The axis configuration is decided by the geometry you need to cut. Here is how the three configurations compare.
The axis configuration is decided by the geometry you need to cut — not by budget alone. A 3-axis machine cuts a vertical profile through flat material. A 5-axis machine can angle the head, which changes what is possible at the edge and, on some work, whether the part can be made at all.
The table below compares the three configurations against the work each of them is normally asked to do. Read down the column for the configuration you are considering, and across the rows for the work you actually have.
| Requirement | 3 Axis | AB 5 Axis | AC 5 Axis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 2D profiles | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stone inlay & mosaic | — | Optimised | Yes |
| Medallions & decorative patterns | — | Optimised | Yes |
| Controlled-angle cutting | — | Yes | Yes |
| Bevel cutting | Limited | Yes | Optimised |
| Complex contours | — | Yes | Optimised |
| Advanced angle work | — | Limited | Optimised |
| Precision metal parts | — | Limited | Optimised |
3 Axis — for straight 2D profiles on flat material, where the cut stays vertical and the outline is the whole job. It is the simplest configuration of the three and the one that covers countertops, panels and flat parts with no edge angle. See the 3 Axis machine.
AB 5 Axis — the head articulates from 0 to 15° and compensates for taper. That range is what makes inlay and mosaic possible: the cut face stays perpendicular through the section, so the joint between two stones closes along its length. It also covers shallower controlled angles. See the AB 5 Axis machine.
AC 5 Axis — 0 to 65° of head swing, so bevels, mitres, chamfers and angled details are cut in the same setup as the outline. On the AC 5-axis platform the catalog figures are ±0.1 mm cutting accuracy, ±0.01 mm repeatability and ±0.025 mm positioning. See the AC 5 Axis machine.
Send us the drawing and the material. We will tell you which configuration the geometry calls for, and which platform size fits it.
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