5 axis CNC Machining: All You Need To Know

by | Jul 18, 2022 | 5-Axis CNC Machining, CNC Machining

5 axis CNC Machining Blog

The machining industry is evolving rapidly with the market needs. Industries need complex and precise parts, which means an increase in the demand for CNC machines. New machine technologies are born while solving the needs of the industries, such as 5 axis technologies.

Whether you are new to 5 axis machining or have experience with it. The article will solve any complexity around 5 axis CNC machining and why five-axis machining is the ideal choice for industries.

We will cover:

  • What is 5 axis CNC machining?
  • When does your machine shop need a 5 axis machine tool?
  • Things to consider in a 5 axis CNC machining tool
  • Why use 5 axis CNC machines?
  • Selecting the Best 5 axis CNC Machining Company

What is 5 axis CNC Machining?

5 axis CNC machining uses a CNC machining center to sync the part in 5 different axes to create the machined parts. The 5 axis help the machine parts in three different axes X, Y and Z and the other two rotating axes.

It is the reason why 5 axis machining is ideal for various industries. And here are the different versions of 5 axis CNC machines:

3+2 axis versions

In the 3+2, any of the 3 axis gets controlled, and the remaining 2-axis positions the piece.

4+1 axis versions

For the 4+1 axis versions, any of the 4 axis gets simultaneously controlled while the remaining 1 axis gets used for positioning.

Full 5 axis versions

There are full 5 axis versions where all the 3 axis and 2 axis get simultaneously controlled. In this version, the axes get configured in three linear axes and two rotational axes.

When does your Machine Shop Need a 5 axis Machine Tool?

Because of their flexibility and adaptability, 5 axis machines are best for machining operations across various industries for specific machining needs.

  • When you are looking out for more flexible engineering solutions.
  • When high volume-low mix production is required.
  • When cutting, drilling, or tapping operations on all five faces with specific angles are required.
  • When You Want to Improve Your Part’s Quality and Accuracy.

Things to consider in a 5 axis CNC machining tool

Here are the things you need to look at before considering a 5 axis CNC machining tool.

Application

The application is one of the most important factors when purchasing a 5 axis machine. For example, one must understand the machine’s cutting speeds and spindle type. The desired surface quality and accuracy will also influence the purchasing decision or the type of machine purchased. It is ideal to consider the machine’s construction for a high degree of tolerance and durability.

High Power

A 5 axis machine’s work requires a high tolerance. The machine requires a rigid spindle and tool holder that eliminates vibrations to achieve high-accuracy machining. To remove vibrations ensure the tool holder system employs either BBT or HSK. Furthermore, the machine’s connection between the spindle and the tool holder should be excellent.

Collision Avoidance

When purchasing a 5 axis CNC machine, look for one that includes collision avoidance systems, as crashes can be extremely costly. Because the 5 axis increases the likelihood of a collision, purchasing a machine without a collision-avoidance system will cost the consumer both damaged parts and lost time.

Why use 5 axis CNC machines?

Your CNC machine tool can work on complex contour surfaces with simultaneous 5 axis machining that is difficult, if not impossible, to produce with machine tools. Machining around all five sides of a part in a single setup allows you to perform operations on all five sides in a single setup, saving you time, re-clamping, and effort.

Here are some advantages of 5 axis machining.

Minimal Machine Setup

You can significantly reduce preparation time and increase human and machine efficiency by using a single set-up process (also known as “Done-in-One”). It also reduces the number of human and machine errors that occur while working on multiple set-ups for each machining stage. The clamping equipment used to position the part in the machine saves time and money, and reduces potential errors.

Management of Complex Designs

Complex shapes and designs can get handled with 5 axis machining. Hydraulic system components, water pump housing, gearbox housing, gear wheels, injection moulds, oil and gas equipment, medical or blood transfusion equipment, and other items may fall into this category.

Significant Time Savings

Given the rising costs of manpower, a lack of trained manpower, and the need to increase factory productivity, it is becoming increasingly important to examine operation and manpower costs. Because such machine tools have all-in-one settings, operators do not have to re-clamp and move the parts to other machines for the next operation. Instead, they can concentrate on managing more machines, increasing their productivity.

Shorter Cutting Tools

Shorter cutting tools are tough to work with, especially on more general CNC machines. Fortunately, because these tools can get fitted to 5 axis machines, we can fully utilize the power of better tooling angles, faster cutting speeds, and precision parts. You can have the head oriented toward the job and the cutter oriented toward the surface. The load on the cutter gets reduced as the machine holds the tool well, resulting in fewer unfortunate breakages and vibrations.

 

Need And Experienced Company Providing 5 Axis CNC Machining Services? Contact Us: We Can Help!

 

Selecting the Best 5 Axis CNC Machining Company

CNC machining can help all industries, including aerospace, defence, marine, and medical, find high-quality products quickly. It may also lower the overall cost of obtaining these products.

