Maximum depth of cut in rough turning, based on turning insert shapes
We decide the depth of cut on the basis of an arbitrary thumb rule. E.g., in rough turning we’ll always use a depth of cut of 3 mm. Why not 4, 5 or 6 ? Nobody knows. Just a bad thumb rule that makes your lathe a white elephant.
Here’s a little-known fact about inserts. They have a maximum depth of cut based on their shape and size. In roughing operations, doubling the depth of cut halves the cutting time, enables you to use the machine’s spindle motor better, increases your profits. By using an arbitrary thumb rule we are under-utilizing the insert and more importantly, under-utilizing the machine. See this post for more on this : CNC spindle power and ROI.
This table shows the max. depth of cut for various insert shapes.
You can actually increase the depth of cut to these values if there is spindle power and torque available, as explained here: Maximizing spindle power usage.
CADEM CAPSturn CNC lathe programming software takes insert max. depth of cut into consideration and helps you reduce cycle time. It is a simple and affordable CAD/CAM software.
