Chip load formularpm

Instructions: Slowly dial up the RPMs on your router to the recommended maximum. Then, dial back if needed to find the “sweet spot”. The sweet spot is the speed at which the least resonant vibration is present. If the sweet spot cannot be achieved within 5,000 RPMs of the max, check the collet for residue or other debris and start over.

Chip load formulaexcel

Chip load is very important because if that chip gets too small, especially in certain materials such as plastics, the material can heat up and stick to parts and tools. If the chip size gets too big, meaning that the user attempted to remove too much of the material with that cutting tool at one time, the tool can break or part quality can be affected.

Chip load formulacnc

The chart is broken down into material and tool diameter categories. The small decimal numbers represent the amount of material each cutting edge removes per rotation.

The calculation is simple: Chip Load = Feed Rate (inches per minute) / (RPM x number of flutes). For example, if the chip load is 500 ipm / (15,000 RPM x 2 flutes) the chip load is 0.017 inches. Note: Chip loads are based on the material thickness of average size for the cutting-edge length of the tool.

Chip loadchart

Warning: Make sure the router bit is properly fastened and tightened in the router’s collet and the bit can rotate freely without any obstructions.

The recommendations do not apply to thicker material or CNC cutting tools with long cutting-edge lengths.  Chip loads are only a recommended starting point and may not accommodate all circumstances. The chart does not warranty against tool breakage.

A chip load chart is used for determining proper feed rates when cutting various materials and using various tools. It is a part of how tools perform in terms of cut quality and tool life. Click here to see a PDF of Vortex's chip-load chart.