Konfigurasi khusus bagi mesin mesin CNC lima paksi menentukan mana dari tiga paksi putaran yang ia gunakan, dan ia boleh mempunyai kombinasi arbitrari AB, AC, atau BC, bergantung kepada jenis mesin lima paksi. Jenis biasa termasuk mesin paksi telinga dan mesin putar.

Ear axis machines operate on the A axis (rotating around the X axis) and C axis (rotating around the Z axis), while rotary machines operate on the B axis (rotating around the Y axis) and C axis (rotating around the Z axis). The rotation axis in ear axis machines is indicated by the movement of the worktable, while rotary machines indicate their rotation axis by rotating the spindle.