MATERIAL

SFM

SUGGESTED TAPPING SPEEDS

LOW CARBON STEEL

MEDIUM CARBON STEEL
HIGH CARBON STEEL
CAST STEEL
300 SERIES STAINLESS STEEL
400 SERIES STAINLESS STEEL
GREY CAST IRON
DUCTILE CAST IRON
ALLOY CAST IRON
ALUMINIUM CAST ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM DIECAST ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM WROUGHT ALLOYS
ZINC DIECASTINGS
COPPER
BRASS, FREE MACHINING
CAST BRONZE
NICKEL ALLOYS
TITANIUM ALLOYS
PLASTIC, THERMOSETTING
PLASTIC, THERMOPLASTIC

55
35
10
25
20
15
70
50
40
60
70
80
80
60
60
50
10
10
40
80

#0
M1.6
3503
2229
637
1592
1274
955
4459
3185
2548
3822
4459
5096
5096
3822
3822
3185
637
637
2548
5096

#1
2879
1832
524
1309
1047
785
3665
2618
2094
3141
3665
4188
4188
3141
3141
2618
524
524
2094
4188

#2
M2
2444
1555
444
1111
889
667
3111
2222
1778
2666
3111
3555
3555
2666
2666
2222
444
444
1778
3555

#3
M2.5
2123
1351
386
965
772
579
2702
1930
1544
2316
2702
3088
3088
2316
2316
1930
386
386
1544
3088

#4
1877
1194
341
853
682
512
2389
1706
1365
2047
2389
2730
2730
2047
2047
1706
341
341
1365
2730

#5
M3
1682
1070
306
764
611
459
2140
1529
1223
1834
2140
2446
2446
1834
1834
1529
306
306
1223
2446

#6
M3.5
1523
969
277
692
554
415
1939
1385
1108
1662
1939
2215
2215
1662
1662
1385
277
277
1108
2215

#8
M4
1282
816
233
583
466
350
1631
1165
932
1398
1631
1864
1864
1398
1398
1165
233
233
932
1864

TAPPING RPM
#10
#12
M5
1106
937
704
619
201
177
503
442
402
354
302
265
1408
1238
1006
885
805
708
1207
1062
1408
1238
1609
1415
1609
1415
1207
1062
1207
1062
1006
885
201
177
201
177
805
708
1609
1415

1/4
M6
841
535
153
382
306
229
1070
764
611
917
1070
1223
1223
917
917
764
153
153
611
1223

5/16
M8
674
429
122
306
245
184
857
612
490
735
857
980
980
735
735
612
122
122
490
980

3/8
M10
561
357
102
255
204
153
713
510
408
611
713
815
815
611
611
510
102
102
408
815

7/16
M11
481
306
87
219
175
131
612
437
350
525
612
700
700
525
525
437
87
87
350
700

1/2
M12
420
268
76
191
153
115
535
382
306
459
535
611
611
459
459
382
76
76
306
611

5/8
M16
336
214
61
153
122
92
428
306
245
367
428
489
489
367
367
306
61
61
245
489

3/4
M18
280
178
51
127
102
76
357
255
204
306
357
408
408
306
306
255
51
51
204
408

1
M24
210
134
38
96
76
57
268
191
153
229
268
306
306
229
229
191
38
38
153
306

1. Speeds are starting points for cold forming taps or for cutting taps in thru hole applications
2. Fine pitch cold forming taps less than 1/2" diameter may be run faster in soft material with good lubrication. Increase tapping RPM gradually until tap heat
buildup due to lubrication failure begins to occur.
3. For cutting taps in blind holes, reduce RPM by 25% to 50%.
4. Tap Feed Rate = Tap RPM x Tap Pitch (Displacement/Revolution)
Example: M6 x 1.0 Tap @ 1000 RPM
Feed Rate = 1000 rev/min. x 1.0 mm/rev )= 1000 mm/min