PCD Endmill Speeds and Feeds

2 Flute PCD Tipped Endmill

The speeds, feeds, and chip loads listed above are intended as general starting recommendations for PCD cutting tools. Actual cutting conditions may vary depending on workpiece material, tool geometry, machine rigidity, and application requirements.

For depth of cut, a radial engagement of 50% of the cutter diameter and an axial depth of cut of 1.5 times the cutter diameter may be used as general starting guidelines, depending on the application.

These values are recommendations only and should be adjusted based on actual machining conditions to achieve optimal tool performance, surface finish, and tool life.

MaterialSFMOperationChip Load (IPT) by Cutter Diameter (in)
.062 .078 .093 .125 .187 .250 .312 .375 .500 .625 .750 1.000
Aluminum alloys: 0%–5% silicon 1500–3000 Roughing .00076 .00095 .00113 .00152 .00228 .00305 .00380 .00457 .00610 .00762 .00914 .01219
Finishing .00088 .00111 .00132 .00178 .00266 .00356 .00444 .00533 .00711 .00889 .01067 .01422
Aluminum alloys: 5%–8% silicon 1500–3000 Roughing .00068 .00086 .00102 .00137 .00205 .00274 .00342 .00411 .00549 .00686 .00823 .01097
Finishing .00079 .00100 .00119 .00160 .00239 .00320 .00399 .00480 .00640 .00800 .00960 .01280
Aluminum alloys: 8%–12% silicon 1100–2200 Roughing .00057 .00071 .00085 .00114 .00171 .00229 .00285 .00343 .00457 .00572 .00686 .00914
Finishing .00066 .00083 .00099 .00133 .00199 .00267 .00333 .00400 .00533 .00667 .00800 .01067
Aluminum alloys: 12%–16% silicon 750–1500 Roughing .00045 .00057 .00068 .00091 .00137 .00183 .00228 .00274 .00366 .00457 .00549 .00732
Finishing .00053 .00067 .00079 .00107 .00160 .00213 .00266 .00320 .00427 .00533 .00640 .00853
Magnesium alloys 1500–3000 Roughing .00076 .00095 .00113 .00152 .00228 .00305 .00380 .00457 .00610 .00762 .00914 .01219
Zinc alloys 1500–3000 Finishing .00088 .00111 .00132 .00178 .00266 .00356 .00444 .00533 .00711 .00889 .01067 .01422
Copper alloys: High copper (90%+), phosphor bronze, copper nickel alloys 500–1000 Roughing .00060 .00076 .00091 .00122 .00182 .00244 .00304 .00366 .00488 .00610 .00732 .00975
Copper alloys: Brass, aluminum bronze, silicon bronze, cast copper alloys 1100–2200 Finishing .00071 .00089 .00106 .00142 .00213 .00284 .00355 .00427 .00569 .00711 .00853 .01138
Plastics: Unfilled 750–1500 Roughing .00079 .00100 .00119 .00160 .00239 .00320 .00399 .00480 .00640 .00800 .00960 .01280
Finishing .00093 .00116 .00139 .00187 .00279 .00373 .00466 .00560 .00747 .00933 .01120 .01494
Plastics: 5%–20% filled or fiber reinforced 550–1100 Roughing .00072 .00090 .00108 .00145 .00217 .00290 .00361 .00434 .00579 .00724 .00869 .01158
Finishing .00084 .00105 .00126 .00169 .00253 .00338 .00422 .00507 .00676 .00845 .01013 .01351
Plastics: 21%–40% filled or fiber reinforced 400–750 Roughing .00064 .00081 .00096 .00130 .00194 .00259 .00323 .00389 .00518 .00648 .00777 .01036
Finishing .00075 .00094 .00112 .00151 .00226 .00302 .00377 .00453 .00605 .00756 .00907 .01209
Graphite: POCO 3 600–1200 Roughing .00087 .00109 .00130 .00175 .00262 .00351 .00437 .00526 .00701 .00876 .01052 .01402
Finishing .00101 .00128 .00152 .00204 .00306 .00409 .00510 .00613 .00818 .01022 .01227 .01636
Green carbide & green ceramics 100–750 Roughing .00079 .00100 .00119 .00160 .00239 .00320 .00399 .00480 .00640 .00800 .00960 .01280
Finishing .00093 .00116 .00139 .00187 .00279 .00373 .00466 .00560 .00747 .00933 .01120 .01494
Values transcribed from the supplied chart. Verify all parameters against the original before machining. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens.

4 Flute PCD Tipped Endmill

The speeds, feeds, and chip loads listed above are intended as general starting recommendations for 4 flute PCD cutting tools. Actual cutting conditions may vary depending on workpiece material, tool geometry, machine rigidity, and application requirements. For roughing operations, a radial depth of cut of 60% of the cutter diameter and an axial depth of 35% of the cutter diameter are generally recommended. For finishing operations, a radial depth of cut of 15% of the cutter diameter and an axial depth of up to 1.5 times the cutter diameter may be used. These values should be adjusted based on actual machining conditions to optimize tool performance, surface finish, and tool life.

