Cutting tool manufacturers publish the general feeds and speeds and recommended usage for the application. That is often a good place to start for recommendations on tool selection and feeds/speeds, but best practice is to work directly with a cutting tool expert at your machine.

At Martin, we pride ourselves on understanding feeds and speeds and optimizing them for our customers. Our Metalworking Team is ready to share their expertise and find custom-tailored solutions that fit your needs. To learn more about how we can help you maximize the profitability of your machine shop, contact your Martin Sales Rep or call 800.828.8116.

Materials will run better at specific SFMs. SFM is a constant, with RPM as a variable based upon cut diameter.  When the SFM constant is known for a specific material, the formulas below can be used to determine spindle speed:

Feed rate is the velocity at which the cutter is advanced along the work-piece. Feed rate is expressed as units of distance (inch) per minute or per single revolution.

The Quick Max at 52″ long is our most popular long reach tool featuring a pre-bent shape that makes is usable in most situations without any further modification.

Most CNC lathes have Constant Surface Speed (CSS) to counteract the natural decrease in surface speed. This speeds up the spindle as the tool moves closer to the turning axis. By utilizing CSS the lathe is adjusting the revolutions per minute to maintain a constant surface speed at every distance from the center.

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Cutting speed is the speed that the material moves past the cutting edge of the tool. Cut speed can be defined as revolutions per minute (RPM) or as surface feet per minute (SFM).

Through Martin’s Tool Analysis Program, companies can find ways to improve their processes and make sure they’re getting the most out of their products.

For example, if two round pieces of different sizes are turning at the same revolutions per minute, the larger piece will have a greater surface speed because it has a larger circumference and has more surface area. As the tool gets further into a workpiece, the same spindle speed will produce a decreasing surface speed. This is because each revolution represents a smaller circumferential distance, but takes the same amount of time.

Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) relates directly to the speed, or velocity, of the spindle. It represents the number of turns completed in one minute around a fixed axis. RPM maintains the same revolutions per minute throughout the entire operation.

CNC machining is the backbone of many manufacturers’ processes. Unfortunately, they are also a major cost center and can be a bottleneck when it comes to getting the product quickly through the plant. Far too often we find that a company has invested in quality inserts and tooling, but is not running them at the proper feeds and speeds.

Feeds and speeds refer to two separate velocities for machine tools: feed rate and cutting speed. They are often considered as a pair because of their combined effect on the cutting process.

Surface Feet Per Minute (SFM) is a combination of the cut diameter and RPM. The faster the spindle turns, and/or the larger the part diameter, the higher the SFM.