzer, Inc
Steve Sterup – Project Manager – Lincoln, NE
“I had never used Auto Cad until 2003 when I decided to learn on my own. I used it for a year and then came across Microvellum.
Our company started inquiries in 2004 and obtained the 30 day trial cd. We purchased it a couple months later after being quite impressed with the trial cd.
We didn’t implement it until January 2005 when we had a week long training in-house. We thought we were too busy to do it sooner but in hindsight it would have saved us time to have started using it immediately. I have been impressed with the Technical support we have gotten and they seem to continually make improvements in the program. If you do standard box cabinets the learning curve is very short,custom fixtures are a little harder but if you use the program daily it will not take you very long to create your own library as everyone has their own products.
I hadn’t and still haven’t made a drawing in Auto Cad 3D but with Microvellum I am getting quite good.”
Architectural Interior Products
J.D. Bowley – Williston, VT
“In the first stages of purchasing Microvellum, our engineers were wondering if it was going to encompass all aspects of our business. After a short time with the program, I now wonder if our business will ever use all of the aspects available with Microvellum. Limitless possibilities with machining, engineering, and paperwork make it the ultimate tool in manufacturing. With minor training, I was able to accomplish all of the things that I previously did with Pattern systems, with ease and confidence. I highly recommend it to anyone with a love for technology, a thirst for perfection, or simply for a business who wants to eliminate chaos and mistakes in the production environment.”
Boden Store Fixtures
Blaise Haller – VP Manufacturing – Portland, OR
“We have been using Microvellum for about 2 years now. It is very powerful software and it has done everything they claimed it would do. I am pleased with the software and I would recommend it to others.”
A.J. PIETSCHE CO.
David E. Nadolski – Vice President/CFO Milwaukee, WI – www.ajpietsch.com
“Thank you for once again going above and beyond our expectations by helping us troubleshoot the labeling set-up at our router!
We are very pleased with the Microvellum software, and could not imagine going back to programming individual parts and optimizing nests manually. It has automated many previously manual tasks, freeing up time for PM’s and Detailers to add value in other ways. The reporting and labeling functions allow us to do things we were not doing at all previously, as well as almost instant printing of summary and detail reports that used to be laborious to produce.
After more than a year of using Microvellum, we are still exploring ways to further improve our operation using the features available to us in the package.
Once again, thank you for bringing Microvellum to our attention, and for your repeated support of our installation. Both the software and your service level have exceeded our expectations, and have made a major positive impact on our business.”
Corsi Cabinets Inc.
Joe Reitz – Indianapolis, Indiana
“Two years ago we were looking for new software to improve our manufacturing process for our Greenfield facility in West Virginia. With intense investigation on all manufacturing software systems, we thought Microvellum was the best on the market.
By being a programmer and user of both Pattern Systems and Cabinet Vision, I have found Microvellum is the best in total customization and it is very user friendly. It is extremely beneficial that you have one system that interrelates, as opposed to other systems that would require us to utilize multiple software systems.
Our investment with Microvellum and Ardis has produced Greenfield Cabinets to increase production in our panel line by at least double, and has increased our plywood usage by 30%. I look forward to implementing this system into our fully custom, highly innovative cabinetry at Corsi Cabinets in Indianapolis in the near future. Soon we will also be able to double production with less material at Corsi Cabinets by using Microvellum and Ardis.
Thank you very much Microvellum for your customer service and products to help move Corsi Cabinets and Greenfield Cabinetry to the next level!”
Laco Woodworks, Inc.
Jason Cole – Alabaster, AL
Thanks for the invitation, it all looks very informative and I will strive to align all the stars so I can be there. I finally made time to let you know what MV has done for Laco Woodworks. About 2 years ago we come across MV at the 2004 IWF Show; the first look at the software was very impressive compared to the older version of competitive software we were running. Everyone involved was really optimistic about what software of this magnitude could do for our company, but at the same time we were skeptical about what massive changes would have to take place internally to implement all of this. I will be the first to admit we got off to a pretty rocky start with MV, but in the long run it has all worked out to our benefit and we hope there’s too. After all when the chips are down, that’s when you find out who’s on your team. We feel MV has joined forces with us and our other teammates in the industry that we work with from day to day. With this team effort we like to think that we are a major force to reckon with and hope that we give the same boost of confidence to our other teammates. Microvellum has allowed us the technology and foresight to change the method in which custom cabinetry and Architectural Millwork is produced, planned, and designed. Architects and Contractors alike have realized this leap in technology and have seized the opportunity to let it work for them also. We now have Architects contacting us to assist or consult in their initial design of buildings as far as casework and wall layouts to accommodate customer needs or desires. The roles have shifted for us. Now with our technology and abilities, all of which MV has provided us, these professionals are now asking a cabinet shop where a wall should be and how long to make it. This is revolutionary to our business style. We are now using this ability to manufacture custom cabinets long before the building is framed, which in turn has allowed us to increase our sales by 1 ½% for this first year we have been able to truly implement this. And next year appears to be even better. Just wanted to give you a little history of Laco Woodworks, and to tell you and the guys in Oregon many thanks, because it would not have happened with out your help or your product. We at Laco truly hope this is a great start to a long and beneficial relationship that we all can look back on a say that was a great move for us all.
P.S. Pat if it will help I wanted to let you know that yesterday we found out that we are in the top 150 cabinet shops in the nation by size. To us this is a great accomplishment solely due to the fact that this count includes pre-fab shops and custom shops. I know it helps us a great deal to be in that list, and I hope that it is a great selling point for you.
