On a CNC machine, which axis is located parallel to the spindle?

On a CNC machine, which axis is located parallel to the spindle?

• A. X axis
• B. Y axis
• C. Z axis
• D. A axis

Answer: (C)

The spindle rotates around its own axis, so the axis that runs along the spindle is the one that is parallel to it. On a typical vertical CNC machine, that axis is the Z axis—the spindle points up and down and the Z axis moves in the same vertical direction as the spindle. The X and Y axes define the horizontal plane (left-right and front-back), while the A axis (if present) is a rotational axis around another direction and isn’t parallel to the spindle in a standard setup. So the axis parallel to the spindle is the Z axis.

The spindle rotates around its own axis, so the axis that runs along the spindle is the one that is parallel to it. On a typical vertical CNC machine, that axis is the Z axis—the spindle points up and down and the Z axis moves in the same vertical direction as the spindle. The X and Y axes define the horizontal plane (left-right and front-back), while the A axis (if present) is a rotational axis around another direction and isn’t parallel to the spindle in a standard setup. So the axis parallel to the spindle is the Z axis.