---
title: "Cutting Speed Vc: Formula and Reference Table"
description: "Cutting speed Vc = π × d × n / 1000 — how fast the edge passes the material, with a worked example and typical values per material."
image: "https://nestingcalc.com/og-default.png"
url: "https://nestingcalc.com/guides/cutting-speed-formula/"
locale: "en"
---

# Cutting Speed Vc: Formula and Reference Table

Cutting speed Vc = π × d × n / 1000 — how fast the edge passes the material, with a worked example and typical values per material.

## The cutting speed formula

Cutting speed Vc (m/min) describes how fast the cutting edge travels through the material: Vc = (π × d × n) / 1000, with d in mm and n in rpm. It is the number every feeds-and-speeds decision starts from.

## Worked example

A 63 mm saw blade spinning at 4,000 rpm: Vc = (π × 63 × 4000)/1000 ≈ 792 m/min ≈ 13.2 m/s. A 10 mm end mill at 6,000 rpm gives Vc ≈ 188 m/min — right in the band for wood and MDF.

## Two sides of one cut

Spindle speed — RPM, Drehzahl, velocidad de giro — counts how many times per minute the tool turns. Surface speed — cutting speed, Vc, Umfangsgeschwindigkeit, velocidad periférica, vitesse de coupe — measures how fast the cutting edge travels through the material. They describe the same cut and are locked together by one geometric fact: the edge of a bigger cutter covers more distance per revolution.

## Why catalogs quote cutting speed, not RPM

Because Vc is diameter-independent, it transfers between machines and tool sizes: a Vc window that suits a coating or a material works for a 3 mm cutter and a 90 mm cutter alike. Each material has a band where the edge runs hot enough to cut cleanly but not so hot that it burns — the numbers every cutting-speed recommendation is really quoting. RPM alone tells you nothing without knowing the diameter.

## Typical surface speeds

Mid-range Vc values for CNC routing, from the same presets the tools on this site use: softwood, plywood and MDF ≈ 275 m/min (900 SFM), hardwood ≈ 225 (740), acrylic ≈ 140 (460), ABS ≈ 150 (490), aluminum ≈ 175 (575). Steel with HSS tooling runs far lower, roughly 20–60 m/min. Treat them as starting points and adjust for tool life, finish and machine rigidity.

## Vc vs surface feet per minute

US tables list SFM (surface feet per minute). 1 m/min ≈ 3.28 SFM, so a 200 m/min band equals ≈ 656 SFM. Divide SFM by 3.28 to get m/min for the formula above.

## Let the calculator do it

The [Feeds & speeds](https://nestingcalc.com/feeds-speeds-calculator/) converts between metric and imperial automatically and fills Vc from material presets — enter diameter and flutes and read RPM and feed rate directly.

[Cutting speed](https://nestingcalc.com/cutting-speed-calculator/) [Open the linear cutting calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/linear-cutting-calculator/)

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