5-axis CNC milling for geometry that four axes can't reach.
Four simultaneous 5-axis platforms, 40" × 20" × 20" travels, and ±0.0002" achievable tolerance on critical features. We machine complex aerospace brackets, impellers, housings, and manifolds in a single setup — eliminating the fixturing stack-up that eats tolerance on 3-axis work.
Single setup, tighter true position.
Every time a part is re-fixtured for a new operation, tolerance stacks up. A hole drilled in Setup 2 has to account for the position error from Setup 1. On a complex part with 6 setups, those errors compound — and true position on the final bolt pattern can wander 3–5 thousandths even when every individual operation is on spec.
5-axis machining sidesteps that entirely. We rotate the part to the tool, not the tool to the part. A bracket that would traditionally need 4 or 5 setups can be completed in one or two, with a single datum reference for every feature. That's how we hold ±0.0002" true position on a complex housing where a 3-axis shop would struggle to hold ±0.002".
The second benefit is tool access. Compound angles, deep undercuts, and sculpted surfaces that require special fixtures or long-reach tooling on a 3-axis machine are reached directly with a short, rigid tool on a 5-axis platform. Shorter tooling means less deflection, better surface finish, and faster cycle times.
All five axes move at once.
The tool tip follows a continuous contour through 3D space while the workpiece rotates. Used for impellers, blisks, contoured airfoils, and any surface where the tool must stay normal to the part.
- Ideal for freeform, sculpted, or organic geometry
- Best surface finish on curved surfaces
- Shorter tools, less deflection
- Common in aerospace, turbomachinery, and medical implants
Index, then machine in 3 axes.
The part is rotated to a fixed orientation and then machined in a standard 3-axis path. Faster programming, tighter tolerances, and usually more economical for prismatic parts with angled features.
- Best for brackets, housings, and manifolds
- Eliminates 3–4 secondary setups on angled faces
- More rigid than simultaneous — tighter tolerances
- Less expensive to program and run
Four 5-axis machines, each with a specialty.
We don't try to run every job on the same platform. Each machine in our 5-axis cell is configured for a specific range of work.
When 5-axis is worth the rate, and when it isn't.
We're not going to tell you 5-axis is always the right answer. Here's an honest comparison.
| Factor | 3-Axis | 3+2 Positional | Simultaneous 5-Axis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $85/hr | $125/hr | $145/hr |
| Number of setups (typical bracket) | 4–6 | 1–2 | 1 |
| True position on datum pattern | ±0.002" | ±0.0005" | ±0.0002" |
| Surface finish on curved faces | Manual blending | Good | Excellent |
| Complex undercuts / compound angles | Difficult | Easy | Native |
| Programming complexity | Simple | Moderate | High |
| Best for | Simple prismatic parts | Brackets, housings, manifolds | Impellers, airfoils, sculpted surfaces |
What we run on the 5-axis cell.
Structural brackets
Aerospace wing brackets, engine mounts, and flight control hardware. Single-setup machining with datum-based true position on the mounting interface.
Impellers & blisks
Simultaneous 5-axis contouring with constant tool-tip engagement. Used in turbomachinery, compressor stages, and pump impellers.
Housings & manifolds
Multi-face hydraulic and pneumatic manifolds machined on all 6 sides without re-fixturing. Accurate port positions, clean internal cross-drills.
Medical implants & trials
Ti-6Al-4V ELI and 17-4 PH components with freeform organic surfaces. Burr-free, passivated, and fully traceable to heat lot.
Tooling & fixtures
Compound-angle workholding, vacuum plates, and contoured soft jaws machined in a single setup to hold the true mating geometry.
Optics & sensor housings
Defense and industrial optics with internal bores, angled faces, and tight concentricity on multiple axes of rotation.
What pushes a 5-axis job up or down.
Feature complexity
A prismatic part with 3–4 faces runs fast. A sculpted contoured surface with continuous 5-axis motion runs slower and requires CAM time upfront.
Material
Aluminum cuts at 3–4× the speed of titanium or Inconel on the same platform. Exotic alloys also wear tooling faster, raising consumable cost.
Tool access
Deep pockets and restricted cavities force the use of long, slender tooling that must run slower to avoid chatter. This is often the single biggest driver of cycle time.
Tolerance callouts
GD&T position and profile tolerances tighter than ±0.001" require in-process probing, multiple finishing passes, and more inspection time. Costs go up proportionally.
Surface finish requirements
Ra 32 µin is standard from a normal finishing pass. Ra 8–16 µin requires slower feeds, smaller stepovers, and often a separate finishing tool.
Setup count
Most parts need 1 setup on our 5-axis platform. Parts that require flipping to reach the back side add a setup and usually a fixture, which amortizes over the run.
5-axis milling, answered.
Have a part with compound angles or sculpted surfaces?
Send us the drawing. We'll tell you honestly whether it belongs on the 5-axis cell — or if 3+2 gets it done faster and cheaper.