Chiron FZ 16S Five Axis
Image: chiron-group.com, Chiron
Key Specifications
X Travel
Y Travel
Z Travel
Max Spindle
Spindle Taper
Tool Capacity
How much does the Chiron FZ 16S Five Axis cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a 5-axis machining center in this class — not a quote from Chiron. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The Chiron FZ 16S Five Axis is a single-spindle five-axis machining center with 660 × 680 × 500 mm of linear travel, and its data sheet stands out for tooling reach: tools up to 450 mm long and 10.0 kg, in a chain magazine of 42 – 162 pockets. The HSK-A63 spindle is listed at 12,500 – 20,000 rpm with 86 – 208 Nm.
Tool length matters more in five-axis work than in three-axis work. When the part is tilted, the cutter often has to reach past the fixture or down the side of a tall workpiece, and a 450 mm allowance leaves room for extended holders and long-reach drills. The trade-off shows in Z: a long tool takes its length out of the 500 mm of vertical travel, so check the tallest setup with the longest tool in the spindle.
The sheet rows shown here stop at the linear axes and the tool changer. Swivel range, rotary table size and table load are not among them, and those are the figures that decide which parts can be tilted, so they need to be requested for the exact five-axis configuration.
Diameter limits are 78 mm with every pocket occupied and 160 mm when the pockets on either side are left free. A face mill or boring head near the upper limit therefore costs three magazine places. Chip-to-chip time is 2.4 s, and the linear axes rapid at 75 m/min.
Against the FZ 18 S Five Axis the trade is plain in the tables: that machine has 730 mm of X and 630 mm of Z, but its basket changer holds 12 or 20 tools with limits of about 220 mm and 5.0 kg.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tool Changer | Chain magazine |
| X-Axis Travel | 660 mm |
| Y-Axis Travel | 680 mm |
| Z-Axis Travel | 500 mm |
| Chip to Chip Time | 2.4 s |
| Spindle Count | 1 |
| Max Spindle Speed | 12,500 – 20,000 rpm |
| Spindle Torque | 86 – 208 Nm |
| Spindle Taper | HSK-A63 |
| Tool Capacity | 42 – 162 |
| Max Tool Diameter (full magazine) | 78 mm |
| Max Tool Diameter (adjacent pockets empty) | 160 mm |
| Max Tool Length | 450 mm |
| Max Tool Weight | 10.0 kg |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | 75 – 75 – 75 m/min (X – Y – Z) |
| Axis Acceleration | 10 – 7 – 8 m/s² (X – Y – Z) |
Specifications sourced from chiron-group.com — verified 2026-10-03
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Tool length up to 450 mm and tool weight up to 10.0 kg, useful for reaching around tilted parts
- Chain magazine sized from 42 to 162 tools, so sister tools and long-reach duplicates stay loaded
- HSK-A63 spindle with listed speeds of 12,500 – 20,000 rpm and torque of 86 – 208 Nm
- Near-square linear envelope: 660 mm in X and 680 mm in Y with 500 mm of Z
Limitations
- The sheet rows list no swivel range, rotary table diameter or table load for the five-axis setup
- Tools wider than 78 mm need both adjacent pockets empty, up to the 160 mm limit
- Chip-to-chip time of 2.4 s, against 1.7 s on the FZ 18 S Five Axis basket changer
- 500 mm of Z is shared between the workpiece, the fixture and tools that can be 450 mm long
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
The rows of Chiron's data sheet are the same for both pages: 660 × 680 × 500 mm of travel, an HSK-A63 spindle at 12,500 – 20,000 rpm and a chain magazine of 42 – 162 tools. The rows do not show what the five-axis equipment adds in swivel range, table size or load, so ask for those figures with the quotation.
02
Up to 450 mm long and 10.0 kg. Diameter is limited to 78 mm when the neighbouring pockets are occupied and 160 mm when they are empty. Long tools reduce the usable part of the 500 mm Z travel, which matters most when a tilted part sits high above the table.
03
The chain magazine is listed at 42 – 162 tools, the size depending on the version ordered. A tool change takes 2.4 s chip to chip. Oversize tools up to 160 mm in diameter block the pockets on both sides, so the usable count drops when many large cutters are loaded.
04
On listed torque the FZ 18 S Five Axis is the stronger machine, with 140 – 290 Nm and 10,500 – 15,000 rpm against 86 – 208 Nm and 12,500 – 20,000 rpm here. The FZ 16S Five Axis has the faster spindle range and the far larger magazine, which favours finishing and parts with many features.
05
Rapid traverse is 75 m/min on X, Y and Z. Acceleration is 10 m/s² in X, 7 m/s² in Y and 8 m/s² in Z. The sheet rows give no speeds or accelerations for the rotary axes, which often set the pace in simultaneous five-axis cutting.
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