Speed & Feed Rates
Recommended Cutting Speeds in Feet per Minute
| Material Tool Steels |
Hardness, HB* | Material Condition* |
Cutting Speed, fpm | ||
| Drilling | Reaming | ||||
| HSS | HSS | Carbide | |||
| Water Hardening | |||||
| W1, W2, W5 | 150-209 | A | 85 | 35 | 200 |
| Shock Resisting | |||||
| S1, S2, S5, S6, S7 | 175-225 | A | 50 | 35 | 175 |
| Cold Work, Oil Hardening |
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| O1, O2, O6, O7 | 175-225 | A | 45 | 30 | 150 |
| Cold Work, High Carbon High | |||||
| Chromium, D2, D3, D4, D5, D7 | 200-250 | A | 30 | 20 | 80 |
| Cold Work, Air Hardening | |||||
| A2, A3, A8, A9, A10 | 210-250 | A | 50 | 35 | 150 |
| A4, A6 | A | 45 | 30 | 125 | |
| A7 | A | 30 | 20 | 100 | |
| Hot Work, Chromium Type |
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| H10, H11, H12, H13, H14, H19 | 150-200 | A | 60 | 40 | 200 |
| 200-250 | A | 50 | 30 | 150 | |
| 325-375 | Q and T | 30 | 20 | 100 | |
| Hot Work, Tungsten Type |
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| H21, H22, H23, H24, H25, H26 | 150-200 | A | 55 | 35 | 150 |
| 200-250 | A | 40 | 25 | 125 | |
| Hot Work, Molybdenum Type |
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| H41, H42, H43 | 150-200 | A | 45 | 30 | 150 |
| 200-250 | A | 35 | 20 | 125 | |
| Special Purpose, Low Alloy |
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| L2, L3, L6 | 150-200 | A | 60 | 40 | 200 |
| Mold | |||||
| P2, P3, P4, P5, P6 | 100-150 | A | 75 | 50 | 225 |
| P20, P21 | 150-200 | A | 60 | 40 | 200 |
| High-Speed Steel |
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| M1, M2, M6, M10, T1, T2, T6 | 200-250 | A | 45 | 30 | 150 |
| M3-1, M4, M7, M30, M33, M34, M36, M41, M42, M43, M44, M46, M47, T5, T8 |
225-275 | A | 35 | 20 | 100 |
| T15, M3-2 | 225-275 | A | 25 | 15 | 80 |
| Material Stainless Steels |
Hardness, HB* | Material Condition* |
Cutting Speed, fpm | ||
| Drilling | Reaming | ||||
| HSS | HSS | Carbide | |||
| Free Machining Stainless Steel | |||||
| Ferritic 430F, 430F Se | 135-185 | A | 90 | 60 | 250 |
| Austenitic 203EZ, 303, 303 Se, 303 MA, 303 Pb, 303 Cu, 303 Plus X |
135-185 | A | 85 | 55 | 225 |
| 225-275 | CD | 70 | 45 | 200 | |
| Martensitic 416, 416 Se, 416 Plus X, 420F, 420F Se, 440F, 440F Se | 135-185 | A | 90 | 60 | 250 |
| 185-240 | CD | 70 | 45 | 200 | |
| 275-325 | Q and T | 40 | 25 | 150 | |
| 375-425 | Q and T | 20 | 10 | 80 | |
| Stainless Steels |
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| Ferritic 405, 409, 429, 430, 434, 436, 442, 445, 502 | 135-185 | A | 65 | 45 | 200 |
| Austenitic 201, 202, 301, 302, 304, 304L, 305, 308, 321, 347, 348 | 135-185 | A | 55 | 35 | 150 |
| 225-275 | CD | 50 | 30 | 125 | |
| Austenitic 302B, 309, 309S, 310, 310S, 314, 316, 316L, 317, 330 | 135-185 | A | 50 | 30 | 150 |
| Martensitic 403, 410, 420, 501 | 135-175 | A | 75 | 50 | 225 |
