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A Cheap Tool May Be More Expensive Than You Think
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Boeing engineer/scientist Keith Young warns machining suppliers not to focus solely on the purchase price of a cutting tool.
He encourages shops to use the equations presented below. They can be used to convert a tool's purchase price into the actual cost of removing material.
Equation 1 determines a roughing tool's cost per cubic inch of material removed.
Equation 2 determines a finishing tool's cost per square inch of finished surface area revealed.
In both cases, the equations include tool life and metal removal rate. If the life and the productivity of the tool are high, then that tool-even if its price is high-may actually be the most economical choice.
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| Equation 1 |
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| Equation 2 |
T = time to change tools (minutes)
TC = tool cost ($)
TL = tool life (minutes)
Rm = machine rate ($ per hour)
RL = labor rate ($ per hour)
MRR = metal removal rate (cubic inches per minute for roughing; square inches per minute for finishing)