The right cutting speed for drilling

The aim is to achieve the best possible work result in a short time and to keep wear on the tool as low as possible. The cutting speed during drilling is significantly influenced by the diameter of the drill and the speed of the drill. There are cutting speed tables that make it easier for us to quickly determine these parameters.

 

The correct drill speed depends on:

  • Diameter of the drill
  • Desired cutting speed

Calculate drill speed with formula

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Simple drill speed table

In the following drill speed table you will find guide values for the most common materials and drill diameters.

 

  Simple drill speed table
     Wood     Steel   Stainless steel Aluminium Brass Plastic

Drill diameter

Drill speed in rpm
 2 mm  3500  2600  2000 5000  4000  2300
 3 mm  3000  2200  1600  4500  3500  1900
 4 mm  2600  1800  1250  4000  3100  1500
 5 mm  2250  1500  1000  3500  2750  1250
 6 mm  1950  1250  800  3050  2400  1050
 7 mm  1650  1060  660  2650  2100  900
 8 mm  1400  900  560  2330  1800  775
 9 mm  1180  770  490  2000  1540  660
 10 mm  980  660  430  1730  1300  580
 12 mm  800  580  375  1480  1080  510
 13 mm  650  510

 330

 1250  860  450
 14 mm  520  450  300  1050  700  400
 15 mm  420  400  270  870  550  360
 16  mm  360  350  250  730  450  320
 18 mm  310  310  220  610  380  290
 19 mm  280  270  200  510  330  270
 20 mm  265  250  185  420  300  250
 25 mm  250  240  170  350  280  230
 30 mm  240  230  160  280  260  220

 *All data without guarantee

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Drill speed table with cutting speed

In the table here you will find the calculated cutting speed (in m/min) depending on the drill diameter and drill speed. How the drill speed is calculated has already been shown in the formula above.

 

 

Drill speed table with cutting speed

Cutting speed

rpm

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 12 15 18 20
 drill Ø Drill speed in rpm

1,0

637 955 1273 1591 1910 2228 2546 3183 3819 4774 5729 6365
2,0 318 477 637 796 955 1114 1273 1591 1910 2387 2864 3183
2,5 255 382 509 637 764 891 1018 1273 1528 1910 2292 2546
3,0 212 318 424 530 637 743 849 1061 1273 1591 1910 2122
3,5 182 273 364 455 546 637 727 909 1091 1364 1637 1819
4,0 159 239 318 398 477 557 637 796 955 1194 1432 1591
5,0 127 191 255 318 382 446 509 637 764 955 1146 1273
6,0 106 159 212 265 318 371 424 530 637 796 955 1061
7,0 91 136 182 227 273 31 364 455 546 682 818 909
8,0 80 119 159 199 239 278 318 398 477 597 716 796
9,0 71 106 141 177 212 248 283 354 424 530 637 707
10 64 95 127 159 191 223 255 318 382 477 576 637
11 58 87 116 145 174

203

231 289 347 434 521 579
12 53 80 106 133 159 186 212 265 318 398 477 530
14 45 68 91 114 136 159 182 227 273 341 409 455
16 40 60 80 99 119 139 159 199 239 298 258 398
18 35 53 71 88 106 124 141 177 212 265 318 354
20 32 48 64 80 63 111 127 159 191 239 286 318
22 29 43 58 72 87 101 116 145 174 217 260 289
24 27 40 53 66 80 93 106 133 159 199 239 265
27 24 35 47 59 71 83 94 118 141 177 212 236
30 21 32 42 53 64 74 85 106 127 159 191 212

  *All data without guarantee

Table of materials with cutting speeds as a guide value

In the following table you will find guide values for the cutting speed for certain material groups and which cooling lubricant can be used. As mentioned, these are only rough guide values.

 

Material to be machined   

Cutting speed

Vc in m/min

Cooling lubricant
unalloyed structural steels  < 700 N/mm² 30 - 50 cutting oil
alloyed structural steels < 1000 N/mm² 20 - 25 cutting oil
Cast iron < 250 N/mm² 15 - 25 Compressed air
Cast iron > 250 N/mm² 10 - 20 Compressed air
Copper-tin alloy brittle 60 - 100 Compressed air
Copper-tin alloy tough 35 - 60 Compressed air
Aluminium alloy 30 - 50 cutting oil
Thermoplastics 20 - 40 Water
Thermosets 15 - 35 Compressed air

*All data without guarantee.

 

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