Now that you understand the advantages of 5 Axis CNC machining and the applications for which this technology is appropriate, the only thing left to find is a company that provides these services. You can look for a one-stop shop for all your machining needs, and MDA is one of the leading players. MDA’s CNC programmers have years of experience and hands-on knowledge of the technology to provide high-quality 5 Axis CNC machining services.

The company is well-known for its precision and accuracy in delivering products using cutting-edge technology. The company can machine parts with any angle and complexity, regardless of industry. Furthermore, it can provide custom finishes for machined parts.

A Quick Guide To Understanding 5-Axis CNC Machining

by | Nov 30, 2020 | 5-Axis CNC Machining, CNC Machining

Understanding 5-Axis CNC Machining

Ages ago, hammer and chisel were the perfect tools for creating different objects. Centuries later, handheld machines were invented, which made machining easier. But that was too time consuming and needed excessive manual labour. But don’t worry, you have our 5-axis CNC machining guide to help you understand.

Soon, computerized technology infused with machining to offer advanced computer numerical control machines (CNC machines). A program would control the tools’ movements on the blocks. It took care of the rotation of the cutter as well as the turning of the block of material.

Initially, they had just one or two axes moving along the X and Y-axis. But soon, 3-Axis CNC machines came forward that allowed the cutter to move even longitudinally along the Z-axis. And as technology advanced, machines came with five axes to cover all the five sides of a product for building all types of parts, be it simple or complex, without any additional setup. 

Understanding 5-Axis CNC Machining

In the simplest terms, 5-Axis CNC machining means using machines controlled by computer numerical programs to build machined parts. These machines have cutting tools closer to the surface of the block that needs to be machined and move along five axes. In addition to the manipulation along three regular axes, five-axis machining chooses from the three rotational axes and offers a more robust mechanism for crafting specific angles and complex parts. The intricacy and precision obtained with 5-axis machining are unmatched, which makes it great for industries requiring to build complex machine parts. 

Advantages Of 5-Axis CNC Machining

Most CNC machine shops now have 5-Axis CNC machines to deliver error-free products at a quicker pace. Installing these machines may be expensive, but the endless benefits they offer compel people to utilize them for producing new CNC machined parts. Here are some of the advantages of using 5-Axis CNC machining over the earlier way of machining. 

Unmatched Accuracy & Precision For All Parts

One of the most significant advantages of five-axis CNC machining is the precision it can offer for all types of parts. Whether it is a complicated part, tilted surface, or a specific angle, machinists vow on 5-axis CNC machine type to get the precision and accuracy they desire. It reduces the chances of error and offers higher quality workpieces with precision accuracies.

Easier Machining Of Complex Shapes

Even the most experienced machinists cannot cut intricate shapes with just three axes of the earlier machines. To get undercutting or to reach specific angles of a workpiece, one needed additional setups or complete casting earlier. With the five axes machining in the 5-Axis machines, it becomes easier to reach any specific angle, machine arcs, and cut complicated shapes with ease.

Minimized Need For Setup Change

Several machine parts are impossible to cut with just three axes movement. They require additional setup. A 5-Axis CNC machine already has the five axes that are necessary to cut all five sides of the material to create the piece without the need to change the setup. It even helps in reducing the errors otherwise caused due to working on multiple arrangements.

Increased Life Of Tool

The length of the cutting tool is shorter in 5-axis machining as the machine head can be much closer to the cutter’s surface. With higher proximity, the speed issue gets resolved, and one can achieve more cutting speed. This process also minimizes the vibrations and helps the tool last much longer without breaking. It even controls the chip load, which leads to fewer collisions.

Decreased Collisions

Another advantage of a 5-Axis CNC machine is that it decreases the chances of collisions. With this CNC machine, one can easily tilt the cutting tool to reach specific angles. This tilting mechanism prevents any risk of collision between the surface and the cutting tool.

Reduced Lead Time

Efficiency is the reason why most people prefer 5-Axis CNC machining now. It lowers the overall lead time due to many reasons. One does not need to change the setup repeatedly. There are minimum manual changes and very few fixtures. With a single push setup or a Done-In-One setup, this reduces the overall time in finishing.

 

| Also Read: 5 Best Benefits Of Using 5-axis CNC Machining

When To Use Of 5-Axis CNC Machining

CNC machining is used to cut different machined products used across various industry verticals like military, aerospace, electronics, construction, transportation, and many more. But with 3-Axis CNC machining already assisting in making many parts, why and when should one use 5-Axis machines for machining. Let’s find out. 

To Machine Complicated 3D Shapes

Machining complex 3D shapes aren’t easy. One needed separated casting to machine such parts. And such casting might take months to finalize. But with the CNC machining tool, one can efficiently build these parts in a short time. The movement of the machine along the five axes allows precision on all sides without additional fixtures. No matter how complex the part, CNC machining can perfect it quickly.

