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Material Removal Rate Calculator

Calculate the volume of material cut per minute for turning and milling operations.

Material removal rate
80 cm³/min
MRR = Vc × f × ap = 200 × 0.2 × 2
in³/min
4.882 in³/min
mm³/min
80,000 mm³/min

How it works

  1. 1Select the machining process — Turning or Milling.
  2. 2For turning, enter cutting speed Vc (m/min), feed per revolution, and depth of cut. For milling, enter width of cut ae, depth of cut ap, and table feed rate Vf.
  3. 3MRR is computed instantly: Vc·f·ap for turning or ae·ap·Vf÷1000 for milling, in cm³/min.

Use cases

  • Estimating cycle time reductions by comparing MRR at different cutting parameters.
  • Selecting spindle and feed motor power requirements based on expected MRR.
  • Benchmarking machining strategies to maximise throughput while staying within tool load limits.

Frequently asked questions

What is Material Removal Rate (MRR)?

MRR is the volume of workpiece material removed per minute. For turning it equals Vc × f × ap (m/min × mm/rev × mm), giving cm³/min. A result of 80 cm³/min means 80 cubic centimetres are cut every minute.

How does MRR differ between turning and milling?

In turning MRR = Vc·f·ap, where Vc is surface speed. In milling MRR = ae·ap·Vf÷1000, where ae and ap are radial and axial depths and Vf is table feed rate. Both yield cm³/min but the governing parameters differ.

Why does a higher MRR increase power consumption?

Cutting power Pc ≈ MRR × kc ÷ 60 000, with MRR in cm³/min and the specific cutting force kc in N/mm². For steel kc ≈ 2500 N/mm², so 10 cm³/min needs about 0.42 kW of cutting power, not counting spindle losses. Always verify against your machine’s rated power.

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