The digital side of operating a machine shop or manufacturing plant isn’t the only factor experiencing a sea change. The hardware itself is advancing in ways that make it more cost-effective to operate and upgrade, all while unlocking more complex product designs.
Four- and five-axis machines have become competitively priced in the milling as well as laser, waterjet and laser cutting fields. This is a significant change in itself, and it brings responsive servo drives, high-accuracy tables and confident multi-axis control to a greater number of manufacturers. Companies that add more axes to their workflows can tackle more complex geometries and reduce the time required for machine setup.
Although the prices on four- and five-axis machines have fallen into accessible territory, machine designers know that shops may prefer an intermediate step as they build their operations. As a result, modern designs for three-axis machines increasingly favor modularity — including the opportunity to cost-effectively upgrade them with two-movement axes when needed.
Another modern compromise is the so-called “3+2” machine. These execute three-axis programs after repositioning the part across the fourth and fifth axis.
Some estimates say fewer than 5% of manufactured parts take advantage of full five-axis movements. These steps forward are moving five-axis manufacturing out of the “nice to have” category and making it a necessity for exploring innovative new designs in a variety of industries.
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