Drilling Speed Calculator

When to use this manufacturing calculator

• Use before drilling a pilot, clearance, tapped, or production hole.
• Use when checking feed per revolution against machine feed rate.
• Use before tap-drill sizing or machining-time estimates.

How to use

1. Enter the manufacturing dimensions, speeds, feeds, process values, and material assumptions for one preliminary calculation.
2. Click the exact calculator action button; default values, typing, URL-prefilled values, and worked examples do not generate results automatically.
3. Review warnings, assumptions, result visual, copy text, and downloads before using output in a shop, drawing, supplier, or process-planning workflow.
4. Verify every final value against machine documentation, tooling supplier guidance, material data, inspection requirements, and qualified manufacturing review.

Input guide

Drill diameter

Effective drill diameter in mm or inches.

Cutting speed or RPM

Use surface speed to calculate RPM or RPM to check surface speed.

Feed per revolution

Axial feed per drill revolution used to calculate linear feed rate.

Notation

Output interpretation

• Drill RPM, surface speed, feed per revolution, feed rate, warnings, visual summary, and exports.

Supported manufacturing use cases

• twist-drill planning
• pilot hole planning
• tap-drill companion checks
• metric and inch drilling values

Unsupported patterns

• peck cycle programming
• deep-hole coolant modeling
• tool wear prediction
• hole tolerance certification

How to interpret the output

• Feed rate should be checked against chip evacuation and drill rigidity.
• Small drills can require high RPM that may exceed machine or runout limits.

Manufacturing planning guidance

• Check drill manufacturer charts for material-specific SFM and feed per revolution.
• Use conservative values for long-reach drilling or poor chip evacuation.

Worked examples

Assumptions

• Inputs are user-entered planning values and are not extracted from CAD files, CNC code, CAM systems, drawings, or shop databases.
• Metric calculations use millimetres, metres per minute, millimetres per minute, and SI-derived output where stated.
• Inch calculations use inches, surface feet per minute, inches per minute, and inch-derived output where stated.
• Drill diameter is nominal and the drill is cutting at the full diameter.
• Feed per revolution is appropriate for the drill type and material.

Practical guidance

• Use the tap drill calculator after selecting thread size and unit convention.

Common mistakes

• Using feed per tooth for a drill without converting to feed per revolution.
• Ignoring work hardening, chip packing, or coolant for deep holes.
• Leaving cutting speed unchanged when drill diameter or material changes.

Limitations

• No peck depth, point angle, chisel edge, coating, or coolant correction is applied.
• ScholarTool manufacturing calculators provide general engineering calculation and planning support. They do not replace supplier requirements, tooling recommendations, machine-tool documentation, process qualification, inspection standards, or professional manufacturing review.
• The tool does not select a tool grade, coating, holder, fixture, coolant strategy, inspection plan, or supplier-approved process.
• The tool does not generate or execute G-code, CAM toolpaths, CNC simulations, machine programs, or production schedules.

Related workflow links