D&E Machine Co. is known for our excellent CNC turning and CNC milling projects that have gone above and beyond for our customers. Did you know we also have 4-axis milling capabilities?
D&E Machine explains what 4-axis milling is and what industries it can benefit.
What Is CNC Milling?
CNC milling is a machining process involving a stationary piece of material mounted to a milling machine. The material does not move, but instead, the tools around it move to cut it into the desired finished product.
The CNC stands for computer numerical control (CNC). An engineer creates a 3D rendering of the finished product on a computer program, and the CNC milling machine cuts the material to those specifications.
Most CNC milling machines have 3-axis capabilities, allowing the tools to move on an X, Y, and Z axis. The X-axis is typically left-to-right movement, the Y-axis is front-to-back movement, and the Z-axis is up and down.
What Is 4-Axis Milling?
In 4-axis milling, the CNC milling machine has an additional axis called the A-axis that rotates the material. Whether the material can be rotated while being cut or whether it can only be rotated when cutting is paused depends on the type of milling machine.
This additional axis allows the CNC milling process to go faster and smoother since the machine does not have to be stopped to manually turn the material or move it to another machine.
Related Post: What Types of Parts Can We Make With CNC Turning and Milling?
What Industries Can Benefit From 4 Axis Milling?
Any parts that can be created with 3-axis CNC milling can be produced with 4-axis milling as well. It’s usually faster and more precise. 4-axis milling can be used to create components for a number of industries.
- Auto
- Healthcare
- Agriculture
- Military
- Electronics
- Jewelry
- Manufacturing
- Assembly Lines
Though these are some of the most common industries that benefit from 4-axis milled components, it is not all-inclusive. In fact, most industries likely benefit from 4-axis milled parts and components in some way when you need precision, accuracy, and small production batches.
CNC Machining in Cincinnati, Ohio
The team at D&E Machine can reproduce or reverse engineer just about anything that can fit within the parameters of our CNC lathe or milling machines. We have 3-axis and 4-axis capabilities. Read one of our many success stories on our website where we exceeded our customers’ needs.
If you need machining services in Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana, request a quote from us today. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We’re based just outside of Cincinnati.