Drills- Speed and Feed Recommendations

Material

 Speed Feed Rate (I.P.R)    
  SFM 1/16" 1/8" 1/4" 1/2" 3/4"
Aluminum / Aluminum Alloys 300-600 .0008 .003 .007 .012 .015
Aluminum Alloyed Si > 10% 150-400 .0008 .002 .006 .01 .012
Soft Cast Irons 200-300 .001 .003 .005 .01 .012
Medium Cast Irons 125-225 .001 .003 .005 .008 .01
Malleable Cast Irons 65-200 .0005 .002 .004 .007 .01
Brass 200-300 .0007 .002 .003 .004 .006
Bronze 150-250 .0007 .002 .003 .004 .006
Coppers / Copper Alloys 150-300 .001 .003 .006 .01 .012
Magnesium 300-600 .001 .003 .007 .012 .015
Nickel Alloys 75-200 .001 .003 .005 .009 .012
Free Machining Stainless Steels 100-150 .001 .003 .005 .008 .012
Work Hardening Stainless Steels 50-100 .0005 .002 .004 .006 .01
Low Carbon Steels 150-300 .001 .002 .004 .007 .012
Medium Carbon Steels 100-200 .001 .002 .003 .006 .01
High Tensile (35-40 Rc) Steels 75-150 .001 .002 .003 .004 .005
High Tensile (40-45 Rc) Steels 50-100 .0007 .001 .002 .003 .004
High Tensile (45 Rc+) Steels 25-75 .0005 .0007 .001 .002 .003
Tool Steels 40-100 .001 .0015 .003 .005 .008
Soft Titanium 80-125 .001 .002 .004 .006 .01
Hard Titanium 40-100 .0007 .001 .002 .005 .008

 

Operating Parameters

To achieve optimal performance, attention must be paid to the following:

  1. Machine utilizing tooling must have necessary rigidity to minimize spindle deflection and sufficient horsepower to perform at recommended speeds and feeds.
  2. Make sure holders and collets give good concentricity between tool and machine spindle.
  3. Rigidly clamp and support workpiece to minimize deflection.
  4. Use as short a drill as the application will permit to give maximum tool rigidity.
  5. Use coolant, as recommended, to improve tool life.  Direct the flow of coolant to the cutting edges.  Insufficient or poorly directed coolant can result in poor tool life.
  6. Use the correct speeds and feeds to suit the application and material being machined.
  7. Resharpen or replace drills at first indication of cutting lip dulling or corner of cutting lip rounding.

Speeds and Feeds for Deep-Hole Drilling

  1. Holes which must be drilled three diameters deep or more fall into the "deep hole" drilling class and some adjustment of feeds and speeds is necessary.

  2. The deeper the hole, the greater the tendency there is for chips to pack and clog te flutes of the drill.  This increases the amount of heat generated and prevents the coolant from cuducting heat away from the point.  A buildup of heat at the point will eventually result in premature failure.

  3. Peck drilling, or the practice of drilling a short distance, then withdrawing the drill, will often reduce the chip packing.  The deeper the hole, the more frequent the drill must be retracted (or pecked) to be effective.

  4. A reduction in speed and feed to reduce the amount of heat is generally required in most deep-hole applications where coolant cannot be effectively applied.

Direct additional speed and feed questions to Discount-Tools.com at (714) 751-3844 or Fullerton's technical department at 1-800-248-8315.



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