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5-Axis CNC Routing Service
Are you looking to make complex parts with fewer setups? Do you need to cut unusual angles that regular machines can’t handle? 5-axis routing might be just what you need! This amazing technology helps make parts for airplanes, medical devices, and cool sculptures – all with amazing precision.
At Istar Machining, we’re experts in 5-axis machining that can turn your toughest designs into real parts. Let’s explore what makes 5-axis routing so special and how it can help your projects!
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20+ Years
Istar Machining's years in the industry
300,000 square feet
The size of Istar Machining's factory
856 CNC machines
Our CNC equipment count
2000+ skilled workers
Istar's number of skilled machinists/operators
What is 5-Axis Routing?
5-axis routing is a super smart way to cut and shape materials. Unlike regular machines that move in just 3 directions (up-down, left-right, forward-backward), 5-axis machines can also tilt and rotate the cutting tool or the part being cut.
Think of it like this: regular machines can only cut from the top, like using a cookie cutter. But 5-axis machines can cut from almost any angle – even underneath and around corners!
The “5 axes” are:
- X axis (left to right)
- Y axis (front to back)
- Z axis (up and down)
- A axis (rotation around X)
- B axis (rotation around Y)
This means the cutting tool can reach places that would be impossible with simpler machines.
Make Complex Parts in One Setup
With regular machines, you might need to stop, flip the part over, and set everything up again multiple times. But with 5-axis routing, the machine can reach all sides of your part without stopping. This means:
- Faster production– finish jobs up to 50% quicker
- Fewer mistakes– less handling means fewer errors
- Better accuracy– parts fit together perfectly
Technical Specs That Matter
When looking at 5-axis routing systems, these are the important details:
- Spindle Speed: The best machines run at 24,000+ RPM for smooth cutting
- Working Area: Higher-end machines offer 60″x120″ or larger work areas
- Axis Movement Range: Look for at least ±110° tilt ability
- Tool Changing: Automatic tool changers with 12+ positions save tons of time
- Precision: Top machines can achieve ±0.0005″ accuracy consistently
Materials and Their Best Uses
Our advanced 5-axis CNC routing capabilities allow us to machine a diverse range of materials with high precision and complexity. Whether you need prototypes, custom parts, or production runs, we can work with the right material for your specific project needs. Here’s a look at what we commonly machine:
Metals
Aluminum
Stainless Steel
Mild & Alloy Steel
Titanium
Brass
Copper
Aluminum
(Common Grades: 6061, 7075, 5052, 2024, MIC-6) Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, has excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and is highly machinable, making it ideal for complex 5-axis work.
Good for:
- Housings and enclosures with complex geometries
- Jigs, fixtures, and tooling requiring precision
- Automotive and aerospace components
- Heat sinks and thermal management parts
- Manifolds and fluid handling blocks
- High-speed prototypes
- Architectural models and components
Why customers love it: “It provides an outstanding balance of strength, weight, machinability, surface finish, and cost-effectiveness, making it incredibly versatile for countless prototyping and production applications, especially those needing intricate 5-axis features.”
Stainless Steel
(Common Grades: 303, 304, 316, 17-4 PH) Offers high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and good heat tolerance. While harder to machine than aluminum, 5-axis routing allows for complex parts in demanding environments.
Good for:
- Medical devices and surgical instruments
- Food processing equipment components
- Marine hardware and fixtures
- Aerospace and automotive parts needing high durability
- Chemical processing components
- High-wear parts requiring intricate shapes
Why customers love it: “Its superior durability, corrosion resistance, and clean aesthetic make it perfect for high-performance applications, medical-grade parts, and components exposed to harsh conditions, even with complex 5-axis designs.”
Mild & Alloy Steel
(Common Grades: 1018, 1045, A36, 4140, 4340) Provides high strength, durability, and toughness at a lower cost. Alloy steels offer enhanced properties like hardness and wear resistance. Requires coating (mild steel) to prevent rust.
Good for:
- Structural components and brackets with complex interfaces
- Machinery parts and frames
- Automotive chassis and suspension components
- Heavy-duty jigs and fixtures
- Tooling and die components (alloy steels)
Why customers love it: “Offers excellent strength and toughness for demanding mechanical applications at a competitive price point. 5-axis machining unlocks complex geometries for robust parts.”
Titanium
(Common Grades: Grade 2, Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V) Boasts the highest strength-to-weight ratio among common metals, exceptional corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. It’s challenging to machine but suitable for high-value, complex 5-axis parts.
