There are two main motion modes of a five-axis machining center: five-axis linkage and five-axis positioning machining.
Five-axis linkage: This is a true five-axis machining center mode, in which five axes (three linear axes and two rotary axes) can be simultaneously linked. This mode allows the machining tool to be positioned and connected in five degrees of freedom, and is suitable for machining parts with complex geometric shapes. Five-axis linkage machining can improve machining efficiency, especially when different sides of the workpiece can be machined without changing the position of the workpiece on the machine tool. This mode is common in the aerospace field and is used to machine body parts with free-form surfaces, turbine parts, and impellers, etc. 1.
Five-axis positioning machining: Also known as a five-axis machine tool in 3+2 mode, it is actually a five-axis three-linkage situation, that is, two rotary axes are used for rotational positioning, and only three axes can be simultaneously linked for machining. In this mode, although it is nominally five-axis, in fact only three axes are performing machining operations at the same time, and the other two axes mainly play a positioning function. This mode is suitable for machining impellers, molds, complex pentahedrons and other parts23.
In summary, the motion mode of the five-axis machining center can be divided into true five-axis linkage and nominal five-axis positioning machining (actually five-axis three-axis linkage). The former achieves high-precision machining of complex parts through the synchronous movement of all five axes, while the latter achieves a certain degree of complex parts machining through the linkage of three axes and the positioning of two axes.