Turn tool cost into cost per part and cost per edge, plus the annual tooling bill. Enter insert price, edges per insert, parts per edge and tool life.
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Request a Proposal →Understanding the true cost per cutting edge helps you evaluate tooling investment decisions. An insert may cost $15, but with 4 usable edges that each last 200 parts, the cost per part can be under 2 cents.
CNMG/WNMG: 4 edges (2 per side). CCMT: 2 edges (1 per side). TNMG: 6 edges (3 per side). Some negative inserts (SNMG, DNMG) offer 8 edges. Always confirm with the insert specification — not all geometries are double-sided.
Replace when flank wear exceeds 0.3 mm for roughing or 0.2 mm for finishing. Signs: poor surface finish, increased cutting noise, burr formation, or dimensional drift. Running a worn insert past the wear limit risks catastrophic failure and part damage.
For diameters above 12 mm and medium-to-large batches, indexable tooling usually wins on cost per edge. Solid carbide excels for small diameters, complex geometries, and high-speed applications. Compare total cost per part, not just tool purchase price.
Enter the tool cost, tool life in parts per edge, and the number of usable edges. The calculator shows cost per part, cost per edge, and an estimated annual tooling budget based on 10,000 parts per year.
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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.
Before you commit to a spec, it helps to know what the market pays for it. These are real, publicly listed factory prices — not a quotation, and not a guess.
We source the tool families below direct from vetted Chinese factories, matched to the material and tolerance you just worked out. Every batch ships with its material certificate and dimensional record.
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TOOL WEAR COSTING MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED? When wear is the line item that keeps growing, the fix is usually grade and coating rather than price. Start with how a carbide tool's cost stack is built.
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