Good for:
- Aerospace structural components and engine parts
- Medical implants (orthopedics, dental)
- High-performance automotive parts (exhausts, valves)
- Marine applications requiring corrosion immunity
- Chemical processing equipment
Why customers love it: “Unbeatable strength-to-weight ratio, biocompatibility, and resistance to extreme environments make it essential for critical applications where performance and weight savings justify the cost and machining complexity.”
Brass
(Common Grades: C360 – Free Machining, C260 – Cartridge) Offers excellent machinability, good corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and an attractive golden appearance. It’s often used for intricate decorative or functional parts.
Good for:
- Plumbing and pneumatic fittings
- Electrical connectors and terminals
- Musical instrument components
- Decorative hardware and accents
- Low-load gears and bearings
- Parts requiring low friction
Why customers love it: “Its superb machinability allows for fine details and excellent finishes with 5-axis routing, combined with good corrosion resistance and an aesthetic appeal, perfect for complex fittings and decorative items.”
Copper
(Common Grades: C101 – OFHC, C110 – ETP) Features outstanding electrical and thermal conductivity, good corrosion resistance, and unique reddish color. It’s relatively soft and highly ductile, requiring careful machining techniques.
Good for:
- Electrical components (busbars, connectors, terminals)
- Heat sinks and heat exchangers with complex fin structures
- High-performance cooling plates
- Artistic and architectural elements
- Plumbing components
Why customers love it: “Nothing beats its thermal and electrical conductivity. 5-axis machining enables highly efficient and complex heat sinks or electrical parts where performance is paramount.”
Plastics
ABS
Polycarbonate (PC)
Acrylic (PMMA)
Nylon (PA)
Acetal (POM / Delrin)
PEEK
HDPE / UHMWPE
ABS
(Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) A common thermoplastic known for its toughness, impact resistance, rigidity, and ease of machining. It’s a cost-effective choice for prototyping and functional parts.
Good for:
- Housings and enclosures (especially prototypes)
- Automotive interior trim parts
- Consumer product components
- Functional prototypes requiring durability
- Jigs and fixtures (light-duty)
Why customers love it: “A versatile workhorse plastic offering a great mix of impact strength, machinability, and affordability. Ideal for quickly creating complex, functional prototypes using 5-axis routing.”
Polycarbonate (PC)
(Common Trade Names: Lexan, Makrolon) An extremely tough, impact-resistant thermoplastic with high strength and good temperature resistance. It’s naturally transparent, making it suitable for clear parts.
Good for:
- Machine guards and safety shields
- Transparent covers and housings
- High-impact automotive components (lenses – require coating)
- Medical device components
- Bullet-resistant glazing (specific grades)
- Tough prototypes
Why customers love it: “Its incredible impact strength and optical clarity provide safety and visibility. 5-axis routing allows us to create complex guards and transparent parts that can withstand tough environments.”
Acrylic (PMMA)
(Common Trade Names: Plexiglas, Lucite) Offers excellent optical clarity, weather resistance, and rigidity. It machines well to a smooth, often polishable finish and comes in various colors. More brittle than PC.
Good for:
- Displays and signage
- Light guides and lenses
- Transparent manifolds and fluidic devices
- Architectural models
- Protective covers (where impact is low)
- Decorative panels and artistic pieces
Why customers love it: “Delivers crystal-clear results and beautiful finishes. Perfect for aesthetic parts, displays, and optical components where clarity is key, allowing for complex 5-axis shapes.”
Nylon (PA)
(Common Grades: PA6, PA6/6, Cast, Glass-Filled) Known for its toughness, excellent wear resistance, low friction coefficient, and good chemical resistance (especially to oils and fuels). Can absorb moisture, affecting dimensions.
Good for:
- Gears, bearings, bushings
- Wear pads and slide strips
- Rollers and wheels
- Structural components (especially glass-filled)
- Automotive engine components
- Tough functional prototypes
Why customers love it: “Its durability and low friction make it ideal for moving parts and high-wear applications. 5-axis routing allows complex gear profiles or custom wear components.”
Acetal (POM / Delrin)
A high-stiffness, low-friction engineering thermoplastic with excellent dimensional stability, fatigue resistance, and machinability. Often chosen for precise functional parts.
Good for:
- Precision gears, bearings, and bushings
- Rollers, sliders, and wear strips
- Electrical insulators
- Jigs, fixtures, and assembly aids
- Fluid handling components (valves, pump parts)
- Snap-fit components
Why customers love it: “Machines beautifully to tight tolerances, offering stiffness and low friction. Perfect for precise, durable mechanical parts easily realized with complex 5-axis features.”
