What is the difference between 3 axes, 4 axes, and 5 axes? What is their respective advantages?
Triaxial CNC Machining
Triaxial CNC milling is still one of the most popular and widely used processing processes. In three-axis machining, the workpiece remains fixed, rotating the tool along the X, Y, and Z axis. This is a relatively simple CNC machining form that can make a simple product. It does not apply to processing products with complex geometry or part. Because it can only be cut on a 3-axis, the processing speed may also be slower than the 4-axis or 4-axis, because the workpiece may need to be manually repositioned in the 4-axis number control milling. 43]
The fourth axis is added to the tool of the tool, allowing the X-axis to be rotated. There are now four axes x, y, z, and a (by rotation around X). Most four-axis CNC machines also allow the workpiece to rotate, called B shafts, so the machine tool can simultaneously serve as a milling machine and lathe.
If you need to drill on the side of the part or the cylinder surface, the four-axis CNC machining is the best choice. The processing process is greatly accelerated and the processing precision is high.
5-axis CNC machining
When machining parts with complex geometry, the machine needs to be positioned and connected in five degrees of freedom. Compared with the four-axis CNC milling, the five-axis CNC milling has a rotating shaft. The fifth axis rotates around the Y-axis, also known as a B shaft. The workpiece can also be rotated on some machines, sometimes referred to as a B-axis or C-axis. The Precision CNC Machining five-axis machine tool can process the workpiece different sides without changing the position of the workpiece in the machine tool, which can greatly improve the processing efficiency of the prismatic part.
Due to the highly versatility of the five-axis CNC machining, it is used to manufacture complex precision parts. For example, medical parts, aerospace parts, titanium alloy parts, oil and gas mechanical parts, etc.
What is the difference between 3, 4 shaft and 5-axis number control processing?
1. Principle: 3 axes have XYZ axes, 4 axes have X, Y, Z axis, A, 5 The shafts are x, y, z, w, b or x, y, z, a, and B axis.
2. Processing features: For three-axis processing, the tool direction remains unchanged throughout the cutting path. The cutting state of the knife tip is not perfect in real time. For five-axis machining, the tool direction can be optimized in the process along the entire path, while the tool moves along the straight line. Thus, the optimum cutting state can be maintained throughout the path. For four-axis machining, an axis of rotation is added to the three shafts, which are typically rotated 360 ° on the horizontal plane. But it can’t rotate at high speed. Suitable for processing some of the box parts.