The difference between the 3 axis and 4 axis CNC router

3 axis CNC wood machine and 4 axis CNC router are both a kind of woodworking engraving machine. According to different processing requirements, it can be further divided into 3 axis, 4 axis and 5 axis CNC machines. Today, we will show you the difference between a 3 axis CNC wood machine and a 4 axis CNC router from many aspects, including its functions, differences in configuration, differences in application industries, and some considerations for choosing CNC wood router. We hope that our introduction can provide you with certain help and choose the most suitable machine for you.

The first aspect. What is a CNC router?

The 3 axis CNC wood machine is an entry-level engraving machine in the engraving machine industry. It is the most common and common engraving machine, and it is also the best-selling machine. By moving the cutter head on three axes, it can realize the functions of milling, engraving, cutting, milling, grooving and drilling of different materials. As a basic machine, it can be upgraded to other machines by adding accessories, such as multi-head CNC machines, multi-process CNC machines and 4 axis CNC router.

4 axis CNC router can generally be divided into two types: CNC routers with swing spindles and CNC rotary router. Compared with the 3 axis CNC wood machine, the main shaft of the 4 axis engraving machine can rotate 90 degrees left and right. This type of 4 axis CNC router can achieve more complex machining, not only on the plane, but also on both sides of the material through the swing of the spindle. It mainly performs some 3D processing on the workpiece.

Another 4 axis CNC machine is also called a CNC rotary router. Compared with a 3 axis CNC wood machine, you can choose to add rotating equipment on the side of the machine or on the work surface. The rotating device is mainly used for the processing of cylindrical workpieces, such as table legs, stair handrails, and is suitable for the furniture industry. The rotating equipment can be placed at any position in the X-axis or Y-axis direction of the machine according to your processing needs, and the device is flexible. In addition, the rotating device can not only be placed on the machine, but also can be operated independently of the machine, which is convenient for maintenance and transportation. This type of 4 axis CNC machine is affordable and has many functions, and is welcomed by many customers.

The second aspect. The difference in configuration?

Frame: Compared with the 3 axis engraving machine, the bed of the 4 axis engraving machine is thicker and stronger, because it needs to ensure that the machine is more stable under high-speed operation, and the machining accuracy of the machine must be ensured. At the same time, the service life of the machine is correspondingly extended.

Motor: 3 axis CNC wood machine can choose to use servo motor or stepper motor according to the customer's budget. However, for 4 axis CNC router, we generally recommend selecting servo motors above 850 watts, and they must also be equipped with a reducer. The greater the power of the motor, the greater the energy provided, which can better ensure the accuracy of the machine.

Guide rail: The commonly used guide rail sizes for engraving machines are 20mm, 25mm, and 30mm. The 3 axis engraving machine can be selected flexibly according to your needs. It is recommended to choose a size above 25 mm for the 4 axis engraving machine. The larger the size of the guide rail, the stronger the carrying capacity. The larger guide rail not only helps to increase the speed of the machine, but also improves the processing efficiency.

Control system: Ordinary 3 axis CNC wood machine can generally choose DSP, NK105 and Mach3 control systems. 4 axis engraving machine should choose Syntec, Baoyuan, Siemens and other control systems with faster processing speed and higher control accuracy.

Cooling method: 3 axis CNC wood machine generally adopts manual spray cooling and air cooling; 4 axis engraving machine adopts automatic oil mist/water mist cooling, and water mist cooling can facilitate stone processing.

The third aspect. Their applications are also different. 

The 3 axis CNC engraving machine only has three working directions of X, Y and Z axis. Because of the limitation of the working direction, it can only carry out engraving on a flat surface, and cannot realize complex hollowing and 3D engraving. If you want to realize simple plane processing and processing some simple patterns in wooden furniture, advertising and other industries, then these 3 axis machine can meet your processing requirements. For example, door panel processing, cabinet doors, solid wood doors, craft doors, craft window processing, mahjong tables, computer desks and panel furniture product auxiliary processing.

The 4 axis engraving machine has four processing directions of X, Y, Z and A axis, which can realize the processing of various 3D modeling, such as the processing of Guanyin statues, Buddha statues, Roman columns, gourds and other three-dimensional workpieces, as well as columns, based on plane carving Processing of machine armrests, chair legs, doors and window frames.

The fourth aspect. Which industries they can be applied to. 

Both 3-axis and 4-axis CNC engraving machines can be used in furniture, advertising, handicrafts, molds, construction, wood, decoration, tombstones, stone processing and other industries. The 4 axis CNC router is an upgraded version of the 3 axis CNC engraving machine. Therefore, the application range of the 4 axis CNC router is wider than that of the 3 axis CNC wood machine.

The fifth aspect. How to make specific choices? 

There are many types of engraving machines, and many users don't know how to choose. If you only want to perform simple plane processing and have a limited budget, then you can choose a basic 3 axis CNC wood machine. If you need to perform complex, three-dimensional and more refined processing, then it is recommended that you choose a 4 axis CNC machine. Let me talk about the CNC rotary router first. When the rotary device is directly placed on the worktable of the machine tool, it will not affect the processing size. The rotary device can be turned on and off at any time. It is more convenient for users to use, but it is suitable for users with small workpieces. In the second type, when the rotating device is placed on the side of the machine, the diameter of the rotating device will affect whether the gantry rises. Therefore, we need to consider the size of the workpiece and the effective processing size of the machine. According to the size of the workpiece processed by the user and the effective processing size of the machine, the placement position of the rotating device is finally determined. The third is the situation where the rotating equipment is independent of the machine tool. If the width of the machine is relatively large, greater than 2 meters, and the diameter of the rotating shaft is greater than 200 mm, it is recommended to place the rotating shaft independently. This will not affect the effective working size of the machine, and will also facilitate the packaging and transportation of the machine. The above is another case of a 4 axis CNC router with a rotating device. Next, let's talk about a 4 axis machine with a swing spindle. Because the main shaft of this kind of machine can swing left and right, the machining size in the horizontal direction will be smaller than other machines. When the main shaft swings, it will inevitably affect the machining accuracy. Therefore, the accuracy of machine parts and the accuracy of machine assembly are particularly important to reduce the error range and ensure the processing effect.

The sixth aspect. What can iGOLDENCNC provide for you? 

A full range of machine types: If you are mass production, have a large production volume and want faster work efficiency, you can choose a multi-process engraving machine and ATC CNC rouer. If you want to DIY by yourself, or use it at home, and the processed workpieces are relatively small, then we can provide you with a mini CNC router, which is simple to operate, inexpensive, and has a small footprint, suitable for amateurs. If you are mainly engaged in the processing of construction, tombstone and other stone industries, then you can choose our stone engraving machine. If you are mainly processing large three-dimensional molds, you can choose a professional EPS Foam engraving machine. In addition, as a professional engraving machine manufacturer, you can tell me your processing needs, we can provide you with customized services, and are committed to let you choose the most cost-effective machine to meet your diversified processing needs. Perfect after-sales service: We have a professional after-sales service team, professional engineers and designers, to provide you with 2 online and video after-sales services. You can contact us at any time whether you have any questions about the machine in the early stage, or installation, operation, repair, maintenance, etc. In addition, we have a professional technical team. If conditions permit, we can go to your country and solve any problems related to CNC engraving machine face to face for you. If you want to know more about CNC machine, please feel free to contact us.