The seven winners of the Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award were announced Aug. 20 during the International Woodworking Fair. They are:

AikenControls for its Ndepth 3D Sensor which provides 3D color and depth measurement of lumber defects. AikenControls, an operating division of Aiken Development LLC.

Castle Inc for its Pocket Cutter/Screw Inserter. The machine speeds the drilling and insertion of screws, automating the simple style joint.

Graco for its ProMix PD2K. The PD2K a positive displacement proportioner for mixing wood finishes and paints.

Thermwood Corp.'s Cut Center is a push-button, self-programmed CNC router that custom makes closets, furniture and cabinets.

Timesavers won for its Yieldsaver-24, a self-centering double-knife planer compensates for lumber with scant areas.

Weinig/Holz-Her won two Challengers Awards this year.  The first is for Holz-Her's Evolution Vertical Machining Center, a compact CNC that machines panels on all four sides. The company also won a Challengers award for the GluJet, a“melt-on-demand” adhesive application system for edgebanders with the appearance of zero-joint edgebanding.

The Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award promotes the development of innovative new technology in woodworking machinery, supplies, and services for the furniture, kitchen cabinets, architectural woodwork, store fixture, upholstery, or specialty and general wood product industries.

Sixty-one products from 45 companies competed in the 2014 competition.