CMS Athena
Key Specifications
X Travel
Y Travel
Z Travel
Max Spindle
Spindle Taper
Rapid Traverse
How much does the CMS Athena cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a cnc router in this class — not a quote from CMS. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The CMS Athena is a 5-axis CNC machining center offered in seven standard sizes, from the 2015 with 2200 mm of X and 1500 mm of Y to the 5020 with 5200 mm of X and 2000 mm of Y. Z travel is listed as 900/1200 mm, the B axis strokes ± 120° and the C axis ± 370°. CMS lists three liquid-cooled spindles for it and two control options.
X travel is 2200 mm on the 2015; 3200 mm on the 3015 and 3020; 4200 mm on the 4015 and 4020; 5200 mm on the 5015 and 5020. The four models ending in 15 have 1500 mm of Y and the three ending in 20 have 2000 mm. Rapids are X 90 m/min, Y 90 m/min and Z 60 m/min, and the B and C axes rapid at 14000 °/min. The C stroke of ± 370° is just over one full turn each way, so a pass around a part's perimeter can close on itself without a rewind, though it is still a limited axis.
The spindle choice changes the character of the machine more than the frame size does. The CX5 is rated 8,5 kW (S1) and 10 kW (S6) with 6,8 Nm; the CX5 10 is rated 10 kW (S1) and 12 kW (S6) with 8 Nm. Both run to 24000 rpm on an HSK 63F taper. The CX5 8 trades torque for speed: 40000 rpm, 8 kW (S1), 9 kW (S6) and 5,2 Nm on the smaller HSK 32E taper. With torque in single figures on every option, these are spindles for small tools at high speed, not for heavy stock removal.
The table also covers two further versions. The Athena APC comes as the 4025 and 5025, with 4370 mm or 5370 mm of X, 2500 mm of Y and 1200 mm of Z, and slower rapids of X 90 m/min, Y 60 m/min and Z 40 m/min. The Athena TR is listed as the 2015, 3015 and 4020 with the same X and Y travels as the standard models of those sizes and 900 mm of Z. If the part is longer than 5200 mm or wider than 2000 mm, the Ares is the next step, with X up to 6000 mm and Y up to 2600 mm.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Models | 2015, 3015, 4015, 5015, 3020, 4020, 5020 |
| X-Axis Travel | 2200 mm (2015); 3200 mm (3015, 3020); 4200 mm (4015, 4020); 5200 mm (5015, 5020) |
| Y-Axis Travel | 1500 mm (2015, 3015, 4015, 5015); 2000 mm (3020, 4020, 5020) |
| Z-Axis Travel | 900/1200 mm |
| B Axis Stroke | ± 120° |
| C Axis Stroke | ± 370° |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | X 90 m/min; Y 90 m/min; Z 60 m/min |
| B C Axis Rapid | 14000 °/min |
| Athena APC Models | 4025, 5025 |
| Athena APC Travel X | 4370 mm (4025); 5370 mm (5025) |
| Athena APC Travel Y | 2500 mm |
| Athena APC Travel Z | 1200 mm |
| Athena APC Rapid Traverse | X 90 m/min; Y 60 m/min; Z 40 m/min |
| Athena Tr Models | 2015, 3015, 4020 |
| Athena Tr Travel X | 2200 mm (2015); 3200 mm (3015); 4200 mm (4020) |
| Athena Tr Travel Y | 1500 mm (2015, 3015); 2000 mm (4020) |
| Athena Tr Travel Z | 900 mm |
| Spindle Motor Power | CX5: 8,5 kW (S1), 10 kW (S6); CX5 10: 10 kW (S1), 12 kW (S6); CX5 8: 8 kW (S1), 9 kW (S6) |
| Max Spindle Speed | 24000 rpm (CX5, CX5 10); 40000 rpm (CX5 8) |
| Spindle Torque | 6,8 Nm (CX5); 8 Nm (CX5 10); 5,2 Nm (CX5 8) |
| Spindle Taper | HSK 63F (CX5, CX5 10); HSK 32E (CX5 8) |
| Spindle Cooling | Liquid |
| CNC Control | OSAI or SIEMENS |
Specifications sourced from cms.it — verified 2026-10-03
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Seven standard sizes, X from 2200 mm to 5200 mm with Y of 1500 mm or 2000 mm
- Rapids of X 90 m/min, Y 90 m/min and Z 60 m/min, with B and C axes at 14000 °/min
- C axis stroke of ± 370°, enough to close a full lap around a part; B axis stroke of ± 120°
- Three liquid-cooled spindle options, including the CX5 8 at 40000 rpm on HSK 32E for very small tools
- CX5 10 spindle rated 10 kW (S1) and 12 kW (S6) with 8 Nm at up to 24000 rpm on HSK 63F
- Faster in X and Y than the Ares: 90 m/min against X/Y 80 m/min
Limitations
- Spindle torque tops out at 8 Nm (CX5 10), so heavy roughing with large cutters is outside what the listed spindles support
- The CX5 8 reaches 40000 rpm only with the small HSK 32E taper and 5,2 Nm
- Z travel is listed as 900/1200 mm without saying which models get which; the Athena TR is 900 mm only
- Athena APC rapids drop to Y 60 m/min and Z 40 m/min, against Y 90 m/min and Z 60 m/min on the standard machine
- Largest standard Y travel is 2000 mm; the Ares offers 2600 mm
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Seven standard models: 2015, 3015, 4015, 5015, 3020, 4020 and 5020. X travel is 2200 mm on the 2015; 3200 mm on the 3015 and 3020; 4200 mm on the 4015 and 4020; 5200 mm on the 5015 and 5020. Y travel is 1500 mm on the 2015, 3015, 4015 and 5015. It is 2000 mm on the 3020, 4020 and 5020.
02
Three, all liquid-cooled. The CX5 is rated 8,5 kW (S1) and 10 kW (S6) with 6,8 Nm and runs to 24000 rpm on HSK 63F. The CX5 10 has the same speed and taper with 10 kW (S1), 12 kW (S6) and 8 Nm. The CX5 8 is the high-speed option: 40000 rpm, 8 kW (S1), 9 kW (S6) and 5,2 Nm on HSK 32E.
03
The table lists them as separate versions. The standard Athena has seven sizes with Z of 900/1200 mm and rapids of X 90 m/min, Y 90 m/min and Z 60 m/min. The Athena APC is listed as the 4025 and 5025 with 4370 mm or 5370 mm of X, 2500 mm of Y, 1200 mm of Z and rapids of X 90 m/min, Y 60 m/min and Z 40 m/min. The Athena TR is listed as the 2015, 3015 and 4020 with 900 mm of Z.
04
The B axis stroke is ± 120° and the C axis stroke is ± 370°. Both rotary axes rapid at 14000 °/min. The C stroke is a little more than one turn in each direction, so it is wide but not continuous.
05
On the listed figures it comes down to size and Z. The Athena tops out at 5200 mm of X and 2000 mm of Y on the 5020, with Z of 900/1200 mm. The Ares goes to 6000 mm of X and 2600 mm of Y, with 1200 mm of Z on every model and a faster Z rapid of 70 m/min. The Athena is faster in X and Y at 90 m/min, against X/Y 80 m/min on the Ares.
Videos
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