Gabbett (now SCM Australia) does quirky things with wood to get attention at trade shows. It works because there’s always a huge crowd taking photos of the various items manufactured on the machinery. The recent Ferrari Cambiano has just a touch of history behind it.

SCM likes to show off what its machines are capable of; and why not? The SCM displays are certainly popular, attracting crowds at every show. Standing in the foyer of SCM headquarters in Rimini is a wooden horse that’s not quite Trojan, but at three metres high is impressive nonetheless. A Vespa scooter followed and, more recently, a Fiat 500, both covered with small pieces of wood from around the world and created by artist Luciano Ebanista. One of the more impressive SCM undertakings is a Ferrari Cambiano prototype modelled in full size; not shown in Australia but certainly trucked around all the European trade shows.

The Ferrari Cambiano is a luxury electric saloon car concept. Styled by Pininfarina, the sleek design embodies the company’s expertise in styling, design and sustainable mobility. The transition from CAD design to the 5-axis SCM machining centre was achieved with AlphaCAM in the knowledge that no information was lost in the translation to the machine. The wooden replica is therefore an exact representation of the finished vehicle.

However, the wood is no ordinary timber. For such an undertaking SCM obtained Briccole wood from the Venetian lagoon. Venice is steeped in history and its dreamlike beauty has inspired the work of artists throughout the centuries. SCM continues that tradition, embodied in a modern symbol of beauty and performance – the Ferrari Cambiano. Briccole are the wooden posts used to moor boats and mark gondola stops along the Venetian canals. Briccole wood has distinctive features formed by a species of lagoon mollusc, a shipworm that once was a problem for sailors but now creates unique features and markings valued by designers world-wide.

The Cambiano wood sculpture represents a passion for Italian creativity to which SCM had added technological know-how to create a stunning work of art. Creating the model reasserted SCM’s passion for wood and design in a project that was demanding but unique and inspiring. Partnering with Italian design firm Riva 1920, the model was CNC machined in parts and assembled to complete the design. SCM believes the ultimate aim of technology is to simplify new ideas and turn them into reality and, with the Cambiano, they have done just that.