
A 5-axis machine, however, can use two additional axes: A and B. A 3-axis machine can use only these three linear axes.

There are three basic axes that any CNC milling machine uses: X, Y, and Z or left-right, towards-away, and up-down. In machining, the number of axes a machine uses determines the different directions either its tool or its table can move. The term 5-axis machining refers to a type of multiaxis subtractive manufacturing in which the machine that cuts away stock material can move in five axes. For those who want to succeed in a world dominated and determined by progress, though, ignoring 5-axis could mean leaving money on the table. The Mars Society Rover Challenge SeriesĪs more advanced machining takes the manufacturing industry by storm, some shops are hesitant to take the leap into 5-axis machining.Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (REC).
