What is 5 Axis Machining?

Five Axis machining refers to the ability of a CNC machine to move a part or tool on 5 different axes simultaneously.

Standard machines can move a part in two directions (X and Y), and the tool up and down (Z).

By adding two more axes which rotate (A and B), every possible position and angle on a part can be attained.

Benefits:

- Complex Shapes such as turbines or impellers cannot be made any other way.

- More Precise: Simple shapes like a box can be machined on 5 sides without removing it from the machine. This greatly increases the precision of the part because it removes alignment errors introduced when the part is removed and then re-fixtured in another orientation.

- More Efficient: Because most or all of the work can be done in a single setup there are no delays waiting for an operator to load and unload a part.