The concept of machining has developed during the last few years. Simple machining methods and tools have given way to more complicated and sophisticated ones. 5-axis machining is one of the most modern machining processes available today.
However, when most people think about 5-axis CNC machining, the first thing that comes to mind is advanced technology, an expensive price, and difficulty to operate, but is 5-axis machining like this? This guide answers this question and other important information about this type of machining
This process requires the simultaneous movement of cutting instruments along five axes. To create complicated pieces, 5-axis CNC machines include three linear axes that work in tandem with two rotational axes. This often increases the tilt of the worktable or tool spindly, allowing for additional rotation and mobility.
Machinists can produce up to 5 faces in a single process using a 5th axis. As a result, the process is extremely efficient and exact. It’s also ideal for building complicated structures and features with minimum setup. This technology is becoming more important for various sectors since various items require consistent machining of five faces.
Let’s first go over what an axis count in CNC machining means to better grasp the axes of the 5-axis milling machine. Machining axis count refers to the number of directions the cutting tool (or raw material) can move to produce the desired product. Conventional CNC machines, for example, have three axes. Their cutting tools can, therefore, only be moved along the X, Y, and Z axes.
The cutting tool moves in three directions: back and forth on the Z-axis, vertically on the Y-axis, and sideways on the X-axis. Through tilting and rotating the worktable, 5-axis machining centers enhance the functionality of the linear axes. The A and C-axis are two additional rotational axes. The B-axis is used for table rotation, while the A-axis is the tilting table axis. Compared to 2- or 3 axis CNC machines, including extra axes enables the cutting of more complex geometries.
What Does the “5” in the 5 Axis Stand For?
The 5 in 5-axis refers to the fact that machines used for 5-axis machining add two additional axes to the standard three axes—X, Y, and Z—for a total of five axes. A rotation around the X axis is indicated by the fourth axis, the B axis, and a rotation around the Y axis.
The kind of work a machine can perform and the amount of detail it can cut are improved by this extra axis.
How Does a 5-Axis CNC Machine Work?
A 5-axis CNC machine requires little human involvement to operate autonomously. Material put on the machine platen is shaped using rotary cutting tools.
But the last step in the 5-axis CNC machining process is positioning the material on the platen. Creating a CAD design of the product and converting it into CAM is the first stage in 5-axis CNC machining. Software for computer-aided manufacturing, or CAM, is used to create G-code or CNC alphanumeric language.
Uploading the G-code onto the 5-axis CNC machine is the next step in the procedure. Because it includes instructions that would guide the machine on the toolpath and the appropriate tool for cutting, the G-code is extremely significant.
Benefits of 5-axis Machining
Over half of all CNC parts require 5-sided machining, which is why more and more manufacturers are including it in their services. Furthermore, when compared to 3-axis machining, 5 axis CNC machining provides numerous advantages, including:
Effective Setup Operations
Setting up a 5-axis CNC machine is less complicated than setting up a 3-axis machine. The reason for this is that 5-axis CNC machines can work on five surfaces at the same time. Furthermore, 5-axis machines can produce curved pieces with a single structure. However, various setups are required for standard 3-axis devices to work on several faces.
Machine Complex Shapes
Adding one axis to this machine simplifies the manufacturing of complex patterns and geometries. Machining challenging angles and arcs, which formerly required many unique fixtures, is now possible with 5-axis CNC machines. Furthermore, the capacity of this machine to rotate pieces during a single operation allows for the creation of required geometries without sophisticated machines or fixtures.
High Precision and Repeatability
Manual machining techniques require additional settings to ensure optimal machining. These additional settings, however, frequently contribute to design variability and mistakes, causing machinists to lose alignment during milling. However, 5-axis CNC cutting requires fewer settings, which reduces the risk of errors while increasing accuracy.
Furthermore, most 5-axis CNC machines machinists use nowadays eliminate the necessity for human repositioning of the workpiece during milling. This ensures better machining tolerances. Furthermore, in some machine settings, adopting shorter cutting tools increases tool longevity while ensuring reproducibility.
Single Setup
Because 5-axis CNC machines have five axes, you may set up your workpiece once, and the machine will handle every machining operation required to manufacture your desired product. This contrasts traditional 3-axis machines, which require multiple machine configurations to manufacture complex geometry.
The single-setup nature of 5-axis CNC machines enables you to make complicated parts fast while lowering costs and eliminating faults common in traditional CNC machines.
High Production Efficiency
5-axis machining can significantly reduce part machining and auxiliary time. It involves a wide range of spindle speeds and feed rates, allowing the machine to conduct a powerful huge cutting capacity. 5-axis CNC is entering a new era of high-speed machining. The quick movement and positioning of 5-axis machining, as well as high-speed cutting processing, shorten the turnaround time for semi-finished goods.
Quality Surface Finish
The availability of additional axes results in a finer surface finish with a 5-axis CNC machine. These extra axes bring the compnenets closer to the cutting tool, thereby making it easier to achieve the desired shapes. It also allows for the use of shorter machining tools.
There is little to no vibration with shorter cutting tools, which reduces the occurrence of marks on the surface of produced goods. Furthermore, while using the vertical machining method, spindle utilization improves for miller inclined surfaces.
Drawbacks Of 5-Axis CNC Machining
The 5-axis has several advantages and is very important in the manufacturing of parts. However, not all is rosy with 5-axis machining since certain disadvantages exist. The following are the disadvantages of 5-axis machining:
Increased Cost
The cost of getting a 5-axis CNC machine is significantly more than that of acquiring a 3-axis machine. The same is true for the software required to run this system. Furthermore, 5-axis CNC machine maintenance is more complicated than CNC machine maintenance. As a result, one of the biggest disadvantages of employing 5-axis CNC machines for milling is the expense.
Programming Complexity
Programming for 3-axis machines differs from programming for 5-axis machines. This is mainly owing to the addition of two rotational motions, which complicates the synthetic motion’s trajectory.
To minimize collision and interference, programming the 5-axis would have to consider each axis’s distinct motion. Furthermore, improving surface quality and precision necessitates more complicated programming.
High Level of Operator Skill is Required
5-axis CNC machining utilizes cutting-edge technologies. A highly-skilled technical operator is necessary to get the most out of the equipment. Hiring a highly skilled operator, on the other hand, enhances labor costs.
If you have any rapid project, please feel free to contact: joyce@beisi-rapid.com.