Cost and Advantages of Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining

• Cost and Advantages of Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining
  • What is 5-Axis CNC Machining?
  • What is Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining?
  • Advantages of Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining
  • Cost Factors Affecting Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining Projects
    • Material Selection Affects Cost
    • Machining Time Determines Cost Per Part
    • Batch Size Affects Pricing
    • Post-Processing and Surface Finishing Increase Costs
  • The Cost of 5-Axis CNC Machine Tools
  • How to Highlight the Advantages of 5-Axis CNC Machining for Manufacturing Low-volume of Complex Parts?
  • How to Maximize Budget Efficiency in Low-volume Five-Axis CNC Machining Design
    • Design should be as simple and standardized as possible
    • Use standard thread specifications
    • Avoid overly stringent tolerances
  • Use standard dimensions for hole diameter design and control hole depth
    • Choose materials wisely, balancing performance and machinability
    • Simplify surface treatment and text design
    • Follow DFM Principles
    • Reduce Material Waste
  • Common Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining Applications
  • Work with Elimold
  • Summary
  • FAQ

5-axis CNC machining is one of the most advanced machining processes available today. It employs subtractive machining techniques, offering endless possibilities for part creation. This technology uses cutting tools operating on five axes to cut workpieces into the desired shapes and sizes. What if you need a small number of high-quality CNC-machined parts with complex designs but don’t want the high costs and delays of mass production? This is where Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining becomes a game-changer. Whether you’re a startup testing prototypes, an industry innovator refining designs, or a well-known manufacturer needing custom-designed, complex parts, Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining ensures high precision, minimal waste, and faster turnaround times.

This article introduces the basics of small-batch 5-axis CNC machining. You can learn about the advantages of using this machining process and its common applications.

What is 5-Axis CNC Machining?

To understand 5-axis CNC machining, let’s first understand what it is. CNC is an abbreviation for Computer Numerical Control, a digital system that automates machine tools. Typical CNC machine tools operate on three axes: X (vertical), Y (horizontal), and Z (vertical). Adding two more axes (A-axis, B-axis, or C-axis) allows five-axis machine tools to perform more complex movements and machine parts with complex geometries and excellent surface finishes. A five-axis machining center has five axes: x, y, z, a, and c, with the xyz and ac axes forming a five-axis simultaneous machining process. A “five-sided machining center” is similar to a three-axis machining center; while it can machine five faces simultaneously, it cannot perform irregular shapes, angled holes, chamfering, etc. This advanced capability makes five-axis CNC machining ideal for efficiently manufacturing complex parts.

What is Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining?

Low-volume five-axis CNC machining typically refers to manufacturing 10 to 1000 parts with complex designs using a five-axis CNC machine tool. It is suitable for pilot production, design iteration, or customized needs. Compared to mass production, it eliminates the need for expensive mold costs, enabling high-precision, high-quality part manufacturing while controlling the budget. This approach not only reduces initial investment risk but also facilitates flexible adjustments before the design is fully finalized, significantly shortening the cycle from proof-of-concept to small-scale market validation. For companies requiring rapid market response or frequent product design updates, small-batch 5-axis CNC machining is the most effective transition from complex part prototypes to mass production.

Advantages of Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining

Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining is exceptional. It delivers perfection and precision to physical parts or products. Five-axis CNC machining offers numerous advantages to industries seeking precision, efficiency, and flexibility. It can process extremely complex designs with fewer steps and higher precision, far surpassing traditional CNC technology. Here are some of the key advantages that integrated 5-axis CNC machining will bring you.

• Suitable for machining complex, irregularly shaped parts: Five-axis machining centers can process complex parts that are difficult or impossible to machine with ordinary machining centers, thus finding widespread application in aerospace, shipbuilding, mold manufacturing, and other processing industries.

• Suitable for machining complex, irregularly shaped parts: Five-axis machining centers can process complex parts that are difficult or impossible to machine with ordinary machining centers, thus finding widespread application in aerospace, shipbuilding, mold manufacturing, and other processing industries.
• High Machining Accuracy: Five-axis machining centers perform dimensional analysis and inspection of materials through five-axis positioning, resulting in higher accuracy than conventional machining centers.

• Robust and Reliable Machining: Computer control eliminates human error, ensuring consistent part machining and reliable quality.

• High Flexibility: Workpiece changeovers typically require only a modification to the CNC program, offering excellent adaptability and saving significant production time. Highly flexible automated production systems can be established based on five-axis machining centers.