PEEK
(Polyether Ether Ketone) A high-performance thermoplastic offering exceptional mechanical strength, stiffness, high-temperature performance, chemical inertness, and wear resistance. Biocompatible grades are available.
Good for:
- Aerospace components (high temp, low outgassing)
- Medical implants and surgical instruments
- Semiconductor manufacturing components
- Chemical processing parts (valves, seals)
- High-wear bearings and seals in extreme conditions
Why customers love it: “The ultimate plastic for extreme environments – high temp, harsh chemicals, high loads. 5-axis machining enables complex, critical components where other materials would fail.”
HDPE / UHMWPE
(High-Density Polyethylene / Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) These materials offer excellent chemical resistance, low moisture absorption, and good impact strength. UHMWPE adds exceptional abrasion resistance and very low friction.
Good for:
- HDPE: Chemical tanks and containers, Cutting boards, Orthotics and prosthetics (specific grades).
- UHMWPE: Wear strips, chain guides, chute liners, low-load bearings, dock fenders, medical applications (specific grades).
Why customers love it: “Provides outstanding chemical resistance (HDPE) or incredible wear resistance (UHMWPE) at a good value. Ideal for liners, guides, and containers, including complex shapes made possible by 5-axis routing.”
Composites & Wood & Foams
Carbon Fiber (CFRP)
Fiberglass (GFRP)
Composite Tooling Board
Hardwoods
Softwoods
Plywood / MDF
High-Density Urethane Foam
EPS / XPS Foam
Modeling Foam
Carbon Fiber (CFRP)
(Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) Composites offer exceptional stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. 5-axis routing is typically used for trimming, drilling, and machining features into pre-cured sheets or molded parts. Requires specialized tooling.
Good for:
- Aerospace structural components
- High-performance automotive parts (body panels, chassis)
- Robotics components
- UAV/Drone frames
- High-end sporting goods
- Lightweight tooling
Why customers love it: “The ultimate in lightweight strength and stiffness. 5-axis machining allows precise finishing and feature creation on complex, high-performance composite parts.”
Fiberglass (GFRP)
(Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) (Common Grades: G10, FR4) Offers a good balance of strength, stiffness, corrosion resistance, and electrical insulation properties at a lower cost than carbon fiber. Abrasive to machine.
Good for:
- Electrical insulators and circuit board substrates (FR4)
- Structural components (boats, tanks)
- Corrosive environment applications
- Jigs and fixtures requiring insulation or moderate strength
- Machine guards
Why customers love it: “A cost-effective composite providing good strength, excellent electrical insulation, and corrosion resistance. 5-axis machining handles complex shapes for structural or insulating parts.”
Composite Tooling Board
(Often Epoxy or Polyurethane based) Provides higher density, temperature resistance, and durability compared to standard foams, while still machining relatively easily. Offers excellent dimensional stability.
Good for:
- Master patterns for high-temp curing
- Direct short-run molds
- Checking fixtures and gauges
- Durable concept models
- Foundry patterns
Why customers love it: “Offers greater durability and temperature resistance than foams, ideal for creating robust master patterns, check fixtures, or short-run molds with complex 5-axis surfaces.”
Hardwoods
(Examples: Oak, Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Teak) Offer natural beauty, good strength, and durability. Machinability varies, but generally good with sharp tools. Different species provide unique aesthetics and properties.
Good for:
- High-quality furniture components
- Architectural millwork and details
- Decorative carvings and sculptures
- Jigs and fixtures (stable woods like Maple)
- Musical instrument parts
- Premium prototypes
Why customers love it: “Combines timeless aesthetics with strength. 5-axis routing unlocks intricate designs, complex joinery, and beautiful curves for furniture, architecture, and art.”
Softwoods
(Examples: Pine, Cedar, Fir, Spruce) Generally lighter, less expensive, and easier to machine than hardwoods, but also less durable and prone to denting. Good for painting or rustic finishes.
Good for:
- Cost-effective prototyping
- Pattern making (foundry, composites)
- Architectural models
- Signage (especially Cedar)
- Light-duty jigs
- Themed environment construction
Why customers love it: “Economical and easy to machine for large forms or prototypes. Great for quickly realizing designs or creating patterns where high strength isn’t needed, easily shaped with 5-axis.”
Plywood / MDF
(Medium-Density Fiberboard) Plywood offers good strength and stability due to its layered structure. MDF provides a uniform, smooth surface ideal for painting, but is heavier and less moisture resistant.
Good for:
- Plywood: Structural jigs/fixtures, Formwork, Functional prototypes, Cabinetry components.
