Machinability Comparison Tool — Filter, Sort & Compare 32 Materials

How It Works

1. Browse or Filter

   View all 32 materials or filter by family: Carbon, Alloy, Free-Machining, Stainless, Aluminum, Copper/Brass, Cast Iron, Titanium, Nickel Alloys.

2. Sort by Property

   Sort by Machinability %, Name, or SFM Range. Click headers to toggle ascending/descending.

3. Toggle Heat Treated

   Where available, toggle between annealed and heat treated conditions.

4. Expand Details

   Click any material to see SFM ranges for turning/milling/drilling, chip type, hardness, and tooling recommendations.

5. Compare Side by Side

   Check 2-3 materials for a comparison table highlighting differences.

Built For

• Machinists evaluating cutting parameters for unfamiliar materials
• Manufacturing engineers selecting materials for high-volume production
• CNC programmers estimating cycle times when switching materials
• Estimators comparing material options for quoting
• Purchasing agents finding more machinable substitutes
• Tool engineers selecting insert grades based on chip characteristics

Features & Capabilities

32 Materials

12 steels, 4 stainless, 4 aluminum, 3 copper/brass, 3 cast iron, 2 titanium, 2 nickel alloys, 2 free-machining. Each with machinability %, SFM, and chip type.

Family Filters

Nine color-coded pills for quick family selection.

Compare Mode

Up to 3 materials side by side highlighting differences in machinability, SFM, chip type, and tooling.

Heat Treated Toggle

Shows how heat treatment affects machinability and cutting parameters.

Sortable Columns

Sort by machinability %, SFM range, or alphabetical name.

PDF Export

Export comparisons as branded PDF for process plans or material selection reports.

Assumptions

• Machinability percentages referenced to AISI 1212 = 100% baseline using B1112 as the test material per AISI methodology
• SFM ranges assume uncoated carbide tooling (C2/C5) for steel and stainless, uncoated HSS baseline for reference
• Chip type classifications based on typical behavior at recommended speeds: continuous, segmented, stringy, or powdery
• Heat-treated machinability adjustments based on published data showing typical 20-50% reduction from annealed condition
• Material families grouped by metallurgical similarity: carbon, alloy, free-machining, stainless, aluminum, copper/brass, cast iron, titanium, nickel
• Tooling recommendations reference general insert grade categories, not specific manufacturer part numbers

Limitations

• Machinability ratings are not standardized across the industry; different sources report different values for the same material
• Does not account for chip control difficulty, which is often more impactful than tool wear rate in production settings
• SFM ranges are starting points for roughing with standard tooling; finishing operations and coated inserts allow significantly higher speeds
• Aluminum alloy machinability varies dramatically by temper; 6061-T6 machines differently than 6061-O
• Cast iron machinability depends heavily on microstructure (gray, ductile, ADI) and presence of hard inclusions
• Does not include exotic alloys (Waspaloy, MP35N, Rene 41) commonly encountered in aerospace machining

References

• AISI Machinability Data Center - Standard Machinability Rating Methodology
• ASM Metals Handbook, Volume 16 - Machining (comprehensive machinability data by material)
• Machinery's Handbook, 31st Edition - Machinability Ratings and Recommended Cutting Speeds
• Kennametal Metalworking Tooling Catalog - Speed and Feed Recommendations by Material Group
• Sandvik Coromant - Metal Cutting Technology Training Handbook (material classification system)
• ISO 513 - Classification and Application of Hard Cutting Materials for Metal Removal (insert grade system)

Frequently Asked Questions