To Machine Tilted Surfaces

CNC machining is perfect for machining parts that have tilted surfaces. With a movement along the five axes, 5-axis CNC machining allows drilling of surfaces with impossible geometry. The axes can reach the irregular surfaces that are tilted to offer perfection on the surface. Tapping, boring, milling, reaming, drilling, and other operations of machining on titled surfaces is much more convenient with a machine with five axes.

To Machine All Sides With Specific Angles

Industries like automotive, aerospace, medical, etc., have many parts with unusual shapes that need a specialized casting to get specific angles. Reaching the complex surfaces having distinct angles is impossible with a 3-axis CNC machining. A five-axis CNC machining tool can access all five faces of the part to machine any specific angle of the machined part.

To Machine Flexible Outputs Quickly

When it comes to machining the different types of outputs, five-axis CNC machining offers the flexibility of diverse engineering solutions without consuming much time. While most of the manufacturers show interest in low volume machining of repeated pieces, manufacturers with five-axis machining can take up high volume orders and even change the fast changes in the products. One can reprogram the machine to create a different product within a few hours.

 

Need And Experienced Company Providing 5-Axis CNC Machining Services? Contact Us We Can Help!

 

Choosing The Right 5-Axis CNC Machining Company

CNC machining can help all industries like aerospace, defence, marine, medical, etc., find high-quality products in no time. It can also reduce the overall cost of getting these products. 

Now that you know the benefits of 5-Axis CNC machining and in what type of machining this technology should be used, the only thing that remains is a company that offers these services. You can look for a one-stop-shop for your machining needs, and MDA is one of the leading players you can get in touch with us. The CNC programmers working at MDA have years of experience and hands-on knowledge of the technology to offer quality 5-Axis CNC machining services.  

The company is known for its accuracy and precision in delivering products using this latest technology. No matter what industry, the company can machine parts with any specific angle and complexity. Moreover, it can also offer custom finishes to the machined parts.

 

5 Best Benefits of using 5-axis CNC Machining

by | Mar 6, 2018 | 5-Axis CNC Machining, CNC Machining

5-axis CNC machining

The Machining world is growing at an unbelievable pace. Handheld machines have advanced to highly sophisticated computerized machines (CNC) and use CNC machining to produce machined parts. Similarly, basic 2,3-axis CNC machining have now led on to a more improved, more like 5-axis CNC machining. While expensive, 3+2 axis and 5-axis machining processes are now a staple in almost every CNC machine shop. It’s imperative that both large-scale and small and medium manufacturing units are utilizing the one and many benefits of this machine type – who is going to pass the opportunity to get better productivity, higher accuracy at much lower costs (leaving the initial set-up cost, of course). In this article, we will cover benefits of 5 axis CNC machining.

But, there is more to 5-axis CNC machines than just that. Ready to find more?

1. Heightened Accuracy, Efficiency & Cost Effectiveness: Sophisticated Machines

First on our list is, obviously, the points we mentioned before. There is a reason why machinists are fond of this machine type, even with complex processes and all. 5-axis machining is the more efficient, accurate, and improved of all its counterparts, here’s everything you need to know about 5 axis cnc machining. Owing to less fixturing at multiple operations, using it directly translates to better work-piece quality and durability. This means good parts, less wastage, lower tooling costs, and shorter working duration.

2. Complicated Shapes, Angles Made Possible

With its ability to reach even the most complicated of angles, five-axis machines serve as a savior to all those looking for more complex 4D and 5D parts. Something we would never be able to achieve with your regular 2 axis, 3 axis machines. That too in a single setup, all thanks to its structure which makes it possible to reach out to both sides at one-sitting. All these things translate to better productivity and improved work-piece quality.

3. You Can Make Use of Shorter Cutting Tools

Shorter cutting tools are a mess to handle, especially with your general CNC machines. Thankfully, we are fully able to utilize the power of better tooling angles, better cutting speed, and precision parts with these tools as they can be fit well to a 5-axis machine. Here, you can have the head oriented towards the job and the cutter towards the surface. As the machine holds the tool well, the load on the cutter is reduced, resulting in decreased unfortunate breakages and vibrations.

4. Improved Drilling Process

5-axis machining is an absolute blessing for the drilling process, drilling of holes. This is due to its ability to reach smaller and more complex angles (see point no. 2), giving a much cleaner finish. On the contrary, with 3 axis machines, you have to set up separate sitting for every angle. Which, of course, is both time-taking and cost engaging?

5. They are Compatible with CAD/CAM

This compatibility brings better execution to the planned designs. You are now able to achieve even the most complex of structures, quite easily. Plus, this mix has engaged a lot of job opportunities in the sector. All sounds good here.

In a nutshell, 5-axis CNC machining is an amazing process to work with. Do you want to experience the sophisticated products resulting from it? Drop us a request and we’ll get you the machined parts fabricated exactly to your needs.

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