Speeds & feedsyour machine can actually run.
Most calculators stop at the material. Ours clamps every recommendation to your spindle's real RPM, feed, and power limits — built on RobbJack's tested cut data for 214,000+ standard tools, counting every .0001″ saw thickness. Roughing and finishing in one pass, with a printable setup sheet.
214,000+
standard tools with tested cut data
67 years
of machining data since 1959
RPM · IPM · HP
clamped to your machine's limits
Speeds & Feeds
67 years of machining data, dialed in to your tool.
Material
Operation
Your machine
Machine-awareEvery recommendation is clamped to these limits — the numbers you see are numbers your spindle can actually run.
Starting recommendations from RobbJack's tested data — always verify on your machine, holder, and setup. The recommended tool is the best in-band match; confirm reach/length for deep cuts.
CAD / CAM tool libraries
These same tested numbers, already in your CAM — download the RobbJack tool library with per-material cutting presets on nearly every tool.
Starting speeds & feeds by material
Tested starting SFM, RPM, feed, and chip load by diameter — pick your material, then fine-tune in the calculator.
How the calculator works
This isn't a generic chip-load chart. It starts from RobbJack's 67 years of tested machining data for the actual tool, picks a safe and productive starting point, and keeps every recommendation inside your machine's limits. The numbers are deliberately conservative — many shops run faster once the process is dialed in.
See the logic in action
What each control does
Material & grade — the starting point
It picks the tool, not just the numbers
Cut & strategy — slot vs. profile, conventional vs. trochoidal
Setup rigidity — be honest about your fixture
Total depth of cut — split into passes for you
Machine limits & the power safety net
Reading your results
You get a roughing and a finishing card (wall and floor passes for hardened die/mold grades). The percentages next to RPM and chip load show how much room is left before the tool's tested limit.
- Spindle Speed (RPM)
- With “% of nominal” — how hard the recommendation pushes versus the tool's tested ceiling.
- Feed Rate (IPM / mm·min)
- Table feed for the recommended RPM and chip load.
- Surface Speed (SFM / m·min)
- Cutting speed at the edge — set by the material.
- Chip Load / Tooth
- With “% chip load” — feed per tooth versus the tested limit.
- Width of Cut (WOC) / Slot Width
- Radial engagement for the chosen cut and strategy.
- Depth of Cut / pass (DOC)
- Axial depth per pass after the power and geometry checks.
- Metal Removal Rate
- Material removed per minute — the productivity number.
- Spindle Power (HP / kW)
- Estimated load, kept inside your headroom.
Slitting saws
Switch to the Slitting Saw tab and enter outside diameter, arbor bore, and blade thickness. The engine picks the blade — stepping up to a K-Series for deep cuts — sets the tooth count and chip load by material, enforces a safe maximum depth of cut, and matches a thru-coolant NAB arbor to your bore. New to saw setup? Read the slitting-saw setup guide.
A starting point, not a limit
Always verify on your machine, holder, and setup. Want them dialed in for you?
Tap & cut testing →