CNC tool holder runout tolerance specification. Get instant Total Cost, Cost per Part for your machining parameters.
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Request a Proposal →Even with high-end tooling from Tungaloy and Kennametal, things go wrong. Here are the most common Metal Weight & Cost-related issues our technical team sees, and how to fix them.
Diagnosis: Your surface speed is likely too high. Even Tungaloy AlTiN-coated carbide can't outrun excessive heat generation. Check that your Metal Weight & Cost matches the actual material hardness — a shift from HRC 28 to HRC 32 4140 changes everything.
Fix: Reduce SFM by 15-20%. Verify coolant concentration with a Mitutoyo refractometer (target 8-10% for steel).
Diagnosis: Your Metal Weight & Cost might be fine for straight cuts, but corner engagement increases dramatically. Kennametal application engineers call this the "corner trap" — the tool sees 180° of engagement in a 90° internal corner.
Fix: Add a finish pass at 0.1mm radial depth with a separate finishing tool. Program the Makino to reduce feed rate to 50% in corners.
Diagnosis: You're applying Tungaloy Metal Weight & Cost values to Kennametal tools — or vice versa. Each manufacturer's carbide substrate and coating system has a different sweet spot.
Fix: Download the specific Metal Weight & Cost chart for your exact tool from the manufacturer's website. Tungaloy CoroPlus and Kennametal NOVO both offer free digital tools.
Material cost is often the largest single component of a machined part cost. This calculator multiplies the part weight by the material unit price, with an estimate for the number of parts produced from the material input.
Titanium (Grade 5/Ti-6Al-4V) at $30-50/kg. Inconel 718 at $40-60/kg. Tungsten carbide blanks at $80-200/kg. At the low end: mild steel at $1-2/kg, aluminium 6061 at $3-5/kg. Prices fluctuate with commodity markets and order quantity.
Typical buy-to-fly ratios: 4:1 to 10:1 meaning 75-90% of the purchased material becomes chips. For simple parts from bar stock, 15-30% waste. For complex aerospace structural parts machined from plate, 85-95% waste. Use the scrap value calculator to offset some of this cost.
Calculate the blank weight (not finished part weight), multiply by material price, then divide by estimated parts per blank. Compare the total including tooling cost, cycle time, and scrap. The cheapest material is not always the lowest cost per part if it machines slowly or wears tools quickly.
Enter the material weight in kg and the price per kg. The calculator shows the total material cost and an estimated cost per part. For accurate quoting, add waste allowance, shipping, and minimum order quantity surcharges to the base material cost.
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Use the calculator freely. If the result points to a tooling or process problem, we can source the exact carbide tooling you need from vetted factories in China. Compare factory-direct pricing.
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