In　five-axis　machine　tools,　a　rotary　table　is　often　used　as　a　means　for　providing　rotational　motion　and　supporting　the　workpiece.　Its　rigidity,　precision　and　carrying　capacity　is　directly　related　to　the　machining　ability　and　the　accuracy　of　the　NC　machine　tool.　Traditional　rotary　table　design　is　normally　performed　by　teams,　each　with　expertise　in　a　specific　discipline,　which　causes　excessive　iterations　and　cannot　provide　users　with　products　of　reliable　working　performance　and　bearing　capacity.　To　achieve　an　optimal　design　with　less　cost　and　better　performance,　this　paper　considers　the　mutual　interaction　of　hydrostatics　and　structure　disciplines　involved　in　the　design　of　hydrostatic　rotary　tables,　and　a　sensitivity-based　multidisciplinary　optimal　design　procedure　of　a　hydrostatic　rotary　table　is　proposed.　Sensitivity　analysis　is　adopted　to　identify　the　key　design　parameters　that　have　a　major　influence　on　the　performance　of　rotary　tables　to　improve　the　convergence　of　optimization　process.　The　constrained　multi-objective　optimization　problem　is　solved　by　using　a　particle　swarm　optimization　approach.　A　hydrostatic　rotary　table　of　a　five-axis　heavy　duty　machine　tool　is　selected　as　an　illustration　example.　The　results　show　that　the　proposed　method　can　realize　the　multidisciplinary　optimization　resulting　in　a　rotary　table　of　good　rigidity　and　bearing　capacity.