Cutting Speed,

Feed, and Depth of

Cut
Session 8

Cutting Speed
Rate at which point on work
circumference travels past cutting tool
Always expressed in feet per minute
(ft/min) or meters per minute (m/min)
Important to use correct speed for
material

Too high: cutting-tool breaks down rapidly

Too low: time lost, low production rates
2

Lathe Cutting Speeds

Using High-Speed Steel Toolbit
Turning and Boring
Rough Cut Finish Cut Threading
Material
m/min

ft/min
ft/min

m/min
m/min

ft/min

Mach steel 90

27

100

30

35

11

Tool steel

70

21

90

27

30

Cast iron

60

18

80

24

25

Bronze

90

27

100

30

25

61

300

93

60

18

Aluminum 200

Calculating Spindle
Speed
Given in revolutions per minute
Cutting speed of metal and diameter of
work must be known
Proper spindle speed set by dividing
CS (in/min) by circumference of work (in)

CS x 12 CS x 4
RPM

D
D
4

Example:
Calculate RPM required to rough-turn 2
in. diameter piece of machine steel (CS
90 SFM):

CS x 4
RPM
D
90 x 4
RPM
180
2
5

Example:
Calculate RPM required to rough-turn 50
mm diameter piece of machine steel (CS
27 MPM):

CS x 320
RPM
D
27 x 320
RPM
172.8
50
6

Lathe Feed
Distance cutting tool advances along
length of work for every revolution of
the spindle
Feed of engine lathe dependent on
speed of lead screw for feed rod

Speed controlled by change gears in

quick-change gearbox

Bringing Diameter to
Size Using Two Cuts
Roughing cut

Purpose to remove excess material quickly

Coarse feed: surface finish not too important

.010- to .015-in. (0.25- to 0.4-mm)

Finishing cut

Used to bring diameter to size

Fine feed: Produce good finish

.003- to .005-in (0.07- to 0.012-mm)

Lathe Feedrates
High-speed steel cutting tool feedrate per
revolution of spindle
Rough Cuts
Material

in.

mm

Finish Cuts
in.

mm

Mach steel

.010.020 0.250.5

.003.010 0.070.25

Tool steel

.010.020 0.250.5

.003.010 0.070.25

Cast iron

.015.025 0.40.65

.005.012 0.130.3

Bronze .

015.025

0.40.65

.003.010 0.070.25

Aluminum

.015.030 0.40.75

.005.010 0.130.25

Depth of Cut
Depth of chip taken by cutting tool and
one-half total amount removed from
workpiece in one cut
Only one roughing and one finishing cut

Roughing cut should be deep as possible to

reduce diameter to within .030 to .040 inch
or .75 to 1 mm of size required
Finishing cut should not be less than .005
inch or .125 mm
10

Depth of cut on a lathe

11

Factors Determining
Depth of Rough-Turning
Cut
Available Stock
Workpiece Material
Condition of machine
Type and shape of cutting tool used
Rigidity of workpiece, machine, and
cutting tool
Rate of feed
12

Graduated Micrometer
Collars
Used when diameter of work must be
turned to accurate size
Sleeves or bushings mounted on
compound rest and crossfeed screws
Measurement

Inch system graduated in .001 inch

Metric system usually in steps of 0.02 mm

13

Graduated Micrometer
Collars

14

Inch System
Circumference of crossfeed and
compound rest screw collars divided into
100-125 equal divisions

Each has value of .001 inch

Turn crossfeed screw clockwise 10 graduations,

cutting tool moved .010 inch toward work
Lathe revolves, so .010 depth of cut taken from
entire work circumference reducing diameter .
020 inch

15

Metric System
Circumference of crossfeed and
compound rest screw collars divided into
100-125 equal divisions

Each has value of .02 mm

Turn crossfeed screw clockwise 10 graduations,

cutting tool moved .2 mm toward work
Lathe revolves, so .2 mm depth of cut taken
from entire work circumference reducing
diameter .4 mm

16

On machines where the workpiece

revolves, the cutting tool should be set
in for only half the amount to be
removed from the diameter.

17

Graduated Collar Use

Make sure collar is secure before

setting a depth of cut
All depths of cut must be made by
feeding cutting tool toward workpiece
If graduated collar turned past desired
setting, must be turned backward halfturn and fed into proper setting to
remove backlash
Never hold graduated collar when
setting depth of cut
18

Graduated Collar Use

Graduated collar on compound rest can

be used for accurately setting depth of
cut
Shoulder turning

Compound rest set at 90 to cross-slide

Lock carriage in place
Spacing of shoulders to within .001 in. accuracy

Facing

Compound rest swung to 30, amount removed

from length of work = amount of feed on
collar
19

Graduated Collar Use

Machining accurate diameters

Set compound rest to 8416' to the cross-slide

.001 in movement = .0001 infeed movement
.02 mm movement = .002 infeed movement

20

Calculating Machining
Time
Factors such as spindle speed, feed
and depth of cut must be considered

distance
Time
rate
Where distance length of cut
rate feed x RPM
21

Example:
Calculate the time required to machine a 2-in. diameter
machine-steel shaft 16 inch to 1.850 diameter finish size
Roughing cut

CS x 4 90 x 4
RPM

180
D
2

Roughing feed

feed = .020

length of cut
16
Roughing cut time

4.4min
feed x r/min .020 x 180
100 x 4
Finishing cut: RPM
216
1.850
Total Time
Finishing feed = .003

16
Finishing cut time
24.7min
.003 x 216

29.1 min

22