BIZOMAT MAKEOS · Manufacturing
Milling Feed, Removal Rate and Time
What feed, removal rate and cutting time follow from this setup?
Calculate table feed, steady material removal and ideal cutting time from RPM, effective teeth and feed per tooth.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Spindle speed | rpm | Actual machine setting, checked against tooling and machine limits. |
| Effective teeth | teeth | Effective cutting teeth specified for the tool, not inserts that do not contribute to feed. |
| Feed per tooth | mm/tooth | Tool supplier recommendation or proven process sheet. |
| Radial engagement | mm | Programmed engaged width; this calculation assumes constant engagement. |
| Axial depth | mm | Programmed axial cutting depth. |
| Feed travel | mm | Total distance travelled at the entered feed, including any chosen approach and overtravel. |
What each input means
Open an input to see what it is, its units, the worked example and the common mistakes, with a small diagram.
What this means: Spindle speed
- What it is
- The spindle speed of the milling cutter, as set on the machine.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in rpm: revolutions per minute. The form accepts 0.001 rpm to 1000000 rpm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 1000 rpm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Table feed is directly proportional to spindle speed, so cutting time falls as it rises.
- Get it right
- Use the actual programmed speed after any override, within tool and machine limits.
What this means: Effective teeth
- What it is
- The number of cutting edges or inserts on the cutter that each take a chip in every revolution.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in teeth: a whole number of teeth. The form accepts 1 teeth to 1000 teeth. Use a whole number. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 4 teeth as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Table feed is directly proportional to the number of teeth.
- Get it right
- Count only effective teeth; on some cutters not every insert position contributes to the feed.
What this means: Feed per tooth
- What it is
- How far the table advances for each tooth that passes through the cut, from the tool supplier or a proven process sheet.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm/tooth: mm/tooth. The form accepts 0.000001 mm/tooth to 100 mm/tooth. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 0.05 mm/tooth as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Table feed and removal rate are directly proportional to feed per tooth.
- Get it right
- This is per tooth, not per revolution; feed per revolution is feed per tooth times teeth.
What this means: Radial engagement
- What it is
- How far the cutter engages sideways into the material, measured across the feed direction (stepover or ae).
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.001 mm to 1000000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 10 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Material removal rate is directly proportional to radial engagement.
- Get it right
- It is assumed constant along the cut; it affects removal rate only, not feed or time.
What this means: Axial depth
- What it is
- How deep the cutter engages along its own axis, the programmed depth of cut (ap).
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.001 mm to 1000000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 2 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Material removal rate is directly proportional to axial depth.
- Get it right
- It affects only the removal rate; time depends on feed travel.
What this means: Feed travel
- What it is
- The total distance the cutter moves at the cutting feed, including any approach and overtravel you choose to count.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.001 mm to 1000000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 100 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Cutting time is directly proportional to feed travel.
- Get it right
- Include approach and exit if they run at cutting feed; rapid moves are not counted.
Method and formulas
- Feed = RPM × effective teeth × feed per tooth.
- Removal rate (cm³/min) = width × depth × feed ÷ 1000.
- Time (min) = feed travel ÷ feed. Example: 1000 rpm, 4 teeth and 0.05 mm/tooth gives 200 mm/min; 10 × 2 mm engagement gives 4 cm³/min; 100 mm takes 0.5 min.
Limitations
- Excludes acceleration, tool changes, air moves and engagement changes.
- Feed per tooth is not automatically maximum chip thickness. No chip-thinning correction is applied.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- milling feed
- chip load
- metal removal rate
Who it is for
- CNC programmers
- Estimators
What you get
- Table feed
- Material removal
- Cutting time
Interpreting the result
- Add non-cutting time when estimating a complete cycle and verify cutting power separately.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 1039–1058, 1087, 1153. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
- Sandvik Coromant: Milling formulas and definitions — https://www.sandvik.coromant.com/en-gb/knowledge/machining-formulas-definitions/milling-formulas-definitions
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