Realized most people program speeds and feeds WAY too conservative

I was helping a new guy set up a job on our Haas VF-2 last Tuesday and he had his feed rate at 20 IPM for a simple aluminum pocket with a 1/2 inch end mill. I bumped it up to 60 IPM and the finish was actually BETTER and we cut the cycle time by 40%. Why are so many operators scared to push the machine harder when the chip thinning and tool engagement actually improve at higher feeds?

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1 Comment

the_derek1mo ago

20 IPM with a 1/2 inch endmill in aluminum? That sounds like a recipe for recutting chips and rubbing more than cutting.