Machining Pages 71 to 80 Three Reasons to Switch from Three-to Five-Axis Machining By Ken Corklin Mold manufacturing is an increasingly challenging industry. Whether you have pivoted to supplying the medical industry or are a longtime automotive mold/die producer, you have probably seen where the market is heading. Parts and designs are getting more complex. Customers are pushing for shorter production times. Molds require greater degrees of precision and exact surface inishes. Switching from three-to ive-axis machining may be the right solution for your business. Here are three key reasons why: 1. Reduce Your Costs At irst glance, you may have the misconception that ive-axis machine tools are an exorbitant expense. But once you exam-ine the bottom line, it’s clear they can be a worthwhile invest-ment that will lower your costs. With the skilled labor pool continuing to evaporate, mold-makers are compelled to adopt automated solutions such as pallet changers and robotic loading. When a part has to be manually repositioned or transferred to another machine for secondary processes, your operational costs rise. Five-axis Five-axis machine machines can further reduce manual intervention. tools allow for better Five-axis machines are often relational accuracy. capable of producing com-pleted parts in just one or two operations, signiicantly reduc-ing multiple setups, reapplying ixtures and manual interven-tion required with three-axis machining. Every reapplication of a ixture increases the chance for error and can add to the total cost of producing the component. Lower costs are a common theme when transitioning from three-to ive-axis machining. You may pay more for self-cen-tering vises upfront, but it’s a one-time cost. You’re not going to need to buy costly, specialized ixtures later. Additionally, the ability to work on ive sides increases the amount of time the mold is in the machine, minimizing the chance of human error while reducing production time. 2. Maximize Efficiency Three-axis machines can restrict your tool paths, tool choices and other critical manufacturing elements, ultimately holding you back. Machining complex shapes, especially in mold and die mak-ing, can require long tools, tools with extensions and heat-Five-axis machining gives mold builders the ability to work on fi ve sides of a workpiece, which increases the time a mold is in the machine, minimizing human error and reducing production time. shrink tools. One of the main beneits of ive-axis machining is the ability to use shorter tools, translating to heavier cuts. However, you don’t need to machine complex shapes to realize the beneits of ive-axis machining. With a more signiicant num-ber of axes comes a greater number of choices. You can work with more tools and more tool paths, regardless of the shape. 3. Increase Precision Additionally, ive-axis machine tools allow for better relational accuracy. Tool center point control improves the inish of the workpiece surface while reducing machining time. There are no downsides to switching from three-to ive-axis machines. There are, however, some variables you need to con-sider before making the jump. • What are you trying to accomplish? • What type of machine could work for you? • What are your speciic needs? With the right knowledge, support and services, ive-axis machine tools can help you excel rather than get by. Five-axis tool paths are a great tool to have in your tool bag when you’re a moldmaker. FOR MORE INFORMATION Methods Machine Tools / 877-668-4262 / methodsmachine.com Ken Corklin, Director of Channel Sales Yasda Precision America Corp. / 847-439-0201 / yasda.com Kevin Lichtenberg, Product Manager 80 MoldMaking Technology — — JULY 2021 Image courtesy of Methods Machine Tools.