--- title: CNC Machining Blog | Hurco CNC Machine Tools | WinMax Conversational Programming (4) description: WinMax Conversational Programming | Welcome to the Hurco CNC machine tool blog. Subscribe for weekly posts on high-speed and 5-axis machining, workholding, the latest control technologies, plus Hurco tips-and-tricks…just to name a few. (4) --- # CNC Machining Blog - Tips and Tricks for Machinists Welcome to the Hurco CNC machine tool blog. Subscribe for weekly posts on high-speed and 5-axis machining, workholding, the latest control technologies, plus Hurco tips-and-tricks…just to name a few. Browse by All Manufacturing Industry Insights CNC Control & Software Milling WinMax Conversational Programming 5-Axis Machining NC / G-Code Programming CAD/CAM / Post Processor Hurco Turning Lathe Tooling Mill Tooling control technology High Speed Machining Mold Making Tool & Die Prototype Machining Workholding Automation Aerospace & Defense Hurco History cnc lathe turning center cnc machining entrepreneur history of machining 3d dxf Automotive Gerald Roch Hurco50 Indiana business Mr. Roch US Navy USS Indiana Vintage Hurco conversational cnc control conversational programming customer dxf dxf transfer hurco cnc indy inventions inventor manufacturing history 2-axis shearing machine 2d dxf 3D Import AI Artificial Intelligence COVID-19 Circle Segment Cutters Compu-cut Coronavirus Ed Humston Energy Hurco 50th Anniversary Hurco US Navy IRS Make48 Medical NHRA PRI Show Purdue Polytechnic Anderson Youth in Manufacturing autobend cnc mill depreciation federal income tax future history of Hurco how its made indycar racing rigid robust section 179 smart machining tax deduction vmx y-axis ## Posts about WinMax Conversational Programming (4): ![5-Axis machining: It just ain’t that scary](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-21206611-jpg/images/5-axis_simplified_1.jpg) [5-Axis Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/5-axis-machining) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [NC / G-Code Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/nc-g-code-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) [Manufacturing Industry Insights](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/manufacturing-industry-insights) ### 5-axis won't bite For some reason, [5-axis machining](https://info.hurco.com/en-us/5-axis-cnc-machining-5-sided-full-5-axis-with-hurco?utm_source=Catch-All-Vanity&utm_medium=URL&utm_campaign=5-Axis&utm_content=Unleash-Your-True-Potential) scares people. While talking with people at trade shows, or when discussing the potential of a customer’s parts being a good fit for 5-sided machining, you can just see an uneasy feeling begin to overwhelm them and fear begin to well up in their eyes. The mere thought of all of those axes moving at one time sends them wanting to run for the hills. But if we take the time to look at it logically and break it down to what is really happening, it isn’t scary at all! ![Programming 3D Geometry without CAD/CAM Software](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-20450221-jpg/images/3d_mold_5.jpg) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [NC / G-Code Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/nc-g-code-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) [CAD/CAM / Post Processor](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cadcam-post-processor) [Tool & Die](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/tool-die) [Mold Making](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/mold-making) [Prototype Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/prototype-machining) For many years, Hurco has offered an easy conversational solution for programming simple 3D geometries at the control, without the need for expensive CAD/CAM software. With today’s WinMax control, it’s even easier and more powerful than ever before! ![5-Axis Return on Investment Worksheet](https://blog.hurco.com/hubfs/ROI%20-%20Text%20in%20Blue%20Color%20on%20Dark%20Digital%20Background..jpeg) [5-Axis Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/5-axis-machining) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [Manufacturing Industry Insights](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/manufacturing-industry-insights) If the past few years have taught us anything, it's that the addition of 5-axis technology can positively impact a company’s bottom line, even in shops that only run "3-axis work." On average, shops who take advantage of this technology have seen improvements of 20% to 30% in efficiency. Imagine what would a 20% to 30% reduction in cycle time and setup time on a part that you are already running in your shop would mean to you. ![Hurco NC Merge: Programming software combines best of both worlds](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-29197081-jpg/images/nc_merge_1-resized-600.jpg) [5-Axis Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/5-axis-machining) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [NC / G-Code Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/nc-g-code-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) Hurco is well known for its powerful and easy-to-use conversational software, and for 2D and simple 3D geometries, the WinMax conversational control simply can’t be beat. But what about those jobs that share both simple 2D features and complicated 3D shapes that can only be programmed using CAD/CAM software? Hurco has an answer for that as well. ![Reduce Programming Time with Enhanced Corner Geometry: CNC Control](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-29190818-jpg/images/ehnanced-frame-corners-(1).jpg) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) In the past, when using the [Hurco control](https://www.hurco.com/en-us/products/Pages/WinMax-our-cnc-control.aspx) to program rectangular shaped geometries in which the four corners weren’t square or didn’t all have the same size radii, the feature needed to be programmed using a "MILLING LINES & ARCS" data block. However, thanks to the advancement of [WinMax® mill software](https://www.hurco.com/en-us/products/Pages/WinMax-our-cnc-control.aspx), this obstacle is now a thing of the past. ![Modify Dimensions: Multi-block dimension changes with one quick edit](https://blog.hurco.com/hubfs/Hurco%20WinMax%20MODIFY%20DIMENSION%20thumb.jpg) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) Have you ever needed to make the same dimensional change to multiple conversational blocks in the same program and cringed at the thought of tediously changing them one at a time? Well, cringe no more! Hurco’s Modify Dimension function makes this a simple task. ![Hurco operators can measure reference dimensions using graphics screen](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-29195127-jpg/images/measuring_with_graphics.jpg) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) When programming a part, we often need measurement data that just isn’t on the print. Short of some very involved trigonometry, or redrawing and analyzing the part in a CAD system, there hasn't been a good way to find these reference dimensions… until now! ![The Hurco blog - an introduction](https://blog.hurco.com/hs-fs/file-29195441-jpg/images/mike.jpg) [Energy](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/energy) [Aerospace & Defense](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/aerospace-defense) [Medical](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/medical) [Automotive](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/automotive) [5-Axis Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/5-axis-machining) [WinMax Conversational Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming) [NC / G-Code Programming](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/nc-g-code-programming) [Milling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/milling) [CNC Control & Software](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cnc-control-software) [Manufacturing Industry Insights](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/manufacturing-industry-insights) [Mill Tooling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/mill-tooling) [Workholding](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/workholding) [Turning](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/turning) [Lathe Tooling](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/lathe-tooling) [CAD/CAM / Post Processor](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/cadcam-post-processor) [Tool & Die](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/tool-die) [Mold Making](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/mold-making) [Prototype Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/prototype-machining) [High Speed Machining](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/high-speed-machining) [Automation](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/automation) ​Hello, and welcome to the Hurco blog. I will be updating and posting something new each week on a variety of different subject matter: high-speed and 5-axis machining, workholding, the latest control technologies, and Hurco tips-and-tricks…just to name a few. [ Prev ](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/3) [1](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/1) [2](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/2) [3](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/3) [4](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/4) [ Next ](https://blog.hurco.com/topic/winmax-conversational-programming/page/5) ### Subscribe to the Machinists Blog Copyright © 2026, Hurco Companies, Inc. ![](https://secure.pass8heal.com/222100.png)