Cutting speed chart (SFM)
Starting surface speeds for milling and turning common shop materials with HSS and carbide tooling, with milling chip loads. Your tool supplier's data and your machine's limits always come first.
| Material | Hardness (HB) | Milling HSS | Milling carbide | Turning HSS | Turning carbide | Chip load (in/tooth) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6061-T6 aluminumT6 | 80–110 | 165 | 500–1000 | 500–600 | 600–1200 | 0.0020–0.0060 |
| 7075-T6 aluminumT6 | 135–175 | 165 | 400–800 | 500–600 | 500–1000 | 0.0020–0.0050 |
| 1018 low-carbon steelAs supplied / normalized | 110–180 | 65–110 | 200–400 | 125–215 | 250–500 | 0.0015–0.0040 |
| 1045 medium-carbon steelNormalized | 160–230 | 25–100 | 150–300 | 55–180 | 200–400 | 0.0015–0.0040 |
| 4140 alloy steelAnnealed | 170–240 | 35–100 | 120–250 | 70–200 | 180–350 | 0.0015–0.0035 |
| 4140 alloy steel · prehardenedQuenched & tempered | 260–340 | 20–40 | 80–160 | 30–60 | 100–220 | 0.0010–0.0030 |
| 304 stainless steelAnnealed | 140–210 | 70–75 | 80–160 | 115–135 | 100–250 | 0.0010–0.0030 |
| 316 stainless steelAnnealed | 145–215 | 40–60 | 60–140 | 60–100 | 80–200 | 0.0010–0.0030 |
| A2 tool steelAnnealed only | 180–240 | 40–50 | 80–160 | 80–125 | 120–250 | 0.0010–0.0030 |
| Gray cast iron · Class 30As cast | 160–240 | 70–100 | 150–300 | 145–215 | 150–300 | 0.0020–0.0050 |
| C360 free-cutting brassHalf-hard | 80–150 | 100–200 | 250–500 | 300–350 | 400–600 | 0.0020–0.0050 |
Common questions
- How do I turn SFM into RPM?
- RPM = SFM × 12 ÷ (π × diameter in inches). The speed and feed calculator does this and caps it at your spindle's limit.
- Are these speeds guaranteed?
- No. HSS bands come from a published reference; carbide speeds and feeds are conservative starting estimates.