5-Axis Milling Services
We specialize in machining complex shapes in a variety of materials. That’s why we’ve invested in 5-axis milling capacity. A 5 axis mill lets us access five faces of the workpiece in a single setup. Depending on the part geometry, that can save time and money while improving quality.
Our investment in 5-axis milling lets us do things that aren’t possible with 3-axis milling or turning. It also demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with leading edge technologies and services.
Our approach to machining and 5-axis milling services is different from what you’ll see elsewhere. We’re focused on delivering solutions, and not just creating parts. We help our customers engineer and re-engineer the parts they need to optimize machinability and performance, which also saves them time and money. Our intention is to be an extension of our customers’ engineering and procurement departments and not just a machine shop.
What is 5 Axis Milling?
Until recently, milling machines had just three axes, X, Y, and Z. For someone facing the machine, X is where the work holding table moves left-right, Y is the table moving backward and forwards, and Z is it moving up and down. From many prismatic parts, (those with straight, square sides and surfaces,) this is enough “degrees of freedom” to machine any required features. However, parts that need non-orthogonal (not 90°) surfaces require additional setups.
5 axis milling addresses this problem. This adds two rotational axes to the three linear axes. Machine designs vary, but typically a 5-axis milling machine adds A and B axes. These provide rotation around the X and Y axes. Other machines add B and C rotational axes, (rotation around the Y and Z axes), and there are probably some somewhere with A and C axes.
What is the Advantage 5 Axis Milling?
The big advantage of 5-axis milling machines is that the cutting tool can reach five faces of a prismatic part. (The part is mounted on the sixth face.) Many 5-axis machines provide what’s called, “5-axis positional machining.” This means the axis rotates to a fixed position, and then the cutter starts removing metal. This is useful for applying chamfers or cutting grooves and dovetails, but it’s not full 5-axis machining.
Full 5-axis machining is where the rotational axis turns as the part is being machined. With this, the cutter can produce contoured surfaces, like those on a turbocharger impeller or fan blade.
Other Benefits of 5 Axis Milling
All this additional capability, over 3 axis machines, doesn’t come cheap. In addition, programming 5-axis milling machines is complicated. However, for some parts, there are substantial benefits. These include:
- Fewer setups to produce complex shapes – because the cutting tool can reach more surfaces
- Less expense on fixtures
- Superior geometric precision between features otherwise produced in separate setups
- Ability to machine contours
- Improved surface finish – because the machine allows for shorter cutting tools that suffer less vibration
Maximum Part Size for 5-Axis Milling
- 5-Axis Milling (1 Mill)
- Max Travel: 21” x 16” x 19”
- A,C Axis Travel: +30°/-110°, 360°
- Max Weight on Table: 330 lbs
3-Axis Milling Services
With skilled programming, 3-axis milling is capable of producing the overwhelming majority of prismatic parts. At Excelus Manufacturing Solutions we’ve made substantial investments in 3 axis milling capacity and we’re ready to meet your machining needs.
Prismatic parts are those with straight surfaces, edges, or sides. Dies, brackets, housings, and mounting plates are just a few examples of the prismatic parts we can produce with 3-axis milling. When castings and forgings need flat surfaces and mounting holes, 3-axis milling is ideal for producing those too.
We can work from your CAD files, but if they’re not available that’s not a problem. If you have a concept but no drawings, our engineering team can turn your “back-of-a-napkin” sketches into finished parts. Plus, we’ll use our experience to find ways of improving performance and cutting costs.
Our 3-axis milling services are as applicable to single parts and prototypes as to quantity production. And if your parts need de-burring, polishing, and engraving, (often useful for part identification,) we can do that too.
What is 3 Axis Milling?
Milling is a material removal process that uses a spinning, multi-toothed cutter. The rotation lets each tooth cut away a small slice of material. We do most of our milling on vertical machines. These hold the cutter on a vertical axis and move the workpiece underneath in X and Y axes. (If you stand facing the milling machine, or mill, X is left-right and Y is front-back.)
What is the Advantage 3 Axis Milling?
These two axes suffice for milling flat surfaces and sides. They are not enough though to produce features of varying depth. Picture milling pockets into a solid block of metal for an example. To produce pockets of different depths in a single set up the machine needs a third, vertical axis. This is achieved by raising and lowering the spindle in what’s called the Z-axis.
Milling machines are also produced with the cutter axis horizontal. Horizontal machines have the same three axes of motion and tend to be very rigid but are, arguably, less versatile than vertical machines.
It’s our experience that our 3-axis milling services satisfy the overwhelming majority of prismatic part machining requirements.
Other Benefits of 5 Axis Milling
All this additional capability, over 3 axis machines, doesn’t come cheap. In addition, programming 5-axis milling machines is complicated. However, for some parts, there are substantial benefits. These include:
- Fewer setups to produce complex shapes – because the cutting tool can reach more surfaces
- Less expense on fixtures
- Superior geometric precision between features otherwise produced in separate setups
- Ability to machine contours
- Improved surface finish – because the machine allows for shorter cutting tools that suffer less vibration
Maximum Part Size for 3-Axis Milling
- 3-Axis Milling (9 Vertical CNCs, 2 ProtoTRAKs)
- CNC Max Travel: 50” x 18” x 18”
- ProtoTRAK Max Travel: 38” x 20” x 17”
CNC Turning Services
We’re machining specialists with a focus on CNC turning of complex geometries and tight tolerances in challenging materials.
