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Drilling Time Calculator

Work out drilling time instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Drilling Time Calculator

Penetration rate is spindle speed times feed per revolution. Travel is the hole depth plus about 0.3 diameters for the drill point to break through, since the tip cone must clear the far face before the hole is complete.

Formulas

Penetration rate

IPM = rpm x feed per revolution

Time per hole

T = (depth + 0.3 x diameter) / IPM

Worked example

With the default values below, Drilling Time Calculator returns Time per hole of 0.2292. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Hole depthminimum 0.01 in
1.5 in
Drill diameterminimum 0.01 in
0.5 in
Spindle speedminimum 1 rpm
1,200 rpm
Feed per revolutionminimum 0 in/rev
0.006 in/rev

Results

Time per hole
0.2292 min
Time per hole
13.75 s
Penetration rate
7.20 in/min
Holes per hour of cutting
262

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Penetration rate
  3. 3Time per hole
  4. 4Time per hole= 0.2292 min
  5. 5Time per hole= 13.75 s
  6. 6Penetration rate= 7.20 in/min
  7. 7Holes per hour of cutting= 262

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Drilling Time figure worked out?

IPM = rpm x feed per revolution. Penetration rate is spindle speed times feed per revolution.

Why add 0.3 diameters?

A standard 118 degree drill point is about 0.3 times the diameter deep. Without that allowance the calculated time is short and the hole is not fully through.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 4 inputs: Hole depth, Drill diameter, Spindle speed, Feed per revolution. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic worked example — replace them with your own site or project figures.

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