Rownd 5X on Kickstarter: A Desktop 5-Axis CNC That Cuts on All Five Axes at Once
Features on several sides turn one part into a string of setups on a three-axis machine. Cut, unclamp, turn the stock, find zero, cut again. Five-axis machining reaches several faces from a single clamping. The Rownd 5X is a desktop 5-axis CNC that moves all five axes at once, in the base machine as well as the Pro.
Rownd Precision's first Kickstarter campaign, the Rownd CNC Lathe, collected $636,150 in pledges in 2023. The 5X joins the desktop CNC machines we have reviewed with a Ø200 × 180 mm 5-axis workpiece envelope. The Rownd 5X price on Kickstarter is $5,999 for Super Early Bird backers.
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🚀 Rownd 5X campaign: on Kickstarter until December 10, 2026
📈 At launch: $473,528 raised from 62 backers, goal $35,000
💰 Tiers: 5X Super Early Bird $5,999 (limited to 50), 5X Early Bird $6,599 (limited to 100), 5X Pro Early Bird $7,999 (limited to 150), 5X Pro Kickstarter Package $8,599 (limited to 50)
📦 Delivery: estimated June 2027 for the 5X, July 2027 for the Pro
Quick Verdict
Our verdict: 8.7/10
Who Is It For?
It suits makers and hobby machinists who design in CAD and want angled or curved parts, and startups that prototype in aluminum and brass. Schools, universities and R&D teams get a desktop 5-axis CNC sized for a bench.
Main Strengths
Simultaneous 5-axis motion with controller-side RTCP comes in both packages, so the base machine already cuts curved, multi-face parts.
The 3-axis envelope of 265 × 240 × 180 mm stays available with the trunnion installed, so switching modes takes no teardown.
One year of SOLIDWORKS Maker and a SolidCAM package prepared for this machine are included, so the first year of design and programming costs nothing extra.
The Rownd 5X Pro adds a 10-tool ISO20 automatic tool changer, so jobs that need several cutters run without a manual swap.
Each machine ships with a calibration report, plus a sphere and software to recalibrate it yourself.
Main Limitations
The automatic tool changer cannot be added after shipping, and switching to the Pro after the campaign is priced on the retail difference.
It needs an external air compressor, and a steel bench rated for 200 kg or more is recommended under a 105 kg machine (120 kg for the Pro).
The included CAD and CAM software is a one-year Maker license, with renewal estimated at about $100 a year and commercial use to confirm with Rownd.
Is the Rownd 5X Worth Backing?
Yes, for makers, small firms and schools who want five-axis parts from a desktop machine and are ready to learn CAM programming. Anyone hoping to load a model and press start should pass: stock, workholding, tools and cutting parameters still need programming. The decisive reason is 5-axis motion with RTCP in the base package: the Rownd 5X on Kickstarter.
Rownd 5X Price on Kickstarter
The Rownd 5X price on Kickstarter is $5,999 for Super Early Bird backers, limited to 50 units, against a $9,999 MSRP. The tier we recommend is the Rownd 5X Pro Early Bird at $7,999, limited to 150 units, against a $12,499 MSRP, because it adds the 10-tool ATC and its liquid-cooled spindle.
It costs $1,400 more than the 5X Early Bird at $6,599, and we think that is worth paying: switching after the campaign is priced on the MSRP difference, $2,500, and once the machine ships the ATC cannot be added at all. The Pro includes a single ISO20 holder, so filling the magazine takes the $699 ISO20 Tool Holder & Collet Set, with 10 holders and 10 collets. Shipping is extra, planned to be collected at shipment: $799 to $1,199 for the US and Canada, $399 to $499 for the EU and UK. The Rownd 5X Pro is $7,999 on Kickstarter.
What Is the Rownd 5X and What Problem Does It Solve?
Rownd 5X: A Desktop CNC Mill Built Around a Tilting, Rotating Table
The Rownd 5X is an enclosed milling machine whose workpiece tilts and turns under the spindle, on top of X, Y and Z linear travel. It switches between 3-axis milling, 3+2 indexing for angled features and simultaneous 5-axis paths, all from a 13.3-inch touchscreen.
Both packages measure 800 × 650 × 850 mm, on a monoblock A356 aluminum body that is gravity-cast, machined on five axes and checked on a CMM. It runs on 110 to 220 VAC single-phase, and noise was measured at 75 dB at 50 cm while cutting aluminum. Rownd Precision builds its machines in its own factory in Türkiye and has produced 250-plus of them. Its customers are spread across more than 45 countries.
Why Multi-Face Parts Kept Desktop Machinists Re-Clamping
Every re-clamp risks the part. On a part with holes on three faces, or a housing with an angled port, each new setup means another alignment and another chance for a setup error. Curved surfaces are harder still when the cutter can only come down from above.
Now the accessible faces come off one clamping, without setting a new work zero between faces, and where the geometry allows, a shorter, stiffer cutter reaches a feature that once called for a long one.
