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Getting the proper surface finish in the mold with a 3-axis machine can even still prove to be difficult. Using a 3-axis machine, you would need to slow down the feed rates and use long tools to cut the mold precisely. Think about making a plastic injection mold for a part that requires deep precise cuts. To get more into certain niches and machining areas where 5-axis machines present advantages, let’s first look into mold making applications. All of this variation ultimately hinges on the many applications a machine will be used for. Digging even further into machine orientation, there are even machines that have multiple spindles allowing for even more precise and complex part production. In a swivel-rotate machine, the spindle handles the rotation. In a trunnion machine, the table in the machine is what facilitates the rotation. For example, a trunnion-style style 5-axis machine uses the A and C axes and a swivel-rotate style machine rotates about the B and C axes. So, are there advantages then for a machine to have the capabilities to rotate along the A and C axes rather than the A and B axes? Well, yes – and each machine can be set up in various configurations. However, 6-axis functionality presents little advantage over 5-axis machining, so 5-axis is mainly used. 6-axis machines are of course a possibility, and they do exist. In a 5-axis machine, the tool head is capable of moving in the X, Y, and Z planes as well as the A and B rotational axes. You can see the traditional cartesian X, Y, and Z axes and 3 rotational axes labeled A, B, and C. If you are still having trouble visualizing how exactly a 5-axis machine functions, refer to the diagram to the right. It’s a similar comparison to a printer that requires you to re-feed the paper when you want to print double sided versus a printer that does this process automatically. With the more automated or sometimes called “done in one” 5-axis CNCs, you can set up a part to be milled and the machine will handle all of the movements for virtually all of the faces of the part. In a 3-axis setup, the operator would have to change the orientation of the part at least once as well as possibly change tools. Think of the process of milling a shape out of a block of aluminum. The advantage then becomes cycle time and tool changes, among other things. With that said, 5-axis machines can be used in any application where a 3-axis machine is already implemented. In terms of popularity, 5-axis CNC machines are highly preferred for aerospace applications. It also means that you as the operator don’t have to do as much setup time for milling different sides of a certain part. Having those two extra axes compared to traditional 3-axis machining allows for greater flexibility in part design and more fluid movements for the mill head. Many of you might have had some experience with 5-axis machining, but for those new to the technology, let’s break it down.Ī machine that is capable of 5-axis design can move the toolpath in the X, Y, and Z directions as well as rotate in the A and B (or C) axes – thus the term 5-axis machining.