What is 5-axis machining?
At its very essence, 5-axis machining allows the production of complex parts in a condensed way. How? Machining with a 3+2 axis—also known as milling in a tilted workplane—has been around for some time and is best for applications where the workpiece can be tilted and machined with three conventional axes. Think of the X, Y and Z axes in a traditional 3-axis machine locked in place, now picture two rotary axes, A and B, which orients the cutting tool in a fixed position rather than manipulating it continuously during the process. So the A-axis rotates around the X-axis and the B-axis rotates around Y-axis to make it 5-axis. In complex applications, machining free forms, for instance, 5-axis machines where all axes are controlled simultaneously must be used. Not sure which you need? FANUC controls offer the flexibility of either simultaneous 5-axis or 3+2 machine tool designs.
Building a Business Case for 5-Axis Machining
Curious about 5-axis machining and how it can help your bottom line?
You’ve come to the right place. We’ve been asked more and more about 5-axis, and it makes sense.
With the rapid rate of innovation in industries across the board comes a time of deep market changes. Either to supply the needs of high-tech customers, such as aerospace and medical device companies, many traditional industrial businesses might find themselves having to evolve in new and different ways.
And with this change comes a rethink of the very fibers of a plant floor. This is why we developed this guide to take a look at how FANUC can help you with your 5-axis needs. From 5-axis basics, to the potential benefits it offers, to the additional complexities it poses, these are the critical issues you need to know.
How does 5-axis machining help you?
There are a number of business needs 5-axis machining helps to meet!
-Boost efficiency:
Simply put, 5-axis machining is the most efficient way to increase your profits on jobs. With 5-axis, there is less set-up time. Much less. With 3-axis machining, it might require multiple setups to get it right. But since 5-axis allows single setup, that eliminates extra time and reduces potential errors.
-Increase throughput:
Our customers report shortening their cycle times up to 50 percent, resulting in much more uptime.
-Diversify your business with a better product:
Go after new business with a depth and increased breadth of offerings. The products you’ll be able to produce will be next-gen quality with better surface finishes.
-Satisfy your customer:
Because of your increased efficiency, you’ll be producing a higher quality product more consistently and with faster turnaround times.
-Lengthen your machine’s tool life:
By factoring in the longer tool life, 5-axis machining actually has a lower cost of ownership. Five-axis machining can use shorter tools due the nature of its tool/toolholder combo, and shorter tools mean less vibrating, which results in a longer life.
How FANUC controls help you reap the production benefits from 5-axis machining
Because FANUC has a global install base of more than 3.6 million CNCs and 17 million servo motors, we are a world leader in CNC technology. By using our 30i and 31i-5 controls, you’ll be able to take full advantage of your 5-axis machine’s capabilities. Our controls offer:
-Precision for a superior finish:
The CNC and drive system executes at a nanometer resolution all the way down to the 16,000,000 count encoders for maximum precision and the smoothest contoured surface finish quality.
-Rapid speed:
Parts are produced that match the designer’s intent with faster cycle times.
-Flexibility:
Our Tilted Working Plane (TWP) feature establishes a temporary coordinate system to simplify the programming of part features on a localized working plane for both 5-axis simultaneous and 3+2 machining.
-Improved accuracy:
Our 3D Volumetric Error Compensations fine tunes the results of mechanical and thermal compensations to achieve the best possible machine accuracy.
-Intelligent design for higher servo responsiveness:
Our AI Contour Control (AICC) looks ahead in the part program to eliminate delays and deliver higher acceleration rates— reducing cycle time while improving accuracy.
-Protection for your machine:
Our 3D Interference Check protects the machine from damage by preventing moving and fixed components colliding.
Getting the most from 5-axis machining with FANUC
Investing in higher complex machining doesn’t just mean a big price tag. There are many extra unseen and unknown strings that come with making this shift. We’ve listed a few items to keep in mind and how FANUC can help:
-With complexity comes more complexity:
Often times we see end users not fully using all the functionality of their controls when it comes to 5-axis machining. But we aim to simplify 5-axis machining with our 5-Axis CAD/CAM Machine Workflow by separating the machine, tooling and part setup details from the part geometry to create a simpler part program as well as cut the CAM and postprocessor tasks.
-Workforce development and skill sets:
Do your people have the right skills to run this type of machinery? If not, training needs to play a role. And FANUC has you covered! With our CNC training tools, including simulators and academic packages, we can help you develop the workforce you need.
-Don’t overcomplicate the process:
Ease of use is key to continuous improvement. We make it easier for machinists to optimize high performance profiles with our Machining Quality Level Adjustment (MQLA), an intuitive tool for roughing and finishing that prioritizes between speed, accuracy and surface finish quality.
-Build in flexibility:
Having latitude to adjust procedures as necessary is key. Our 3D Manual Feed feature simplifies manual interventions by allowing the operator to retract tools in the tool axis direction and jog perpendicular to or parallel to the working plane.
-Have a support team:
To minimize your headaches and downtime, you must have a good partner to step in to help. FANUC offers lifetime support on all our products and services, and we have 25 regional offices in North America. So we are there to get you quickly back up and running!
How FANUC can help
Are you interested in how we can help support your special needs? Please contact us here.
Looking for more details? Be sure to download our full 5-Axis Machining brochure
