5-axis machining: 5-axis machining is CNC milling in which the tool or the part can also tilt and rotate on two extra axes, reaching most faces of a part in one setup.
A five-axis machine adds two rotary axes to the usual X, Y and Z, by tilting the table, the head, or both. In 3+2 (positional) machining the rotary axes set an angle and lock while the cut runs. In simultaneous five-axis machining all five axes move together, for impellers, turbine blades and free-form shapes.
What it means for the price
Five-axis machines cost more to buy and their toolpaths take more skill to program, so the hourly rate is higher. In return, a part that would take several setups on a 3-axis machine can be finished in one or two. That saves setup labour, improves accuracy between faces and shortens the lead time. The choice is a trade between hourly rate and number of setups, and the answer flips with part complexity and batch size.
Example: four setups of 20 minutes on a three-axis machine at €55 per hour cost about €73; one setup of 20 minutes on a five-axis machine at €90 per hour costs €30, before any cutting time. The figures are an example.
Common confusions
Not every part needs simultaneous five-axis motion; most five-axis work in job shops is 3+2. Quotometry prices 3-axis, 3+2 and 5-axis milling today, and prices each part on the cheapest machine that can reach its faces. Read 3-axis vs 5-axis machining or see the CNC milling process page.
Go deeper: 3-axis vs 5-axis machining: cost and capability