QuotedPartAnswers · Updated 2026-10-30
How do I price a 5-axis part compared to a 3-axis part?
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Quote the 5-axis on its own higher rate, but count what it saves: setups, workholding and the re-indicating between them. A 5-axis is cheaper only when those savings outweigh the higher rate. In the worked example, a 17-4 PH block with features on four faces needs 4 setups on a 3-axis mill and 2 on a 5-axis using 3+2 positioning. At $95/h for the 3-axis and $145/h for the 5-axis, the 3-axis is still cheaper at every quantity: $178.28 vs $209.66 each at 10. The 5-axis matches the 3-axis price at 10 pieces only once its rate is down to about $106/h. The answer changes when the 3-axis needs custom workholding, holds tight positions across faces, or can't reach a feature at all.
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The part, routed both ways
The example is a fictional 17-4 PH stainless block, 3 × 2.5 × 2 in, with tapped and drilled holes on the top, bottom, one side and one end and a 1.5 × 1 × 0.5 in side pocket, passivated. On the 3-axis every face with features is a separate setup: 4 in all, the first at the 45-minute base and each further one at half, since the program and tools are already loaded. On the 5-axis, tilting the part reaches most faces from one clamping, so the same features take 2 setups on a 60-minute base. Programming is shorter too, because there are fewer setups to plan.
Total one-time minutes fall from 237 to 204. Run time per part barely changes (35.0 vs 33.5 minutes): the spindle still removes the same stainless, and 3+2 work cuts at roughly the same feeds as 3-axis work.
| Operation | 3-axis setup | 3-axis run | 5-axis setup | 5-axis run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAM programming | 99 | 0.0 | 89 | 0.0 |
| Mill | 113 | 29.0 | 90 | 27.5 |
| Handling and tool changes, 6 lb stock | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 1.5 |
| Deburr | 5 | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 |
| Inspect | 20 | 1.0 | 20 | 1.0 |
Price at each quantity
With both machines at their starting rates, the 5-axis saves about 0.5 hours of setup per lot but pays $50 more for every hour on the spindle. At one piece the saving almost covers the difference; from 10 pieces on, run time dominates and the 3-axis wins by more each step.
| Quantity | 3-axis each | 5-axis each | Shop hours, 3-axis | Shop hours, 5-axis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $869.70 | $928.64 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| 10 | $178.28 | $209.66 | 9.8 | 9.0 |
| 50 | $119.13 | $148.07 | 33.1 | 31.3 |
| 200 | $103.58 | $129.22 | 108.2 | 103.2 |
The rate where 5-axis breaks even
Hold everything else and lower the 5-axis rate until its price equals the 3-axis price. That tells you what the setup savings are worth on this part. If your real 5-axis cost is below this rate, quote the 5-axis; if it's above, the part belongs on the 3-axis unless something else forces the 5-axis.
| Quantity | Break-even 5-axis rate | vs 3-axis rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $122/h | +28% |
| 10 | $106/h | +12% |
| 50 | $101/h | +6% |
| 200 | $100/h | +5% |
When the 5-axis wins anyway
This comparison assumes the 3-axis can do the job with plain vises and repeat setups. Real parts often break that assumption, and each of these shifts the answer toward the 5-axis:
- Custom workholding for the 3-axis. Say a $400 soft-jaw or plate workholding setup is added to the 3-axis lot: that is $400 the 5-axis doesn't pay; on a 10-piece job that's $40 a part.
- Position tolerances between faces. Every re-clamp adds stack-up error. If holes on two faces must be true to each other within a few thousandths, one 5-axis clamping can avoid an inspection fight and scrap.
- Compound angles or undercuts the 3-axis can't reach without an angle plate, or can't reach at all.
- Sculpted surfaces that need simultaneous 5-axis motion. Those aren't a choice; price them on the 5-axis with longer programming time.
- Capacity. If the 3-axis is booked three weeks out and the 5-axis is open, the lead time may be worth more to the customer than the price difference.
What to do next
Work out your own 5-axis rate from what the machine actually costs to own and run; a 5-axis isn't automatically $50 an hour more. Then, for each part that could go either way, count setups on both machines and price both. Quote the lower one, and say on the quote which machine and how many setups you assumed. QuotedPart prices a part on either routing at your own rates, so you can compare the two before you send the quote.
Assumptions behind the comparison
- • Part: a fictional 17-4 PH stainless block, 3 × 2.5 × 2 in, with tapped and drilled holes on the top, bottom, one side and one end and a 1.5 × 1 × 0.5 in side pocket, passivated.
- • 3-axis routing: one setup per face with features; 5-axis routing: 3+2 positioning, at most two setups.
- • No custom workholding on either machine; passivation at the catalog's $95 lot minimum.
- • Rates and setup minutes: QuotedPart's US starting catalog (3-axis VMC $95/h, CAM programming $95/h, deburr $55/h, inspection $75/h). Every shop replaces these with its own.
- • Markup: the catalog default of 30% on cost, with a $65 minimum per line.
- • The part is fictional and stated on the page. The numbers are what the engine computes from these inputs, not a market average or a supplier quote.
| Quantity | 3-axis lot | 5-axis lot |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $869.70 | $928.64 |
| 10 | $1,782.80 | $2,096.60 |
| 50 | $5,956.50 | $7,403.50 |
| 200 | $20,716.00 | $25,844.00 |
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- Routings, minutes, prices and break-even rates are computed by QuotedPart's pricing engine from the stated fictional block and the US starting catalog (3-axis $95/h with a 45 min setup, 5-axis $145/h with a 60 min setup). Replace them with your own rates.
Questions
Should 5-axis time be billed at a higher rate than 3-axis?
Yes, if the machine costs more to own, tool and run, which it almost always does. Work the rate out from the machine's own costs and the hours it can bill. Then let the setup count decide which machine a part goes on.
Is 3+2 work priced differently from full 5-axis?
The machine rate is the same; the programming isn't. 3+2 positioning programs like several 3-axis setups in one file. Simultaneous 5-axis surfacing takes longer to program and prove out, so give it more programming time.
Why is my 5-axis quote higher than a 3-axis shop's?
Usually because the part didn't need it. If the features sit on a few faces and tolerances are loose, a 3-axis with good vises is cheaper per hour and nearly as fast per part.
Price one of your own parts
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