The difference between 3 axis 4 axis 5 axis CNC machining

CNC milling involves removing materialby rotary tools.One is the workpiece keeps still and the tool moves to the workpiece, another one is the workpiece enters the machine at a predetermined angle.The more moving shafts a machine has, the more complex and faster the machining process becomes.

3-AXIS CNC machining 

Three-axis CNC milling is still one of the most popular and widely used processing techniques.During 3-axis machining, the workpiece remain stationary, and the rotating tool cuts along the x, Y, and Z axes.This is a relatively simple type of CNC machining that can produce products with simple structures.It is not suitable for machining complex geometric shape parts or parts with complex components.
As it can only be cut along three axes, the machining speed may also be slower than the four-axis or five-axis NUMERICAL control, the workpiece alsp may need to be manually repositioned to get desired shape as per designer designed.

4-AXIS CNC machining

In four-axis CNC milling,the machine runs on the X, Y and Z axis like a 3-axis machine,but it also includes rotation around the X-axis, which is called the A-axis. This is the 4th axis that’s added to our machining process. In most cases, the workpiece will be rotated to allow for cutting to occur around the B-axis.so that the machine can act as both a milling machine and a lathe. If you need to drill holes in the side of a part or in the curved surface of a cylinder, 4-axis CNC machining is the best option.It greatly speeds up the machining process and has high machining accuracy.

5-AXIS CNC machining

Five-axis CNC mill has an additional axis of rotation compared to four-axis CNC.The fifth axis rotates about the Y-axis, it also known as the B-axis.The workpiece can also be rotated on some 5 axis machines, sometimes called axis B or Axis C.
Due to the high versatility of 5-axis CNC machining, it is usually used to manufacture complex precision parts.For example, medical parts for artificial limbs or bones, aerospace parts, titanium parts, oil and gas mechanical parts, military products, etc.