• High Efficiency: Five-axis machining centers offer high machining accuracy, high bed rigidity, and automatic selection of machining volume. Their productivity is typically 3-5 times that of conventional machining centers. For machining complex parts, production efficiency can be increased tenfold or even dozens of times.

• Better Production Conditions: The high degree of automation significantly reduces operator workload and improves the working environment.

• Easy Management: Using five-axis machining centers facilitates production control and management, creating conditions for production process automation.

Cost Factors Affecting Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining Projects

The cost of CNC machining is generally related to the complexity of part manufacturing and machining time. The more complex your part design, the longer the machining time required, and the higher the project cost. Therefore, the following factors affect the cost of Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining projects:

Material Selection Affects Cost

Material selection has a significant impact on pricing. Aluminum and low-carbon steel are cost-effective, while titanium and special alloys increase costs. Choosing appropriate materials to ensure durability without over-design can save costs.

Machining Time Determines Cost Per Part

CNC pricing is based on machine uptime. Shortening cycle time by simplifying design, selecting efficient toolpaths, and minimizing rework can reduce production costs.

Batch Size Affects Pricing

Larger batch sizes reduce setup and tooling costs per part, lowering unit costs. However, small-batch CNC machining offers flexibility, allowing for prototyping and custom parts without high upfront investment.

Post-Processing and Surface Finishing Increase Costs

Processes such as anodizing, powder coating, or sandblasting enhance appearance and durability but increase costs. Selecting only the necessary surface treatments can optimize pricing.

The Cost of 5-Axis CNC Machine Tools

The cost of 5-axis CNC machine tools varies greatly depending on the type and features, ranging from $10,000 to $500,000. Indexing 3+2 machines typically cost between $35,000 and $200,000, while high-end full 5-axis machines cost between $150,000 and $500,000. Benchtop machines start at around $10,000. Manufacturers like GCH offer custom solutions to meet specific needs.

How to Highlight the Advantages of 5-Axis CNC Machining for Manufacturing Low-volume of Complex Parts?

When your project requires parts with multiple faces, aside from machining efficiency and time-consuming clamping, multi-face machining requires more machine tools. If you encounter difficult-to-machine faces, you need to create corresponding fixtures, which is undesirable in terms of both cost and efficiency. However, 5-axis simultaneous machining improves many of these problems.

Let’s start with efficiency. Five-axis CNC machining requires less effort in setup and clamping. Multiple faces can be machined in a single setup, improving efficiency, reducing the pressure on on-site CNC clamping, and significantly saving time and cost in fixture fabrication. Typically, a three-axis machine tool requires six setups to complete a workpiece machining operation, while a five-axis machine tool generally only needs two setups.

Therefore, five-axis CNC machining offers a significant efficiency advantage, followed by quality. When machining small batches of parts while maintaining efficiency, quality must be the primary consideration. Quality issues can lead to rework or even scrapping of the entire batch. Therefore, prioritizing quality is crucial before improving efficiency. Due to the numerous setups, some errors are inevitable during machining. Three-axis machining is used for side machining of multi-faceted batches of parts.

On the one hand, this doesn’t increase cost, and there might be some quality defects. However, in five-axis CNC machining, complex side faces can be machined by adjusting the workpiece angle to provide a suitable cutting environment for the tool. Since workpiece disassembly for calibration is unnecessary, side machining errors are greatly reduced. For many complex structures that cannot be machined using three-axis machining, five-axis machining can be used to process them based on angle changes, which reduces costs while ensuring workpiece quality.

How to Maximize Budget Efficiency in Low-volume Five-Axis CNC Machining Design

When designing for Low-volume CNC machining, a reasonable design strategy can not only significantly save costs and time but also improve machining efficiency and product quality. Here are some effective design suggestions:

Design should be as simple and standardized as possible

Maintaining structural simplicity and geometric uniformity is key to controlling the cost of small-batch machining. Complex structures often require more advanced multi-axis equipment, manual repositioning, or rotation operations, leading to longer machining times and increased costs. Therefore, for complex parts, consider breaking them down into several simpler, easier-to-machine parts, and then assembling them into a complete product.

Use standard thread specifications

Choosing common thread types (such as M6, M8, etc.) instead of custom threads avoids purchasing special tools or writing complex programs, saving time and costs.

Avoid overly stringent tolerances

Unnecessary high-precision requirements can significantly increase clamping, inspection, and machining time, and even introduce additional secondary machining processes. It is recommended to use tight tolerances only when truly necessary for functionality or structure, and to allow for greater tolerances elsewhere to improve overall efficiency.

