Tabbing — CNC Tabs & 5 Axis Tabs Planner
Makistry's Tabbing tool is a tab planner for 5 axis CNC machining. Upload a STEP file and it plans the CNC tabs that keep the part attached to its stock through a single operation, so the part can be broken out afterwards — break-out tabs without the guesswork.
What is tabbing?
Tabbing leaves small tabs of material connecting a part to its stock while it is machined, so the part stays held without a vise or fixture, then the tabs are cut or broken to free the part. Good tab placement matters: tabs must hold the part rigidly, be reachable by the tool, and be easy to remove.
How the tab planner works
- Upload your STEP (.step/.stp) file.
- Makistry plans 5 axis tabs for single-operation break-out.
- Review the tab plan in an interactive 3D viewer.
- If a part cannot be tabbed safely, the planner says so rather than guessing.
Built for CNC workholding with tabs
- CNC tabs planned automatically for 5 axis machining.
- Single-operation break-out — one setup, tabs hold the part until it is released.
- Tabbing as CNC workholding: no custom fixture to design.
- Also see Window Framing, where the part is held in a frame of its own stock by tabs.
Frequently asked questions
- What are CNC tabs?
- CNC tabs are small bridges of material left between a part and its surrounding stock during machining so the part stays held in place. They are cut or broken afterwards to release the part.
- What are 5 axis tabs?
- 5 axis tabs are tabs planned for 5 axis machining, where the tool can reach the part from many directions so the whole part can be cut in a single operation while tabs hold it in the stock.
- What does the Makistry tab planner do?
- You upload a STEP file; Makistry plans break-out tabs for single-operation 5 axis machining and shows the plan in 3D. If a part cannot be tabbed safely, the planner tells you instead of guessing.
- What file formats are supported?
- STEP (.step / .stp) CAD files are supported for soft jaw, fixture, and workholding generation.