Our CNC turning services can handle any volume or quantity order, and we strive to deliver the shortest possible lead times. Whether you’re in a hurry for one part or need 10,000+ parts, we’re here for you.
In-house engineering capabilities mean we can make suggestions on how to enhance machinability to get you a better-finished part and save you money. We can work from sketches, photographs, or the actual part you need to reproduce. We know cost is always important, so we’ll advise on changes we see that will make your parts easier to manufacture. Our goal is to be your partner for CNC turning.
What is CNC Turning?
Turning is the process of creating cylindrical forms. The workpiece is held in a chuck, or sometimes a collet, that rotates. A cutting tool is brought to the side of the workpiece and moves parallel to the workpiece axis to reduce or “turn down” the diameter. With careful setup, turning can also produce tapers or cones and cylindrical bores.
For generations turning was performed on manual machines. Then, in the 1960s and 70s, Computer Numerical Control, or CNC came along. With this, the motion of the lathe spindle and tool holder X and Z axes are managed by a computer program. Speed and movement are controlled to extreme precision, and most importantly, the movements are totally repeatable.
What is the Advantage CNC Turning?
The beauty of CNC turning is that it’s capable of producing complex parts in the least possible time. This makes it as powerful for one-offs and prototype parts as for long runs. When used for quantity production, advanced control technology means the finish and geometry of the last part will be the same as the first part.
A limitation of turning is the surface finish that’s achievable. As a single-point cutting process, turning produces a finely grooved surface. Selecting a large radius cutting tool and reducing the feed rate minimizes this texture but it’s hard to achieve an Ra better than 25 µinch/0.63 µm. That’s why, for precise surface finishes, turning is usually followed by grinding.
Other Benefits of CNC Turning
Shafts, valve spools, collars, hubs, pulleys, and couplings are just a few examples of parts produced by turning.
Some of these will subsequently need grinding, especially if they incorporate bearing journals or surfaces with precision fits like valve spools.
We do offer extensive grinding services.
Maximum Part Size for CNC Turning
- Turning (3 Lathes)
- Max Turning Diameter: 14”
- Distance Between Centers: 23”
- Swing Over Diameter: 20”
- Max bar capacity: 2”
Precision CNC Machining Services
Our business is CNC machining the complex components our customers need. We mill, turn and grind to produce high precision parts in metals and engineered polymers and in quantities from one-offs to upwards of 10,000+ pieces.
We strive to offer the fastest turnarounds / shortest lead times of any machine shop in our region, and we provide more than just CNC machining services. We aim to be your partner for precision machined components.
We apply our engineering expertise and capabilities to help solve your problems. We’re innovators who are always looking for a better way of doing things, especially when that means better performance, higher quality, or lower prices.
CNC Milling Services
Milling produces flat, straight surfaces. At Excelus Manufacturing Solutions we do a lot of CNC milling for our customers. CNC milling is fast, repeatable, and very cost-effective, especially when the machine shop is as highly experienced, as we are.
You may have parts that only need milling, they may need milling, turning, and grinding, or perhaps a combination of operations and processes. Whatever the design and geometry, our CNC milling services will give you what you need.
Our goal is to be an extension of your engineering team and manufacturing capabilities. We want to work with you to optimize your parts for manufacture, and then we want to machine them for you. Whether you’re prototyping, need a replacement part made quickly, or sourcing 10,000+ pieces a year, we can help.
What is CNC Milling?
Milling is the process of removing material with a rotating, multi-toothed cutter. CNC, the acronym for Computer Numerical Control, refers to having the machine movements controlled by a computer. A part program, developed from the CAD file, dictates the sequence of moves that remove material to create the part. It can do this faster and more repeatably than is possible with a manually-controlled machine.
Milling machines take one of two forms, although a third variant is on the rise. The two forms of milling machines are vertical and horizontal machines. This refers to the axis of rotation of the cutting tool. Vertical machines hold the tool on a vertical axis. They are more widely used than horizontal machines because they tend to be more versatile.
Staying Current with our Techology and Equipment?
5 axis CNC machines are the new, third type of milling machine. A vertical mill has three axes of movement: the table that holds the workpiece can move left-right (the X-axis,) and forwards and back (the Y-axis.) In addition, the spindle can move up and down to provide a third, Z, axis. With this arrangement, a vertical machine can cut flat surfaces on any exposed surface of the workpiece.
A 5-axis CNC machine adds two additional axes of movement. This lets its angle and tilt adjust to the cutter axis with respect to the workpiece. This has two advantages over a 3-axis machine: it enables machining of contours, and it reduces the need to take the workpiece off the table and remount it in a different position to machine additional features. That saves time and helps maintain a tight geometric relationship between the machined surfaces
Our Maximum Capabilities for CNC Milling
3-Axis Milling (9 Vertical CNCs, 2 ProtoTRAKs)
- CNC Max Travel: 50” x 18” x 18”
- ProtoTRAK Max Travel: 38” x 20” x 17”
5-Axis Milling (1 Mill)
- Max Travel: 21” x 16” x 19”
- A,C Axis Travel: +30°/-110°, 360°
- Max Weight on Table: 330 lbs
5-Axis Milling Services – 3-Axis Milling Services – CNC Turning Services – CNC Milling Services – Precision CNC Machining Services – CNC Swiss Precision Machining
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