I. Cutting Speed Control

For ordinary carbon steel and alloy structural steel, as well as for high-efficiency machining of coated cemented carbide, medium-to-high spindle speeds can be used, with cutting speeds controlled between 120 and 300 meters per minute; for gray cast iron and ductile cast iron, cutting speeds can be increased to 150 to 300 meters per minute; Aluminum alloys are easy-to-machine materials suitable for ultra-high-speed cutting, typically ranging from 300 to 800 meters per minute; stainless steel and heat-resistant alloys generate significant heat and suffer from severe tool sticking, so the speed should be reduced and maintained between 40 and 80 meters per minute; for hardened, high-hardness steel, use cemented carbide tools and maintain a speed of 50 to 100 meters per minute.

II. Setting Appropriate Feed Rates

Rough machining prioritizes high efficiency, so increasing the feed rate is preferred. For turning, the feed rate should be controlled between 0.2 and 0.5 millimeters per revolution; for vertical milling cutters, the feed per tooth should be 0.15 to 0.3 millimeters per tooth; Finishing focuses on surface finish and precision, so feed rates should be reduced: 0.05 to 0.15 millimeters per revolution for turning, and 0.05 to 0.1 millimeters per tooth for milling. The principle of high-efficiency machining is to prioritize increasing the feed rate first, then increase the cutting speed, which results in less wear on the cutting tool.

III. Selection of Cutting Depth

For rough machining, aim to remove the full machining allowance in a single pass to reduce the number of passes; control the cutting depth on a single side between 2 and 6 millimeters. For finishing, leave only a minimal finishing allowance with a cutting depth of 0.1 to 0.5 millimeters to balance efficiency and dimensional accuracy.

IV. Matching Tool Materials and Coatings

For machining steel parts, select fine-grained cemented carbide paired with a high-temperature-resistant titanium-aluminum-nitride coating, which offers good red hardness and resistance to high-temperature wear; For machining cast iron, use specialized Class K cemented carbide with a titanium-aluminum-nitride high-temperature coating to ensure good red hardness and resistance to high-temperature wear; for machining aluminum alloys, use ultra-fine-grained uncoated or diamond-coated tools to prevent chip buildup and tool sticking; for machining high-hardness quenched materials, use ultra-fine-grained negative-angle cemented carbide to enhance edge strength.

V. Efficient Configuration of Tool Geometric Angles

For machining steel, use a front angle of 5 to 15 degrees to ensure smooth cutting without chipping; for machining aluminum alloys, increase the front angle to 15 to 25 degrees to reduce cutting resistance; for machining high-hardness materials and stainless steel, use a negative front angle of 0 to -5 degrees to enhance the cutting edge’s impact resistance. The rake angle is uniformly set between 8 and 12 degrees to reduce friction between the tool and the workpiece; for end mills, a helix angle of 35 to 45 degrees is preferred to ensure smooth chip evacuation and minimize cutting vibrations. For rough machining, use a large tool tip radius of 0.8 to 1.2 millimeters to improve impact resistance and machining efficiency; for finishing operations, use a small nose radius of 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters to ensure surface finish.

VI. Rigidity Requirements for Machine Tools and Clamping Systems

High-efficiency cutting requires ensuring the overall rigidity of the machine; spindle runout must be controlled within a minimal range, and the machine’s power and torque must be matched to the cutting load to prevent stalling and tool vibration. Preferably use heat-shrink or hydraulic tool holders for their high clamping accuracy and sufficient rigidity; minimize tool overhang as much as possible—the smaller the overhang ratio, the greater the stability—to eliminate chatter caused by long overhangs. For milling operations, prioritize face milling, which results in lower cutting forces, reduced tool wear, and better surface finish.

VII. Cooling, Lubrication, and Machining Methods

For ordinary steel and cast iron, use high-concentration emulsion with high flow rate and high pressure to rapidly dissipate cutting heat and flush away chips; for machining aluminum alloys, use specialized aluminum cutting fluid or kerosene to prevent tool sticking and burr formation; in high-speed finishing operations, use minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) or air cooling to avoid tool chipping caused by thermal shock from coolant. For stainless steel and high-temperature alloys, ensure adequate cooling throughout the entire process—never dry cut—to prevent high-temperature burn damage to the cutting edge.

VIII. Core Principles of High-Efficiency Cutting

For rough machining, use large cutting depths, medium-to-high feed rates, and medium-to-high cutting speeds, focusing on material removal to improve efficiency. For finish machining, use high cutting speeds, small feed rates, and shallow cutting depths to balance efficiency with precision and surface finish. By ensuring the rigidity of the machining system throughout the process, matching the tool material and coating to the workpiece material, and providing adequate cooling, the high-efficiency cutting capabilities of carbide tools can be maximized.