Northwood Iron Horse 5
Image: northwoodmachine.com, Northwood
Key Specifications
Spindle Taper
Tool Capacity
Table Size
control
table orientations
table options
How much does the Northwood Iron Horse 5 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the Northwood Iron Horse 5 that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
Five-axis work on a sheet-sized moving table is the brief for the Northwood Iron Horse 5. It takes the table sizes of the three-axis Iron Horse 3, namely 49 x 97 in (1,245 x 2,464 mm), 61 x 121 in (1,549 x 3,073 mm) and 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm) or custom, and puts a two-axis articulating head above them.
Northwood lists nine head options, all liquid cooled. The smallest is 7 kW (9.4 hp) and the largest 50 kW (67.1 hp), with 11 kW, 15 kW, 18 kW, 20 kW, 25 kW and 42 kW steps between. That spread matters more than it first appears: a light head suits trimming thin composite or plastic parts, while the upper end is sized for heavy material removal. The head carries an A- and C-axis with outboard encoders and takes HSK63F or HSK63A tooling.
Headroom is the other change. Standard Z travel is 36 in (914 mm), with 50 in (1,270 mm) and 72 in (1,829 mm) XL upgrades. A tilted head uses up Z quickly, so check the part height plus tool length against the travel you order. The tool changer has 20 stations, and Northwood offers both stationary and dynamic tool change arrangements.
The table names a FANUC 0i-Model F Plus control with the Alpha iD servo system, and Northwood says the machine uses FANUC tool center point (TCP) kinematics and nano-smoothing. Like its three-axis relative it comes with single or twin tables in wide or narrow orientation, and the twin table version supports pendulum processing.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| CNC Control | FANUC 0i-Model F Plus with Alpha iD Servo System |
| Table Size | 49 x 97 in (1,245 x 2,464 mm), 61 x 121 in (1,549 x 3,073 mm), 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm), custom |
| Table Orientations | Single or twin (wide or narrow) |
| Table Options | Single or multiple vacuum zones, 3-standard automatic part location stops (additional available) |
| Spindle Head Option A | Head with 18 kW (24.1 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option B1 | Head with 15 kW (20.1 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option B2 | Head with 25 kW (33.5 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option B3 | Head with 42 kW (56.3 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option C1 | Head with 7 kW (9.4 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option C2 | Head with 11 kW (14.8 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option D | Head with 50 kW (67.1 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option E | Head with 25 kW (33.5 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Head Option F | Head with 20 kW (26.8 hp) liquid cooled |
| Spindle Mounted Fourth Axis | A- and C-axis with outboard encoders |
| Spindle Taper | HSK63F and HSK63A |
| Tool Capacity | 20 station |
| Adjustable Spindle Spacing | Spindle center spacing (manual or servo) or independent X/Y on multi-tool machines |
| Z Axis Travel | 36 in (914 mm) standard, 50 in (1,270 mm) upgraded, 72 in (1,829 mm) XL upgraded |
| Tool Part Probe | Standard Northwood Probe (optional Renishaw TS27R, NC4 non-contact or RMP400) |
| Vacuum Pumps | 40 hp Liquid Ring, 10 hp Dry Claw, 25 Dry Claw, 10 hp Rotary Vane, stacked system |
Specifications sourced from northwoodmachine.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Nine liquid-cooled two-axis head options from 7 kW (9.4 hp) to 50 kW (67.1 hp)
- A- and C-axis head with outboard encoders, on HSK63F or HSK63A tooling
- Z travel of 36 in (914 mm) as standard, with 50 in (1,270 mm) and 72 in (1,829 mm) upgrades
- 20-station automatic tool changer, with stationary and dynamic tool change options
- Single or twin tables, wide or narrow, with pendulum processing on the twin table version
Limitations
- The catalogued tables stop at 61 x 145 in (1,549 x 3,683 mm); the Iron Horse XL 5 starts at 144 x 96 in (3,658 x 2,438 mm)
- The table lists no line boring/drill unit, which the Iron Horse 3 offers up to 40-line
- Northwood publishes no head rotation ranges, axis speeds or spindle rpm for this model
- The 50 in (1,270 mm) and 72 in (1,829 mm) Z travels are upgrades over the 36 in (914 mm) standard
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Northwood's table lists nine two-axis heads, each with a liquid-cooled spindle: 18 kW (option A), 15 kW, 25 kW and 42 kW (options B1 to B3), 7 kW and 11 kW (C1 and C2), 50 kW (D), 25 kW (E) and 20 kW (F). The table does not say how options B2 and E, both 25 kW (33.5 hp), differ, so ask before choosing between them.
02
36 in (914 mm) as standard. Northwood lists two upgrades, 50 in (1,270 mm) and a 72 in (1,829 mm) XL version. The Iron Horse 3, on the same table sizes, has 14 in (356 mm) as standard, which shows how much of the difference between the two machines is headroom for the tilting head.
03
The specification table names a FANUC 0i-Model F Plus with the Alpha iD servo system. Northwood also states that the machine uses FANUC multi-axis tool center point (TCP) kinematics and nano-smoothing. A standard Northwood probe handles tool and part measurement, with Renishaw TS27R, NC4 non-contact and RMP400 units as options.
04
Yes. It is available with a single table or twin tables, and in a wide or a narrow orientation. Northwood points to the twin table version for pendulum processing, where the operator loads one table while the head works over the other. The narrow orientation gives loading access on three sides of the table.
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