AMERICA WEST FRAMES
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America West Frames in Flagstaff, Arizona has been making museum-quality picture frames since 1981. Their all bass wood frames have showcased valuable works of art (including a Rembrandt etching) and can be seen in galleries and museums around the nation. They count on Type3 Artistic CAD/CAM Software to create and engrave the highly detailed 3D designs that give their frames a hand-carved look. |
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"In addition to the positive reputation of Vision Numeric and Type3," explains Mr. Bell, "the other software packages I looked at couldn't do the operations that I wanted to do." |
Prior to using Type3, America West Frames used to hand-carve their frames and then use a probe. Next they would write the machining program, usually by hand. This process proved to be extremely time-consuming, and president Steve Bell realized he needed to find a software product that was able to create intricate 3D designs and machine those designs with accuracy and efficiency. Mr. Bell looked at several different software products before deciding on Vision Numeric's Type3 package. |
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"Not only has Type3 dramatically shortened the design-making process, it has also allowed America West Frames to expand their design capabilities."
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"In addition to the positive reputation of Vision Numeric and Type3," explains Mr. Bell, "the other software packages I looked at couldn't do the operations that I wanted to do. Some of the geometric designs and the 3D carving that we sometimes do in odd places was too difficult for some of the other CAD/CAM programs to handle. So it kind of boiled down to who could do what I wanted it to do."
Says Mr. Bell: "We are now doing things we would never have even attempted before - designs that are far too complicated and time-consuming to do by hand". This has enabled America West Frames to appeal to a broader market and stay competitive even in a tough economy. According to Mr. Bell, "People are always looking for quality, but they don't always want to pay for it. If these frames were hand-carved, people couldn't afford them. So you have to find new ways to give the appearance of the same quality without all the work and the outlay involved. Type3 allows us to deliver a hand-carved look at an affordable price. So now we can be competitive with frames that have appliqués on them or that are molded or pressed in plastic".
Another benefit that the folks at America West Frames appreciate is the flexibility of Type3. It only takes them a few mouse clicks to create a variety of frame sizes with the identical design. And they save a lot of time doing custom work on screen rather than by hand. |
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