Northwood Iron Horse Compact 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 Compact 5 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the Northwood Iron Horse Compact 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
Columns, stair parts and pillars are what Northwood had in mind for the Iron Horse Compact 5, a fully enclosed five-axis traveling gantry with a single 146 x 61 in (3,708 x 1,549 mm) work zone. It is the one Iron Horse aimed at long solid parts instead of sheets.
The frame is the unusual part. Northwood turns the bridge 90 degrees so that it spans the short side of the table. A shorter span deflects less under the same load, and Northwood gives that as the reason the machine can be both smaller and stiffer. The whole work zone sits inside an enclosure reached through sliding doors, which keeps the dust and chips from heavy carving in one place.
Above the table is a two-axis head from the same list of nine liquid-cooled options the other Northwood five-axis machines use, from 7 kW (9.4 hp) to 50 kW (67.1 hp), on HSK63F or HSK63A tooling. Z travel is 36 in (914 mm), with 50 in (1,270 mm) and 72 in (1,829 mm) upgrades, and the tool changer has 20 stations as standard. The control is a FANUC 31iB5 Plus with the Alpha iD servo system.
A sixth axis is the option that defines this model. It is a rotary indexer that turns the workpiece a full 360 degrees inside the envelope, so a square or wreathed column can be finished on all sides in one setup. Without it the machine is a five-axis gantry working from above and from the sides the head can reach.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| CNC Control | FANUC 31iB5 Plus with Alpha iD servo system |
| Table Size | 146 x 61 in (3,708 x 1,549 mm), custom |
| Table Orientations | Wide |
| 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 (most configurations) |
| Spindle Taper | HSK63F and HSK63A |
| Tool Capacity | 20 station (standard) |
| 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
- Bridge turned 90 degrees to span the short side of the 146 x 61 in (3,708 x 1,549 mm) table
- Fully enclosed work zone with sliding doors to contain dust and chips
- Optional sixth-axis rotary indexer turns the part a full 360 degrees for all-sides machining in one setup
- Z travel of 36 in (914 mm) as standard, upgradable to 50 in (1,270 mm) or 72 in (1,829 mm)
- FANUC 31iB5 Plus control and a 20-station tool changer as standard
Limitations
- One work zone in the wide orientation only; no twin table version is listed, unlike the Iron Horse 5
- The sixth-axis rotary indexer is an option, not part of the base machine
- Northwood notes the A- and C-axis with outboard encoders for most configurations, not all, so confirm it for the head you choose
- No axis speeds, spindle rpm or indexer capacity are published for this model
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
It is an optional rotary indexer for the workpiece. Northwood says it lets you machine all sides of a part in one setup by rotating it a full 360 degrees within the work envelope, and gives wreathed and square columns as examples. The product page shows the machine in a 5-axis and a 6-axis version; the specification table is the same for both.
02
The table row gives 146 x 61 in (3,708 x 1,549 mm), with custom sizes available, and Northwood describes it in round terms as a 5-foot by 12-foot worktable. It is a single zone in the wide orientation with single or multiple vacuum zones and three automatic part location stops as standard.
03
So that it crosses the short dimension of the table. Northwood states that the bridge spans a shorter distance as a result, which makes the structure sturdier, and that the frame allows a smaller footprint than the other machines in the Iron Horse series.
04
The table lists nine two-axis heads with liquid-cooled spindles: 18 kW, 15 kW, 25 kW, 42 kW, 7 kW, 11 kW, 50 kW, a second 25 kW option and 20 kW. Tooling is HSK63F or HSK63A. Northwood adds that the A- and C-axis come with outboard encoders on most configurations.
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