My buddy in the shop said my feed rates were too slow for aluminum

He watched me run a part and told me I could push it way harder, like 200 ipm on the finish pass. I tried it on a test piece and the finish looked way better, no chatter. How do you figure out the right speed for different metals?

4 comments

4 Comments

mila_murphy2mo ago

My old boss just cranked it until it sounded angry.

the_jessica2mo ago

Sounds like a solid management strategy.

dylanrodriguez2mo ago

My last car had a fan that only worked on the highest setting. It sounded like a jet engine taking off every time you turned it on. You could hear it from down the street.

william_craig714d ago

Isn't it funny how we tend to find a setting that works and just stick with it? I've noticed that same pattern with a lot of things, not just machining. @mila_murphy's comment about cranking it until it sounds angry reminds me of how most people adjust their car's thermostat by feel instead of actually looking at the temperature. You just keep turning until it feels right. With feeds and speeds, it's the same sort of thing. Little adjustments over time add up. You get comfortable at one speed and don't push it because it's working good enough, but then someone says "try this" and suddenly you see what you were missing.

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