MaterialSFMOperationChip Load (IPT) by Cutter Diameter (inches)
.062.078.093.125.187.250.312.375.500.625.7501.000
ALUMINUM ALLOYS0%–5% Silicon (2xx, 3xx, 4xx, 5xx, 7xx, 8xx, A3xx, A4xx, B4xx, C3xx, 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx, 8xxx) 1500–3000 Roughing .00050 .00063 .00076 .00102 .00152 .00203 .00254 .00305 .00406 .00508 .00610 .00813
Finishing .00060 .00076 .00091 .00122 .00182 .00244 .00304 .00366 .00488 .00610 .00732 .00975
5%–8% Silicon (3xx, A3xx, C3xx, 4xx, A4xx, B4xx, 4xxx) 1500–3000 Roughing .00045 .00057 .00068 .00091 .00137 .00183 .00228 .00274 .00366 .00457 .00549 .00732
Finishing .00054 .00068 .00082 .00110 .00164 .00219 .00274 .00329 .00439 .00549 .00658 .00878
8%–12% Silicon (3xx, A3xx, C3xx, 4xx, A4xx, B4xx, 4xxx) 1100–2200 Roughing .00038 .00048 .00057 .00076 .00114 .00152 .00190 .00229 .00305 .00381 .00457 .00610
Finishing .00045 .00057 .00068 .00091 .00137 .00183 .00228 .00274 .00366 .00457 .00549 .00732
12%–16% Silicon (3xx, A3xx, C3xx, 4xx, A4xx, B4xx) 750–1500 Roughing .00030 .00038 .00045 .00061 .00091 .00122 .00152 .00183 .00244 .00305 .00366 .00488
Finishing .00036 .00046 .00054 .00073 .00109 .00146 .00183 .00219 .00293 .00366 .00439 .00585
MAGNESIUM & ZINC ALLOYSMagnesium alloys / Zinc alloys 1500–3000 Roughing .00050 .00063 .00076 .00102 .00152 .00203 .00254 .00305 .00406 .00508 .00610 .00813
Finishing .00060 .00076 .00091 .00122 .00182 .00244 .00304 .00366 .00488 .00610 .00732 .00975
COPPER ALLOYSHigh coppers (90%+; C1xxxx); phosphor bronzes (copper tin alloys, C5xxxx); copper nickels and nickel silvers (copper nickel alloys, C7xxxx) 500–1000 Roughing .00040 .00051 .00060 .00081 .00122 .00163 .00203 .00244 .00325 .00406 .00488 .00650
Brass (copper zinc alloys, C2xxxx, C3xxxx, C4xxxx, C66400–C69800); aluminum bronzes (copper aluminum alloys, C60600–C64200); silicon bronzes (copper silicon alloys, C64700–C66100); cast copper alloys (C83300–C86200, C86400–C87900, C92200–C95800, C97300–C97800, C99400–C99700) 1100–2200 Finishing .00048 .00061 .00073 .00098 .00146 .00195 .00243 .00293 .00390 .00488 .00585 .00780
PLASTICSUnfilled 750–1500 Roughing .00053 .00067 .00079 .00107 .00160 .00213 .00266 .00320 .00427 .00533 .00640 .00853
Finishing .00063 .00080 .00095 .00128 .00192 .00256 .00320 .00384 .00512 .00640 .00768 .01024
5%–20% Filled or Fiber Reinforced 550–1100 Roughing .00048 .00060 .00072 .00097 .00144 .00193 .00241 .00290 .00386 .00483 .00579 .00772
Finishing .00057 .00072 .00086 .00117 .00173 .00232 .00289 .00347 .00463 .00579 .00695 .00927
21%–40% Filled or Fiber Reinforced 400–750 Roughing .00043 .00054 .00064 .00086 .00129 .00173 .00216 .00259 .00345 .00432 .00518 .00691
Finishing .00051 .00065 .00077 .00104 .00155 .00207 .00259 .00311 .00415 .00518 .00622 .00829
GRAPHITEPOCO 3 600–1200 Roughing .00058 .00073 .00087 .00117 .00175 .00234 .00292 .00351 .00467 .00584 .00701 .00935
Finishing .00070 .00087 .00104 .00140 .00210 .00280 .00350 .00421 .00561 .00701 .00841 .01122
GREEN CARBIDE & GREEN CERAMICSGreen carbide and green ceramics 100–750 Roughing .00053 .00067 .00079 .00107 .00160 .00213 .00266 .00320 .00427 .00533 .00640 .00853
Finishing .00063 .00080 .00095 .00128 .00192 .00256 .00320 .00384 .00512 .00640 .00768 .01024

Reference information: Values are general starting recommendations for four flute PCD tooling, not guaranteed cutting conditions. Adjust speeds, feeds, radial engagement, and axial depth of cut based on workpiece material, tool geometry, machine rigidity, fixturing, and actual machining performance. The depth of cut recommendations are not shown in this table.