Variaxis i-500

Mazak Variaxis i-500 Capabilities, Applications & Regional Support

The Mazak Variaxis i-500 is available from A.W. Miller Technical Sales throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Southern New Jersey, and Quebec. As an authorized Mazak distributor, we provide applications engineering, installation, training, and factory-certified service. Our team supports manufacturers implementing simultaneous 5-axis machining for complex, high-precision components.  

The Mazak Variaxis i-500 is a simultaneous 5-axis vertical machining center designed to machine complex contours, angled features, and multiple part faces within a single setup for workpieces up to Ø19.69” (500 mm) in diameter and 11.81” (300 mm) in height. Its rigid trunnion-style rotary table provides rapid B-axis (-120° to +30°) and C-axis (360°) positioning and contouring, allowing the cutting tool to maintain an effective orientation to the workpiece throughout complex toolpaths. By reducing part repositioning and fixture changes, the Variaxis i-500 helps maintain dimensional relationships between critical features while supporting efficient roughing, finishing, drilling, and high-speed contouring operations with standard 12,000 RPM or optional 18,000 RPM high-speed spindles.

Applications

The Mazak Variaxis i-500 is commonly used to manufacture:

• Aerospace brackets and critical structural components
• Multi-vane impellers and small bladed components
• Medical implants and orthopedic bone plates
• Complex hydraulic manifolds requiring cross-hole alignment
• High-tolerance pump and valve components
• Precision mold inserts and die components
• Complex aerospace-grade aluminum housings
• Automotive powertrain prototype components
• Semiconductor vacuum equipment components
• High-precision multi-surface production fixtures

Why Manufacturers Choose the Mazak Variaxis i-500

Maintain Feature-to-Feature Accuracy

Machining multiple faces within a single setup reduces the accumulation of positioning error that can occur when a workpiece is transferred between fixtures or separate machines.  

Control Complex Tool Orientation

Simultaneous movement across the linear and rotary axes allows the cutting tool to follow complex contours while maintaining the precise tool angle required for intricate surfaces, deep undercuts, and compound features.

Reduce Workpiece Repositioning

Access to multiple sides of a component minimizes manual part handling and additional custom fixturing, shortening the process chain for parts that would otherwise require several separate operations.

Improve Machining of Contoured Surfaces

Continuous 5-axis motion allows more consistent tool engagement across complex surfaces, supporting accurate contour generation and vastly improved surface finish on demanding part geometries.