Feed Rate Calculator

1

Your bit

search our catalog
2

Your material

what you're cutting
3

Your machine & speed

sets RPM + feed limit
18,000
Recommended feed rate
—IPM
Plunge rate
—
conservative —sweet spot— aggressive
✓Pick your material to see the feed rate.

Feed = RPM × flutes × chipload — this RPM and feed rate calculator uses published chip-load charts keyed by bit class (compression vs general-purpose), diameter and material, capped to your machine's real feed limit. Guidance only — listen to the cut and adjust. Questions? Ask our team.

CNC Feed Rate Calculator showing a 290 IPM feed rate and 115 IPM plunge rate for a 1/4 inch two-flute Whiteside 1005 straight bit cutting softwood at 18,000 RPM
Example output from the CNC feed rate calculator: a 1/4″ two-flute straight bit in softwood at 18,000 RPM returns 290 IPM feed and 115 IPM plunge, from a published 0.0080″ chip load.

Bits for every material in this calculator

The calculator above uses published chip-load figures for each of these materials. These are the tools those figures are drawn from — every one lists its own feeds and speeds on its page.

Numbers look right but the cut does not? Read why plywood tears out, why melamine chips, or why acrylic melts. Not sure which bit to start from? Try the CNC Bit Finder or the Cut Doctor.