Cabineo Connectors
Cabineo is a patented connector system from Lamello that combines the simplicity of dowels with the strength of cam fittings. It provides a strong, invisible joint that can be assembled without glue.
What is Cabineo?
Cabineo consists of a single plastic connector that is inserted into a specially machined pocket and a 5mm diameter screw which connects a hole machined in the other panel to be connected. Unlike traditional cam fittings which require separate bolts and cams, Cabineo is a one-piece solution.
Key features:
- Tool-free assembly - panels click together without tools
- High pull-out strength - up to 1,500N per connector
- Invisible joint - no visible fixings on the outside of the cabinet
- Repositionable - can be disassembled and reassembled if needed
- No glue required - mechanical connection only
Types of Cabineo
- Cabineo 8 - Cabineo housing with an 8mm long 5mm diameter screw
- Cabineo 12 - Cabineo housing with a 12mm long 5mm diameter screw
- Cabineo X - A versatile Cabineo housing designed to take a variety of screw : 8mm long 5mm diameter (like Cabineo 8), 12mm long 5mm diameter (like Cabineo 12) or 5mm shelf support to make lockable shelves.
- Cabineo M6 - Cabineo housing with a 12mm long M6 machine screw bolt. The M6 bolt will require an insert in the connecting panel.
Which Cabineo to use ?
If the material being connected to is greater than 12mm thickness then Cabineo 12 is the strongest solution. Buying Cabineo X has the benefit that the screw (12 or 8) can be chosen at install time. The economics of Cabineo 8/12/X are similar.
Cabineo X has an interesting usage option that can make carcass assembly easier. With Cabineo 8/12 the screw is contained in the Cabineo housing before assembly whereas with Cabineo X the screw can be contained in the housing OR screwed into the connecting panel. In the case of the screw screwed into the connecting panel, the panel with the Cabineo housing can be lowered onto the pre-fitted screws to hold the panels loosely in place. When everything is held in approximately the right place the screws can be fully tightened.
How Cabcode uses Cabineo
The benefit of Cabineo is that there will be no visible holes on the outside of the side panels. If the outside of the cabinet will be on show this is a big plus but if this is for a run of cabinets with end panel then no so important.
The second benefit is that Cabineos mean no end drilling is required so the cabinets can be machined on a nester or flat bed CNC.
Where vertical CNC processing centres with end drilling are used we can use both dowels and Cabineo. The dowels line the panels up and the Cabineo provides tightening strength. If using dowels and Cabineo X note that the screw must be pre-loaded in the housing because dowels remove the possibility to drop the Cabineo containing panel onto the screw.
Which side to machine the Cabineo on ?
Cabineo is not a symmetrical connector; a dowel would usually be centred on the the thickness e.g. for an 18mm board the dowel would be located 9mm from the edge but with Cabineo for an 18mm board the connecting bolt would be located either 5mm from the edge. And if a flush cover cap is required it would be 7mm. So at design time a decision needs to be made as to which side of a panel the Cabineo will be machined on. For kitchen cabinets the answer will be "machine on the outside of the cabinets" because either the top of the unit will not be seen or will be covered by a worktop. For a tall wardrobe the answer could be "machine on the inside of the cabinet" because the wardrobe could be too tall to access the top whereas if the fittings are on the inside they can be accessed easily at install time.
Cabineo and cover caps
The simplest machining is three adjacent 15mm diameter holes and then the Cabineo housing is pushed in. However this means the housing will be proud by around 0.8mm and around 1.6mm if a cover cap is used. A more elegant solution is to drill the 15mm holes deeper and then a 2mm depth pocket that leaves space for a cover cap. When the cover cap is in place it will be flush with the surface. When fitting the Cabineo housing ensure it is pushed fully down to leave space for the cover cap. If you are doing a trial fit of the cover cap note that the screw in the Cabineo housing must be fully extended for the cover cap to fit properly.
Using Cabineo in Cabcode
To specify Cabineo connectors for your cabinets:
- Go to Job Settings on your order page
- Find the Connector setting
- Select Cabineo from the dropdown
This will apply Cabineo drilling to all panel joints in your order. Individual cabinets can override this setting if needed.
Purchasing Cabineo
Cabineo connectors are available from Lamello distributors.