5-Axis CNC Machining

Impellers. Turbines.
Structural brackets.
In one setup.

Full simultaneous 5-axis on DMG Mori, Hermle and Makino platforms. Complex contours, undercut features, multi-face geometry — machined complete with tolerance stack-up below 0.01 mm. Aerospace brackets, medical implants, turbomachinery.

5-Axis Quote All CNC

800 × 600 × 500 mm B ±110° · C 360° ±0.01 mm Simultaneous + 3+2

01 · Advantages

Why 5-axis wins.

Beyond "complex geometry" — 5-axis delivers concrete economic and quality advantages that 3-axis cannot match on the right parts.

Single-setup tolerance

All critical features referenced to one datum. No stack-up from multiple setups. Sub-0.01 mm relationships maintained.

Reduced fixturing cost

One holding device vs 3–5 different fixtures. Lower NRE on complex parts.

Shorter tools, better finish

Tool-axis tilt enables shorter, stiffer tools. Better surface finish (Ra 0.8 µm vs 1.6 µm typical on long tools).

Access to undercuts

B-axis rotation enables undercut features impossible on 3-axis without wire EDM or separate operations.

Consolidated operations

Full part complete in 1–2 setups vs 5+ on 3-axis. 30–50% total cycle time reduction on complex parts.

Flight-ready quality

Single-datum reference scheme matches aerospace design intent. FAI-ready parts without stack-up issues.

02 · Where 5-axis excels

Parts we build on 5-axis.

Aerospace brackets

7075 · Ti Gr.5

Topology-optimized structural brackets with complex organic geometry. Single-setup for tolerance-critical mounting features.

Impellers

17-4 PH · Inc 718

Pump and compressor impellers with curved blades. True 5-axis simultaneous for continuous blade surface.

Turbine components

Inconel 625/718

Turbine vanes, blade test articles. Superalloy 5-axis with tool-axis control for heat management.

Medical implants

Ti Gr.23 · PEEK

Joint components, spine cages with complex 3D surfaces. Single-setup for precision mounting geometry.

Robot joint housings

7075 · bore ±0.01

Integrated bearing seats, cable passages, mounting flanges all machined in single setup.

Automotive prototypes

6061 · 4140

Suspension uprights, transmission cases, cylinder heads with integrated ports and passages.

Mold cores & cavities

S136 · H13

Injection mold tool work with complex 3D surfaces, parting lines, and interlocking features.

Marine propellers

Bronze · 316L

Twin-pitch propellers, impellers for marine and submersible applications. Pitched blade 5-axis.

Aerospace fuel system

316L · Inc 625

Valve bodies, manifolds with multi-axis porting. Cross-drilled passages with blending and deburring.

03 · Equipment

Our 5-axis cells.

DMG Mori

DMU 80 P duoBLOCK

Envelope:800 × 800 × 600 mm

Spindle:15,000 rpm · HSK-A63

Full 5-axis simultaneous. Optimized for aerospace titanium and superalloy work.

Hermle

C 42 U

Envelope:800 × 800 × 550 mm

Spindle:18,000 rpm · HSK-A63

Swiss-German precision. Dual-pallet for reduced non-cut time.

Makino

V56i

Envelope:800 × 600 × 500 mm

Spindle:20,000 rpm · BT40

High-speed machining. Preferred for aluminum unibody and consumer electronics.

FAQ

5-axis questions.

3+2 positional: the rotary axes (A and C) lock at a fixed angle, then 3-axis machining proceeds. Access to angled features is possible but each angle is a discrete setup. Simultaneous 5-axis: all five axes move continuously during the cut. Required for impeller blades, turbine vanes, undercut contours, and any surface where the tool orientation must change mid-cut. We run both, selecting based on geometry.

When a part needs 3+ setups on a 3-axis machine. Each setup adds: fixturing design, operator time, tolerance stack-up, inspection between setups. For parts requiring 5+ setups on 3-axis, consolidating into 1–2 setups on 5-axis often cuts total cost 30–50% despite the higher hourly rate. Break-even is usually around 3 setups.

Every setup introduces 0.02–0.05 mm position error. A 5-setup 3-axis part accumulates 0.1–0.25 mm stack-up; the same part machined in a single 5-axis setup retains ±0.01 mm across the whole part. For aerospace critical features with GD&T callouts to multiple datums, 5-axis is often the only way to meet drawing.

Our production 5-axis centers (DMG Mori, Hermle, Makino) cover: 800 × 600 × 500 mm work envelope, B-axis ±110°, C-axis 360° continuous. For parts exceeding that envelope, we split into sub-assemblies or use 5-sided 3+2 positioning. Larger envelopes through machining partners when needed.

Everything we cut on 3-axis: aluminum, steel (pre-hardened and through-hardened), stainless, titanium (Gr.2, Gr.5, Gr.23), Inconel, brass, copper, all engineering plastics. Titanium and Inconel 5-axis work is where our 14 years of experience shows — we use tool-axis control to manage heat concentration and chip evacuation on difficult-to-machine alloys.

Higher hourly rate (roughly 1.3× 3-axis), but often lower total part cost due to setup consolidation. For simple geometry doable in 1 setup on 3-axis, 3-axis wins. For complex geometry requiring multiple setups, 5-axis wins. We quote both where applicable and recommend the lower-cost approach.

Impellers. Turbines.Structural brackets.In one setup.