KEVOS® MAKEOS · Manufacturing
Drilling Cycle Planner (Speed, Feed, Thrust, Power and Time)
What speed and feed do I run this drill at, will the machine and workholding take the thrust, and how long will the holes take?
Drilling plan for a batch of holes: spindle speed, cutting power, torque and approximate thrust (the same method as the drilling power tool), motor power and thrust against the limits, time per hole including the drill point, clearance, peck retracts and positioning, and the total time for all holes.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Drill diameter | mm | Drill diameter. |
| Cutting speed | m/min | Cutting speed for the drill and material. |
| Feed per revolution | mm/rev | Feed per revolution. |
| Specific cutting force | N/mm² | Specific cutting force of the material. |
| Point angle | ° | Point angle of the drill. |
| Machine efficiency | % | Spindle drive efficiency. |
| Spindle power available | kW | Spindle power of the machine. |
| Thrust limit (workholding or part) | N | Largest thrust the fixture, part or machine should see. |
| Holes | ||
| Hole depth | mm | Depth of each hole. |
| Number of holes | Number of holes. | |
| Approach and breakthrough clearance | mm | Extra travel for approach and breakthrough. |
| Peck depth (0 = no pecking) | mm | Depth per peck for deep holes (0 for continuous feed). |
| Time per peck retract | s | Time for each retract and return when pecking. |
| Positioning time between holes | s | Rapid move time from hole to hole. |
Method and formulas
- n = 1000 v_c ÷ π D; power P = f v_c D k_c ÷ 240,000 kW; torque = P × 30,000 ÷ π n; thrust ≈ 0.5 k_c (D ÷ 2) f sin(point ÷ 2) (as the drilling power tool).
- Travel = depth + point length D ÷ [2 tan(point ÷ 2)] + clearance; feed time = travel ÷ (n f).
- Pecks = ⌈depth ÷ peck⌉ − 1, each adding its retract time; positioning added per hole.
- Example: 20 holes 10 mm × 30 mm take about 2.4995 min at 2,546.5 rpm.
Limitations
- Thrust is approximate; the chisel edge can add considerably, especially without point thinning.
- Tool changes and spot drilling are not included.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Plan a drilling operation in a CNC program
- Check thrust against fixturing and thin parts
- Estimate cycle time for a pattern of holes
Who it is for
- Machinists
- CNC programmers
- Manufacturing engineers
What you get
- Speed, feed rate, power, torque and thrust
- Time per hole
- Total time for all holes
Interpreting the result
- Peck only as deep as chip evacuation needs: every retract costs time.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 1084–1092, 1089. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
WORKOS tools are screening and decision-support utilities. Verify important financial, engineering, safety, legal or operational decisions using appropriate professional standards and your organisation’s approved data.
Open the Drilling Cycle Planner (Speed, Feed, Thrust, Power and Time) calculator
