Unleash your true potential with Hurco 5-Axis CNC Machines
Twenty years ago, we made 5-axis a priority—both the engineering of the machine and the development of the control technology—because we determined that the transition to 5-sided machining would be the most efficient way for our customers to instantly increase their profit margins. Similar to the transition from manual machining to CNC machining, the transition to 5-sided machining will dictate your future success. Find out why Hurco leads the industry in 5-axis technologies.
This video from Sandvik Coromant demonstrates D2 tool steel being cut with Coromill Dura Cutters at Rubix Cutting and Machining. These cuts were performed on a Hurco VMX42SRTi in the UK at the Rubix facility. We'd like to thank Sandvik Coromant for sharing this video with us.
John Force Racing Customer Testimonial
Force American Made employs 24 out of JFR’s approximately 100 employees. The 7 machine shop employees operate the team’s 17 CNC machines, with the latest additions to the fleet being six Hurco CNC machines: a 3-axis VMX30i , a 5-axis VMX42SRTi, a 3-axis VMX6030i, TMX8MYSi mill turn slant-bed lathe, and two TMM8i slant-bed lathes with live tooling.
VC500i 5-Axis CNC | Specialty Plastics, Inc.
Matthew Couvion and Craig Hurd, from Specialty Plastics, Inc. discuss how the Hurco VC500i 5-axis CNC machine has helped their shop become more productive by eliminating unnecessary setups while still maintaining accuracies needed by customers. With a 5-axis machine now in their shop they can continue to build molds at their facility vs going to outside vendors, and get to market faster.
Increase Efficiency With a 5-Axis Machine
Margins are tight in the metalworking business, so how do you get ahead? See how you can make more money with 5-axis by using our 5-Axis ROI worksheet.
Find out how to:
Use your shop's numbers to see the increase in margins with 5-axis
Apply 5-axis to the work you already have
Real part examples with margin increases of over 50%
What is 5-Axis Machining?
3+2 Machining... Simultaneous 5-Axis
What Does it Mean?
90% of work done on 5-axis machines is really just 5-sided (positioning only)
3+2
3+2 means you have the three axes of the CNC machine, plus one rotary axis and one tilt axis. Also known as 5-sided machining, it means you can machine five sides of a part in a single setup.
4+1
4+1 means the machine uses a 5-axis machine structure but holds one of the rotary or tilt axes fixed. 4+1 is more capable than a 3+2 but isn't considered full 5-axis.
Full 5-Axis
Full 5-axis cnc machining means that all five axes of the machine are moving at the same time (3 linear axes, 1 rotary axis and 1 tilt axis), allowing you to produce very complex parts.
Why 5-Axis?
Increase efficiency
While 5-axis machining can result in shorter cycle times and more accurate parts, the biggest benefit is reduced set-up time.
Decrease lead times
5-axis will result in decreased production time (mostly due to reduced set-up time), which means shorter lead times.
Increase accuracy
Flipping parts to machine each side on 3-axis machines can cause inaccuracies. 5-sided machining minimizes inaccuracy because you can machine 5 sides in a single setup.
Better part feature access
5-axis machining allows you to use shorter tools, which reduces chatter, improves surface finish, and provides more rigidity. It also lets you maximize the best angle for cutting tool.
Increase shop capabilities
If you have 5-axis, you can expand your shop's capabilities and prepare for future growth because you can quote on more jobs that require full 5-axis.
5-Axis CNC Resources
Learn to program 5-sided parts on your Hurco CNC machine
This training class covers conversational programming and the basic rules and interactions for 5-axis machines. Students are guided through a course of programming examples from basic to more complex.
If you’ve spent any amount of time in manufacturing, you know that efficiency matters. Michael Cope, the author of this book, was co-owner of a job shop before he joined Hurco. As a CNC machinist and applications engineer, he always evaluates the most efficient way to approach a part to minimize setup time and reduce cycle time. It’s just part of his DNA. That’s precisely why he is such a proponent of 5-axis CNC. Adopting a 5-sided machining process is the most efficient way to instantly increase the profit margin on existing jobs that you manufacture on a conventional 3-axis machine. In this book, Mike breaks down the information about 5-axis and 5-sided machining from a machinist’s perspective. Whether you’re just learning about 5-axis CNC machining or you’re already adept at 5-axis, you’ll learn something new. A great go-to book written for machinists by a machinist.
How does Hurco give you the power to transition to 5-Axis?
Transform Plane is the key feature of the Hurco control that makes the transition to 5-axis easy. When it comes to usability, nobody can touch the Hurco control. Designed the way machinists think. Designed to let you determine the best way to approach each part because it’s equally powerful whether you use conversational programming, NC, or CAD/CAM—you can even combine NC and conversational with our signature NC/Conversational Merge feature. Nobody does 5-axis better than Hurco.
Click the button below to download the PDF and learn more about Hurco control features specifically for 5-axis and 5-sided machining.
We will probably not buy any 3-axis machines in the future. Building off the success of our first 5-axis CNC, the Hurco VMX42SRTi, our next four to five machines will be 5-axis CNCs because we do not want to take parts in and out of the machine as we had to do on our 3-axis CNCs. We want to keep both our parts and machines running.
Rick Williams
Qualitex Inc.
When we evaluate machines to replace existing equipment, I am always looking to improve tolerances and spindle speed as well as expand the shop’s capabilities and find ways to increase efficiency. Our tolerances are in the ten-thousandths, which means accuracy and repeatability are critical when it comes to the CNC machines we select.
Force American Made
John Force Racing.
Ready to Grow Your Business?
Request a custom quote for one of Hurco's full 5-axis CNC machines and the sales professional who represents Hurco in your area will contact you to assess your needs. Please Note: Hurco CNC machines are sold by our distributor partners throughout North America.