| 175-225 | A | 65 | 45 | 200 | |
| 275-325 | Q and T | 40 | 25 | 125 | |
| 375-425 | Q and T | 25 | 15 | 80 | |
| Martensitic 414, 431 Greek Ascoloy |
225-275 | A | 50 | 30 | 150 |
| 275-325 | Q and T | 40 | 25 | 125 | |
| 375-425 | Q and T | 25 | 15 | 80 | |
| Martesitic, 440A, 440B, 440C | 225-275 | A | 45 | 30 | 125 |
| 275-325 | Q and T | 40 | 25 | 100 | |
| 375-425 | Q and T | 20 | 10 | 75 | |
| Precipitation Hardening 15-5PH, 17-4PH, 17-7Ph, 17-14Cu Mo, AF-71, AFC-77, AM-350, AM-355, AM-362, Custom 455, HNM, PH13-8, PH14-8Mo, PH15-7Mo, Stainless W |
150-200 | A | 50 | 30 | 150 |
| 275-325 | H | 45 | 25 | 125 | |
| 325-375 | H | 35 | 20 | 75 | |
| 375-425 | H | 20 | 10 | 50 | |
| Material Copper Alloys (Copper Alloy Nos. as per the Copper Development Assn. Inc.) |
Material Condition* |
Cutting Speed, fpm | ||
| Drilling | Reaming | |||
| HSS | HSS | HSS | ||
| 314 Leaded Commercial Bronze 332 High Leaded Brass 340 Medium Leaded Brass 342 High Leaded Brass 353 High Leaded Brass 356 Extra High Leaded Brass 360 Free Cutting Brass 370 Free Cutting Muntz Metal 377 Forging Brass 385 Architectural Bronze 485 Leaded Naval Brass 544 Free Cutting Phosphor Bronze |
A | 160 | 160 | 320 |
| CD | 175 | 175 | 360 | |
| 226 Jewelry Bronze 230 Red Brass 240 Low Brass 260 Cartridge Brass 70% 268 Yellow Brass 280 Muntz Metal 335 Low Leaded Brass 365 Leaded Muntz Metal 368 Leaded Muntz Metal 443 Admiralty Brass (inhibited) 445 Admiralty Brass (inhibited) 651 Low Silicon Bronze 655 High Silicon Bronze 675 Manganese Bronze 687 Aluminum Brass 770 Nickel Silver 796 Leaded Nickel Silver |
A | 120 | 110 | 250 |
| CD | 140 | 120 | 275 | |
| 102 Oxygen Free Copper 110 Electrolytic Tough Pitch Copper 122 Phosphorus Deoxidized Copper 170 Beryllium Copper 172 Beryllium Copper 175 Beryllium Copper 210 Guilding 95% 220 Commercial Bronze 502 Phosphor Bronze 1.25% 510 Phosphor Bronze 5% 521 Phosphor Bronze 8% 524 Phosphor Bronze 10% 614 Aluminum Bronze 706 Copper Nickel 10% 715 Copper Nickel 30% 745 Nickel Silver 752 Nickel Silver 754 Nickel Silver 757 Nickel Silver |
A | 60 | 50 | 180 |
| CD | 65 | 60 | 200 | |
Recommended material for
| Hole Diameter | Material Left (Diameter) |
|---|---|
| .090-.170 | .005-.010 |
| .171-.280 | .008-.012 |
| .281-.880 | .010-.016 |
| .881-2.50 | .015-.030 |
Feeds for Drilling
| Feeds | Diameter |
|---|---|
| .001-.003 IPR | .1250 or less |
| .002-.006 IPR | .1250-.250 |
| .004-.010 IPR | .250-.500 |
| .007-.015 IPR | .500-1.00 |
| .010-.025 IPR | 1.00 and up |
Metric-to-Standard Conversion Formula (millimeters to inches)
mm 4 25.4 = inches
Example:
12.70 mm 4 25.4 = .500 inches
Calculating Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) from Surface Footage (SFPM) Diameter
12 x SFPM = RPM
p x diameter
Speeds and Feeds
.002 – .003 per flute per revolution
.0025 x number of flutes
= inches per revolution