Use standard dimensions for hole diameter design and control hole depth

Deeper holes increase chip removal difficulty and machining costs. It is recommended that hole depth not exceed 5-6 times the drill bit diameter, and to use standard drill bit sizes whenever possible; otherwise, there will be issues with ordering special tools and increased machining costs.

Choose materials wisely, balancing performance and machinability

Material selection directly impacts project budget and machining efficiency. While some high-performance materials offer superior performance, they are expensive and difficult to machine, making them unsuitable for all small-batch projects. It is recommended to prioritize common, moderately priced materials (such as aluminum alloys and plastics) to balance performance and cost, provided structural and functional requirements are met. Furthermore, different materials have significantly different machinability; appropriate selection can effectively shorten machining cycles and reduce tool wear.

Simplify surface treatment and text design

Complex surface treatment processes or direct CNC machining of text and patterns will significantly lengthen the machining time per piece and increase costs. If the product needs to include logos or text information, it is recommended to use more efficient post-processing methods, such as laser marking, screen printing, or spray painting, which are not only aesthetically pleasing but also more cost-effective.

Follow DFM Principles

The design phase should fully consider the capabilities of the machining equipment to ensure that the design drawings can be efficiently implemented on existing machine tools. For example, if a three-axis machine tool is available, the structure should not be designed to require a five-axis machine tool for machining. Simplifying part shapes and reducing features requiring multiple clamping operations are core strategies for reducing the complexity of Low-volume CNC machining.

Reduce Material Waste

Optimizing material utilization during CNC machining not only reduces costs but also contributes to environmental protection. Ineffective material removal should be avoided during the design phase, and part structures should be rationally arranged to minimize cutting waste. Furthermore, communication with the machining party can prioritize the use of recycled or surplus materials for non-critical structural components to further reduce raw material costs. By optimizing the design through the above strategies, Low-volume CNC machining projects can maximize cost control and production efficiency without sacrificing quality, helping companies more flexibly respond to diverse needs such as pilot production, small-batch customization, or market testing.

Common Low-volume 5-Axis CNC Machining Applications

This manufacturing process is suitable for applications in multiple industries requiring high precision, complex shapes, and tight tolerances. Typical applications include:

Aerospace Components: The aerospace industry requires parts with organic shapes, contoured edges, and complex forms. The unique and geometrically complex nature of aerospace parts makes 5-axis machining an ideal technology choice. This process achieves a high level of detail, reducing the need for re-fixing the cutting head. Therefore, parts for aerospace applications remain as precise as possible, conforming to industry standards.

Medical Devices: In the manufacture of medical devices, quality and precision are non-negotiable. The high precision capabilities of 5-axis manufacturing processes facilitate the production of implants, devices, and other equipment to meet stringent healthcare requirements. Most components are small and complex. Others are complex electronic scanning and monitoring devices. 5-axis technology provides an efficient and cost-effective method for producing these components.

Energy Production: The energy industry typically requires complex and advanced components, including solar power systems and power plants. The rapid emergence of 5-axis machining has ensured the precision CNC machining of refined and specialized parts for energy equipment. These machined parts are durable and provide stability to the workspace.

Work with Elimold

Still hesitant about using Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining services? Our team of experts can communicate with you based on your part design drawings to help you choose the most suitable solution for your project. As a trusted CNC machining partner, Elimold also offers high-quality CNC machining equipment based on engraving machines, lathes, drilling machines, and milling machines. Contact us today to start your collaboration. Visit our resource center to learn more about CNC machining, including cost reduction tips and best design practices.

Summary

By explaining 5-axis CNC machining, you now have a comprehensive understanding of Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining. It’s time to take control of your manufacturing experience. 5-axis CNC machines streamline the manufacturing process, ensuring faster, more cost-effective production and improved precision and accuracy. However, they are not suitable for all designs. For example, 3-axis or 4-axis CNC machines may be more suitable and economical for precise cuts, holes, and cavities. Therefore, Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining is an excellent choice for prototyping, custom parts or products, and even large-scale production operations. For small businesses and startups, it can be a game-changer, as they cannot afford the high costs and expertise required for installation.

If you require precise, high-quality, Low-volume CNC machining, Elimold is your best choice. Whether you are located in the US, Europe, or anywhere else, our state-of-the-art Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining workshop can provide you with the highest quality machining results. Please upload your design and request a quote for Low-volume 5-axis CNC machining. Our attention to detail and expertise in the field ensure the success of your project from start to finish.

FAQ