Chip Load

Chip load per tooth is the appropriate amount of material that one cutting edge of the tool should remove in a single revolution. This is measured in Inches Per Tooth (IPT). Chip load per tool is the appropriate amount of material removed by all cutting edges on a tool in a single revolution.

Recommended Chip Load



This is an average and typical recommendation you will find in Solid Carbide Endmill Catalogs

Chip Load Chart – Inch

Chip Load in IPT per Milling Cutter Diameter and workpiece material

Diameter (Inch)

Steel

Stainless steel

Aluminum

Titanium

Wood

Plastic

1/16

0.0019-0.0036

0.0016-0.003

0.0021-0.004

0.0015-0.0028

0.0028-0.0053

0.0052-0.0098

1/8

0.0023-0.0044

0.0019-0.0036

0.0025-0.0048

0.0018-0.0034

0.0033-0.0063

0.0062-0.0118

3/16

0.0025-0.0048

0.0021-0.004

0.0028-0.0053

0.002-0.0037

0.0037-0.007

0.0068-0.0129

1/4

0.0027-0.0051

0.0022-0.0042

0.003-0.0056

0.0021-0.004

0.0039-0.0074

0.0073-0.0138

5/16

0.0028-0.0053

0.0023-0.0044

0.0031-0.0059

0.0022-0.0042

0.0041-0.0077

0.0076-0.0144

3/8

0.0029-0.0055

0.0024-0.0046

0.0032-0.0061

0.0023-0.0043

0.0042-0.008

0.0079-0.0149

1/2

0.0031-0.0058

0.0026-0.0048

0.0034-0.0064

0.0024-0.0045

0.0045-0.0084

0.0083-0.0157

5/8

0.0032-0.0061

0.0027-0.005

0.0035-0.0067

0.0025-0.0047

0.0046-0.0088

0.0086-0.0164

3/4

0.0033-0.0063

0.0027-0.0052

0.0036-0.0069

0.0026-0.0049

0.0048-0.0091

0.0089-0.0169

7/8

0.0034-0.0064

0.0028-0.0053

0.0037-0.0071

0.0026-0.005

0.0049-0.0093

0.0092-0.0173

1

0.0035-0.0066

0.0029-0.0054

0.0038-0.0072

0.0027-0.0051

0.005-0.0095

0.0094-0.0177

Chip Load Chart – MM

Chip Load in mm/tooth per Milling Cutter Diameter and workpiece material

Diameter (mm)

Steel

Stainless Steel

Aluminum

Titanium

Wood

Plastic

2

0.01 - 0.01

0.01 - 0.01

0.01 - 0.01

0.01 - 0.01

0.01 - 0.02

0.02 - 0.03

3

0.01 - 0.02

0.01 - 0.02

0.01 - 0.03

0.01 - 0.02

0.02 - 0.03

0.03 - 0.06

4

0.02 - 0.03

0.01 - 0.03

0.02 - 0.03

0.01 - 0.02

0.02 - 0.04

0.04 - 0.08

5

0.02 - 0.04

0.02 - 0.03

0.02 - 0.04

0.02 - 0.03

0.03 - 0.05

0.05 - 0.1

6

0.02 - 0.04

0.02 - 0.03

0.02 - 0.05

0.02 - 0.03

0.03 - 0.06

0.06 - 0.11

8

0.03 - 0.05

0.02 - 0.04

0.03 - 0.05

0.02 - 0.04

0.04 - 0.07

0.07 - 0.13

10

0.03 - 0.06

0.02 - 0.05

0.03 - 0.06

0.02 - 0.04

0.04 - 0.08

0.08 - 0.15

12

0.03 - 0.06

0.03 - 0.05

0.03 - 0.07

0.02 - 0.05

0.05 - 0.09

0.09 - 0.16

16

0.04 - 0.07

0.03 - 0.06

0.04 - 0.07

0.03 - 0.05

0.05 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.18

20

0.04 - 0.07

0.03 - 0.06

0.04 - 0.08

0.03 - 0.06

0.06 - 0.11

0.11 - 0.2

25

0.04 - 0.08

0.03 - 0.07

0.05 - 0.09

0.03 - 0.06

0.06 - 0.12

0.11 - 0.22

 

Getting Cutting Data From Chip Load

The chip load value by itself cannot be used to program the milling machine. The parameter used by the controllers is the Table Feed. However, the Chip Load is the basic parameter needed to calculate the Table Feed.

To calculate the Milling Feed Rate you will need first to prepare the following basic data:

  1. Chip Load [CL] – What you obtained from this calculator.
  2. Cutter Shape [90°, Ballnose, Chamfering, Round, etc.]
  3. Cutter Diameter [D] – If you are using a shaped cutter (Non 90°), you should use the Effective Cutter Diameter.
  4. Number of Teeth [Z]

The user always knows the above three.

  1. Radial Depth of Cut [Ae] – Depends on how you plan to perform your application.
  2. Cutting Speed [Vc] – Get wit with our Speeds and Feeds Calculator or from the tool supplier’s catalog/website.

With the above parameters, you can proceed to calculate the Milling Feed (Table Feed)

  1. Calculate the Chip Thinning factors in order to get the Feed per Tooth.
    The Chip Thinning factors make sure that the actual Feed per Tooth [Fz} will maintain the desired Chip Load according to the tool geometry and application settings.
  2. Radial Chip Thinning Factor [RCTF] –
    The radial chip thinning factor should be implemented with the Radial Depth of Cut [Ae] is smaller than the cutter’s radius. (When Ae is bigger the factor is 1). At very small Ae the factor can be up to 3 times!