Rownd 5X Key Features and Specs: 5-Axis Motion, Work Envelope, Pro ATC and Software
Simultaneous 5-Axis With Controller-Side RTCP: Harmonic Reducers and Measured Repeatability
Each rotary axis runs through a 50:1 harmonic reducer with minimal backlash, on a trunnion supported at both ends. The A axis tilts from -45° to +90°, C turns continuously, and both carry motor brakes. The LinuxCNC-based controller handles RTCP itself, keeping the programmed tool-tip path as the part moves, while FPGA hardware times the axis commands.
Rownd tested repeatability over 100 repetitions at room temperature: 0.02 mm per linear axis and ≤20 arcsec on A and C. Measured RTCP deviation is ±0.06 mm. The standard tool setter repeats to 0.002 mm, and the optional wireless workpiece probe is rated at 0.001 mm repeatability.
Ø200 × 180 mm Workpiece Envelope: Larger Parts From a Desktop Footprint
In 5-axis and 3+2 work, the part must fit a cylinder 200 mm across and 180 mm tall, which Rownd calls the largest working volume in its class. That figure assumes a Ø25 mm cutter sticking out 25 mm from the collet and the supplied vise, so a longer tool or another fixture changes the clearance.
The axis travels are 275 × 250 × 215 mm, the table takes a 10 kg payload, workpiece and fixture included, and rectangular stock must fit inside the cylinder for 5-axis jobs.
Rownd 5X vs Rownd 5X Pro: 2.2 kW Spindle, 10-Tool ISO20 ATC and What the Upgrade Adds
Both packages use a 2.2 kW spindle running from 2,000 to 24,000 rpm. The 2.2 kW figure is not a continuous-duty rating, and the power and torque curves are not published. On the 5X the spindle is air-cooled and takes manual ER20 collets; on the Pro it is liquid-cooled, with its own pump, reservoir and radiator, and grips standard ISO20 holders.
The Pro's magazine holds 10 tools behind a sensor-monitored door, changes one in about 12 seconds on average, and accepts cutters up to 35 mm across and 80 mm of stick-out; the magazine leaves the work envelope unchanged. The recommended compressor is 4 hp, with a 100 L tank at 6 to 8 bar.
SolidCAM Maker and the Rownd Controller: Simulated Toolpaths and Canned Cycles
SolidCAM Maker covers 3-axis, 3+2 and simultaneous 5-axis toolpaths, with a dedicated postprocessor and machine simulation that carry the 5X's kinematics, so tool movement and collisions are checked before any material is cut, and all of it has been tested on the 5X.
At the machine, the touchscreen runs canned cycles for peck drilling, pocketing, facing and bolt circles without CAM. An enclosure camera that records jobs and time-lapses is available as an add-on, and the controller works offline. Feature updates are guaranteed for three years.
Should You Back the Rownd 5X on Kickstarter?
The Rownd 5X is a desktop 5-axis CNC for people who design and machine their own parts. The campaign's workflow runs from a model drawn in SOLIDWORKS, through toolpaths and a collision check in SolidCAM, to a finished part checked for dimensions and fit. For newcomers, the suggested starting point is simple 3-axis work before indexed and simultaneous jobs.
Rownd delivered every machine from its Rownd CNC Lathe campaign and has capped this one at 400. Super Early Bird backers pay $5,999 for the 5X against a $9,999 MSRP, though the Pro is the tier we recommend: the Rownd 5X is on Kickstarter.
FAQ about the Rownd 5X on Kickstarter
Can the Rownd 5X be upgraded to the Rownd 5X Pro later?
Only before it ships, by paying the difference, calculated on retail prices once the campaign ends. There is no ATC retrofit afterwards: the Pro needs a different spindle, a cooling system and factory assembly.
Is there a yearly fee to use the Rownd 5X?
Not for the machine: the Rownd controller carries no annual license fee. The SOLIDWORKS and SolidCAM Maker license lasts one year, and renewal is estimated at about $100 a year, subject to final terms.
What warranty comes with the Rownd 5X?
The Rownd 5X comes with a 12-month warranty and 24/7 customer service. Before replacing a major component, contact technical support so the issue can be diagnosed and the repair method agreed. Coverage for unvalidated uses, such as abrasive stone or optical glass grinding, needs explicit confirmation for the proposed setup.
Will the Rownd 5X carry CE marking for EU buyers?
Yes. The EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 applies from January 20, 2027, and units supplied to EU backers will carry the CE marking, with the EU Declaration of Conformity and the operating and safety instructions. The conformity assessment of the production machine is still to be completed, and UL and UKCA certification are not committed.
Which materials can the Rownd 5X machine?
It is intended for aluminum alloys, brass, copper and engineering plastics, and has been through trials in steel, stainless steel and titanium. Results depend on the grade, tool, setup and cooling.
Does the Rownd 5X work with Autodesk Fusion?
A dedicated 5-axis Fusion postprocessor, with a machine simulation model, is in testing and planned for delivery. Your Autodesk license must include the machining functions you use. NX CAM and Mastercam posts are planned, not yet validated.
About the Author
Jonathan
Co-Founder & Reviewer at GizmoCrowd
Jonathan is Co-Founder of GizmoCrowd and a crowdfunding strategist with over 15 years of hands-on campaign experience on Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
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