5-axis CNC machining from independent machine shops
Complex, contoured, and multi-face parts cut in a single setup. Fewer refixtures means tighter true position across features and faster cycles on organic geometry. Upload a model and hear back from shops running 5-axis machines.
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5-axis machining shops on OpenSpindle
Real shops running 5-axis machining centers. See their equipment and talk to the person cutting your part.
★ Top rated
"Precision CNC Machining & Fabrication Near Austin - 40+ Years"
"Rapid Prototyping, Digital Manufacturing & CNC Machining Since 1994"
"Multi material experiential and retail fabrication in Brooklyn"
"Custom metal fabrication and precision machining in Baton Rouge"
"Retail store fixtures, POP displays, and architectural millwork built under one roof"
"Custom architectural millwork built to AWI standards in Lancaster, PA"
How it works
How OpenSpindle Works
Upload your files
Share your CAD files or drawings (STEP, DXF, DWG, PDF) and note material, tolerances, and quantity. It takes a couple of minutes.
Get matched quotes
We route your part to shops with the machines and materials to make it, and they send competitive quotes.
Compare and choose
Weigh quotes, methods, and lead times side by side, then pick the shop that fits your budget and timeline.
Stock our 5-axis shops machine from solid
Nearly everything is cut from solid block or plate. Common materials are below; if yours is not here, ask when you request a quote.
Specs
Tolerances you can expect
| Feature | With a drawing | No drawing supplied |
|---|---|---|
| Linear dimension | ±0.002 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Feature true position | ±0.003 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Profile of a surface | ±0.005 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Hole diameter (not reamed) | ±0.003 in | ISO 2768 Medium |
| Surface finish | 32-125 Ra | 125 Ra as-milled |
Cutting multiple faces in one setup keeps features referenced to the same datum, so true position across faces holds tighter than it would with refixturing. Call out the datum and the features that must relate to it.
Secondary operations
Inserts, hardware and finishing
Threads and inserts
Tapped and cross-drilled holes, threaded bosses, counterbores, and pressed or heat-set inserts, cut in the same setup or as a secondary op.
Finishing
Applied after machining. As-milled ships fastest; anodize, passivation, and plating are common on 5-axis metal parts.
| Finish | Materials | Adds | Can be applied with |
|---|---|---|---|
| As-milled | All | +0 days | Anything |
| Bead blast | Metal, most plastics | +1-2 days | Before anodize |
| Anodize | Aluminum, titanium | +3-5 days | Bead blast |
| Passivation | Stainless only | +2 days | Bead blast |
Contoured surfaces on a 5-axis part often carry a cosmetic requirement. Note where finish matters and where it does not so the shop does not chase a spec you do not need.
Get a better quote
Getting a quote that comes back fast
| Instead of | Send this |
|---|---|
| "Complex part, need 5-axis" | "6061 aluminum impeller, 4 in dia, ±0.003 true position on the blade roots, qty 10" |
| "Machine all over" | "Profile of ±0.005 on the contoured face, ISO 2768-M elsewhere" |
| "Some holes to tap" | "6x 1/4-20 UNC on the angled boss face, referenced to datum A" |
Name the datum and the features that must relate to it. That is what makes single-setup 5-axis worth the price over 3-axis with refixturing.
Applications
Industries we serve
5-axis shops on OpenSpindle produce impellers, manifolds, structural brackets, and contoured housings for demanding industries, including AS9100 and ITAR-registered shops.
More on OpenSpindle
Other capabilities
Need a different process? Browse shops for these too.
Designing for this process
What actually changes your quote
Not a definition of 5-axis. The design choices that move your price and lead time.
3+2 beats simultaneous when it can
Positional 3+2 reaches multiple faces without the programming and cycle-time cost of full simultaneous motion. Reserve continuous 5-axis for true contours like blades and impellers, not flat faces at an angle.
One datum scheme, referenced everywhere
The whole advantage is holding the part once. Tie your critical features to a single datum so the shop can inspect them from the same reference the machine cut from.
Tool reach sets the wall
A 5-axis machine can tilt to shorten the tool reaching into a deep pocket, but a long, thin tool still deflects. Generous fillets and reachable geometry keep the shop off special tooling.
Model quality drives programming
Toolpaths are generated off your solid model. A clean STEP or Parasolid with no gaps or slivers programs fast; a messy surface model adds hours before a chip is cut.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
3+2 (positional) machining tilts the part to a fixed angle, locks the two rotary axes, and cuts in 3 axes from that orientation. It reaches multiple faces in one setup at lower cost. Full simultaneous 5-axis moves all five axes at once to follow contoured or organic surfaces, like blades and impellers. Many parts only need 3+2; shops pick the right approach from your model.
Get 5-axis machining quotes
Upload a model once and compare quotes from independent 5-axis shops.
STEP · STL · IGES · DWG · DXF · PDF · and more
Uploads are secure & confidential