Publié le 4 June 2026
The success of a sawing operation depends as much on the choice of tool as on the cutting parameters applied. A mill-saw perfectly suited to the application may see its service life severely reduced if the cutting speed or feed rate are poorly defined.
Conversely, optimized parameters increase productivity, improve surface finish and significantly extend tool life.
In this article, we present the main parameters to be taken into account when using HSS and solid carbide circular sawbores.
Cutting speed corresponds to the linear speed at which the cutter teeth penetrate the material.
It is expressed in meters per minute (m/min).
This value depends mainly on :
Too high a cutting speed generally results in overheating, premature wear and loss of cutting quality.
Conversely, too low a speed reduces productivity and can lead to excessive cutting effort.
Rotational speed is expressed in revolutions per minute (rpm).
It is calculated from the cutting speed and the diameter of the cutter. At the same cutting speed, a small-diameter cutter will turn faster than a large-diameter cutter.
The feed per tooth represents the chip thickness removed by each tooth as it passes through the material.
It is expressed in millimeters per tooth (mm/dent).
For HSS and solid carbide circular saw cutters, a value of between 0.005 and 0.02 mm/dent is generally a suitable basis for setting, depending on the material and application.
Insufficient feed often results in excessive tooth friction, while excessive feed increases cutting forces and the risk of breakage.
HSS saw cutters offer excellent versatility for steel, stainless steel, cast iron and non-ferrous metals.
| Material | Cutting speed (Vc) |
| Steel up to 50 daN/mm² (1.5 lb/ft²) | 25 to 50 m/min |
| 50 to 80 daN/mm² steel | 15 to 30 m/min |
| 80 to 100 daN/mm² steel | 10 to 20 m/min |
| 100 to 130 daN/mm² steel | 5 to 10 m/min |
| Stainless steel and titanium alloys | 10 to 25 m/min |
| Grey cast iron | 15 to 25 m/min |
| Copper, brass, bronze | 100 to 350 m/min |
| Aluminum | 100 to 400 m/min |
| Plastics | 400 to 800 m/min |
Soft materials such as aluminum or plastic allow much higher speeds than high-alloy steels or stainless steel.
Thanks to their high hardness and excellent wear resistance, solid carbide sawbores enable significantly higher cutting speeds.
| Material | Cutting speed (Vc) |
| Steel up to 50 daN/mm² (1.5 lb/ft²) | 120 to 200 m/min |
| 50 to 80 daN/mm² steel | 100 to 200 m/min |
| 80 to 100 daN/mm² steel | 60 to 150 m/min |
| 100 to 130 daN/mm² steel | 40 to 100 m/min |
| Stainless steel and titanium | 50 to 100 m/min |
| Grey cast iron | 60 to 120 m/min |
| Copper, brass, bronze | 200 to 400 m/min |
| Aluminum | 400 to 800 m/min |
| Plastics | 600 to 1000 m/min |
Depending on the application, cutting speeds can be multiplied by 3 to 5 compared with HSS. This capability increases productivity, improves cut quality and reduces cutting costs per part.
The values for cutting speed, rotational speed and feed rate presented above provide an excellent basis for adjustment. However, actual cutting conditions vary greatly depending on the industry, materials used and production objectives.
Cutting metal tubes and profiles is one of the most common applications for HSS and solid carbide circular saw blades.
The challenges are generally to limit burrs, avoid deformation of thin walls and guarantee excellent cut perpendicularity.
In this type of application, clamping, machine rigidity and gear selection play just as important a role as cutting parameters.
The bar turning, watchmaking, connector technology and precision mechanics sectors place high demands on surface finish and dimensional tolerances.
The wrong feed rate can cause burrs, cutting defects or premature tool wear.
Precise adjustment of the feed rate per tooth is therefore particularly important to guarantee consistent quality.
The automotive industry frequently uses alloyed, case-hardened or heat-treated steels with high mechanical strength.
These materials often require the use of coated saw-cutters and rigorously controlled cutting parameters to maximize tool life and maintain high production rates.
Titanium alloys, special stainless steels and certain high-performance materials present significant machining difficulties.
These materials have difficulty dissipating heat, and place heavy loads on cutting edges.
Appropriate cutting speeds and geometry are essential to limit heat build-up and preserve tool life.
Copper alloys generally allow much higher cutting speeds than steels.
However, cutting quality requirements are particularly high in the connector and electronics sectors, where the slightest burr can lead to costly rework operations.
There are no universal parameters applicable to all situations.
The recommended values must always be adapted according to :
Field experience and tests carried out under real production conditions remain the best means of optimizing the long-term performance of an HSS or solid carbide circular cutter.
Let's take a Ø80 mm solid carbide milling cutter for machining structural steel.
The recommended speed is around 600 rpm.
For an HSS milling cutter of the same diameter and for the same material, the recommended rotation speed is around 140 rpm.
This example perfectly illustrates the productivity gains made possible by solid carbide.
A and AW teeth generally use smaller cutting angles.
For example:
B and BW teeth feature more aggressive cutting angles.
For example:
The choice of geometry must always be based on the material, the cross-section to be cut and the rigidity of the installation.
The working advance can be determined using the following formula:
Vf = (1000 × fz × Vc) / T
with :
This formula makes it possible to quickly establish a consistent setting when setting up a sawing operation.
The choice of cutting parameters is a decisive factor in fully exploiting the performance of a circular sawmill.
HSS saw cutters are an economical and versatile solution for many applications, while solid carbide saw cutters enable much higher levels of productivity thanks to significantly higher cutting speeds.
For best results, parameters must always be adapted to the material, the tool geometry, the machine used and the actual machining conditions.