- MDF: Paint-grade prototypes, Patterns and molds (low temp), Templates, Signage backing, Decorative panels with routed details.
Why customers love it: “Engineered sheets provide predictable stability (Plywood) or a perfect paint surface (MDF) cost-effectively. Ideal for complex 2.5D and 3D shapes via 5-axis routing for jigs, patterns, and panels.”
High-Density Urethane Foam
(Tooling Foam/Board) Specifically designed for machining. It’s grain-free, dimensionally stable, and machines quickly to a fine finish. Available in various densities for different needs.
Good for:
- Master patterns for mold making (composites, vacuum forming)
- Concept models and prototypes
- Architectural models
- Themed environment elements and signage carving
- Short-run molds or foundry patterns
Why customers love it: “Incredibly fast to machine complex 3D shapes with excellent detail and surface finish. Perfect for creating accurate models, patterns, and molds efficiently using 5-axis routing.”
EPS / XPS Foam
(Expanded / Extruded Polystyrene) Very lightweight, low-cost insulation foams. Easy to cut but low strength. Often used for large-scale forms where weight and cost are primary concerns.
Good for:
- Large architectural forms and mock-ups
- Themed environment props and scenery
- Void fillers
- Concrete formwork patterns
- Insulation shaping
- Buoyancy applications
Why customers love it: “Extremely lightweight and inexpensive for creating massive shapes. 5-axis routing is essential for sculpting complex curves and details on large-scale models and props.”
Modeling Foam
(Often lower density Polyurethane or similar) Typically softer and easier to shape than HDU foam, intended for quick concept visualization and basic form studies.
Good for:
- Rapid concept models
- Ergonomic studies
- Basic form prototypes
- Educational models
- Simple pattern making (low detail)
Why customers love it: “Very easy and fast to machine for quick visualization. Ideal for early-stage design exploration and creating basic forms rapidly with 5-axis routing at low cost.”
CNC Products Produced by Istar Machining
Perfect for Special Industries
Some industries really need what 5-axis routing offers:
Aerospace
When making airplane parts, every gram matters. 5-axis routing can make lightweight parts with perfect strength.
Medical
For things like replacement joints, the shapes need to be super smooth and match the human body. 5-axis machines can create these organic shapes.
Automotive
Car makers use 5-axis routing to make prototype parts and molds for testing new designs.
Custom Fabrication
Artists and designers love 5-axis routing for making sculptures, furniture, and architectural details that would be impossible to create by hand.
Real-World Applications
Here’s how 5-axis routing is used in the real world:
Aerospace Components
In the aerospace industry, parts need to be lightweight but strong. Aerospace CNC machining with 5-axis routing creates turbine blades with complex curves that would be almost impossible to make any other way.
One turbine blade might have:
- Twisted surfaces that catch air efficiently
- Internal cooling channels
- Paper-thin edges that must be perfect
With 5-axis routing, we can make these parts in a single setup with perfect accuracy.
Medical Implants
Medical devices need special shapes that work with the human body. Using 5-axis routing, we can create:
- Hip and knee replacements that match natural bones
- Dental implants with perfect fit
- Surgical tools with ergonomic shapes
- Custom plates and screws for reconstructive surgery
The ability to machine at odd angles helps create these life-changing devices.
Custom Furniture and Artistic Works
Furniture makers and artists use 3D CNC routing with 5 axes to create amazing pieces that would take months by hand:
- Chairs with organic, flowing shapes
- Detailed architectural moldings
- Sculptures with undercuts and intricate details
- Custom musical instruments
How It Works: The Technical Side
The magic of 5-axis routing comes from its smart control systems:
CAM Software
Special computer programs figure out how to move the tool along complex paths
Controllers
High-speed computers that coordinate all 5 axes moving at once
Feedback Systems
Sensors that constantly check the position of every part of the machine
Post-Processing
Software that turns design files into machine movement instructions
The Future of 5-Axis Routing
The technology keeps getting better! New developments include:
- 10-Axis Integration: Combining robotic arms with 5-axis CNC for fully automated production
- Higher Speeds: Newer machines cut faster with even better finish quality
- Smart Monitoring: Systems that watch for tool wear and automatically adjust
- Hybrid Manufacturing: Combining routing with 3D printing in one machine
Get Start Today！
At Istar Machining, we specialize in providing high-precision CNC milling and 5-axis routing services. Our team understands the special needs of industries that demand perfect parts, and we’re ready to help with your most challenging projects.
Want to learn more about how 5-axis routing can help your business? Contact us today for a free consultation and quote!
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