Chip load

Chip load is the thickness of material removed by a single cutting edge during one pass, derived from feed rate, spindle speed and the number of cutting edges on the tool. Too low a chip load causes rubbing rather than cutting, which generates excess heat and wears the tool faster; too high a chip load can break the tool or leave a poor finish.

Why chip load has a range, not one ideal value

Chip load has a practical sweet spot for a given tool and material: below it, the tool rubs and overheats rather than cutting cleanly; above it, cutting forces risk tool breakage, so programmers target a validated range rather than a single ideal number.

Where chip load is set

Not on the drawing; it's a derived programming parameter based on feed rate, spindle speed and the number of tool flutes, not something an engineer specifies directly.

Common mistakes

Running a feed rate too low for a given tool without realizing the resulting chip load causes rubbing rather than cutting, which can wear out a tool faster than running it slightly more aggressively.

Is chip load the same as feed rate?

Related but not identical; feed rate is the overall advance rate, while chip load is the thickness removed by each individual cutting edge per pass.

Why can too low a chip load damage a tool?

Because the tool rubs against the material instead of cutting cleanly, generating excess heat that accelerates wear.

Does chip load depend on the number of flutes on a tool?

Yes, more flutes divide the same feed rate into a smaller chip load per edge, which is one reason tool selection and feed rate are set together.