Featured Snippet: Feed Rate (mm/min) = Spindle Speed (RPM) x Chip Load (mm/tooth) x Flutes
Free PCB drill feed rate calculator. Enter RPM, chip load and flutes to get feed rate (mm/min) and surface speed for FR4, HDI and back-drill panels.
Suitable for:
Enter your drilling parameters. All fields required; use decimal millimetres.
| Feed rate | -- mm/min |
| Feed rate | -- mm/s |
| Cutting surface speed (Vc) | -- m/min |
| Chip per hole | -- mm |
| Suggested entry board | -- |
| Suggested backup board | -- |
| Est. burr risk | -- |
Typical PCB micro-drill chip load: 0.005-0.020 mm/tooth; most lines run feed 6-12 mm/min. Validate on your own stack.
Feed rate is the speed at which the drill bit plunges into the panel. In PCB drilling it is the product of three shop-floor variables: spindle speed, chip load and flute count. Getting it right controls burr height, hole wall roughness, drill wander and ultimately via reliability on HDI and back-drilling builds. This tool converts your inputs into feed rate (mm/min) and cutting surface speed (m/min) instantly, in the browser.
| Drill diameter | Chip load (mm/tooth) | Feed (m/min) @ ~90k RPM, 2 flutes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.10 mm (micro-via) | 0.005-0.010 | 0.9-1.8 |
| 0.20 mm | 0.008-0.015 | 1.4-2.7 |
| 0.30 mm | 0.010-0.020 | 1.8-3.6 |
| 0.50 mm | 0.015-0.030 | 2.7-5.4 |
| 0.80 mm | 0.020-0.035 | 3.6-6.3 |
| Material | Feed Stability | Burr Control | Tool Life |
|---|---|---|---|
| UV Melamine backup board | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Phenolic backup board | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ |
| Aluminum entry sheet | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
Stable feed rate and clean exits are what let you push hit count without micro-drill breakage. Pair the right board with the parameters from this tool — see our backup board range and aluminum entry boards.
| Material | RPM | Chip load | Feed (m/min) | Entry | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR4 (standard multilayer) | 90,000 | 0.012 | 2.16 | Aluminum entry sheet | HDF backup board |
| HDI / micro-via | 110,000 | 0.008 | 1.76 | Lubricant aluminum | UV melamine 880 backup board |
| Rogers (high-frequency) | 80,000 | 0.010 | 1.60 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| PTFE / Teflon | 60,000 | 0.008 | 0.96 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| IC substrate (ABF) | 120,000 | 0.006 | 1.44 | Lubricant aluminum | UV melamine 950 backup board |
| Ceramic PCB | 50,000 | 0.008 | 0.80 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| Aluminum PCB (IMS) | 40,000 | 0.010 | 0.80 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
| Copper-core PCB | 30,000 | 0.010 | 0.60 | Aluminum entry sheet | Phenolic backup board |
Figures are qualified starting points cross-checked with published fabrication guidance and supplier benchmarks — validate on your own panels.
Feed rate & throughput (0.20 mm drill, FR4)
Representative field benchmarks for a 0.20 mm drill on standard FR4; actual results vary with stackup, machine and consumables — validate on your own panels.
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What is feed rate in PCB drilling? Feed rate is how fast the drill bit advances into the panel (mm/min). It equals spindle RPM x chip load per tooth x flutes, and it controls heat, burr height and hole-wall quality.
What is a good chip load for a PCB micro drill? For 0.1-0.3 mm drills, about 0.005-0.020 mm per tooth; thinner bits need less. Larger drills (0.3-0.8 mm) tolerate 0.015-0.030 mm/tooth. Validate on your stack with a sample.
What is the feed rate formula for drilling? Feed rate (mm/min) = RPM x chip load (mm/tooth) x flutes. Cutting surface speed Vc = pi x diameter (mm) x RPM / 1000.
How does feed rate affect burr and hole quality? Above ~15 mm/min burr risk rises; most lines run 6-12 mm/min by hole diameter. A stable feed also cuts drill wander and keeps the hole wall cleaner - critical for HDI, micro-via and back-drilling.
Feed rate vs spindle speed - which do I set first? Set RPM from your target surface speed and diameter, then derive feed from RPM and chip load. Raising one without the other either overheats the bit or breaks small drills.
What is surface speed in drilling? Surface speed (Vc) is the linear speed of the drill's cutting edge against the material, in m/min, equal to pi x diameter x RPM / 1000.
What is chip evacuation and why does it matter? Chip evacuation is how swarf leaves the hole. Poor evacuation packs chips, raises heat and causes nail heading and hole wall roughness - a stable feed rate helps flush chips.
What causes drill wander? Drill wander is lateral deflection of a small bit on entry. A sharp aluminum entry sheet centers the bit and reduces wander, improving drill registration and hole accuracy.
What is resin smear and how is it linked to feed? Resin smear is melted dielectric deposited on the hole wall from excess heat; too-high feed with low RPM raises heat. Desmear or plasma treatment restores via reliability.
What is nail heading? Nail heading is a mushroomed burr on the exit side from poor backup support or wrong feed; using a quality backup board and correct feed minimises it.
How does feed rate affect drill life? A feed rate that keeps the edge cutting (not rubbing) lowers drill wear and extends tool life; erratic feed accelerates drill breakage.
What is drill runout? Drill runout is the bit's radial deviation from true centre; high spindle runout hurts hole accuracy and should be minimised alongside correct feed.
What is a good feed for back-drilling? Back-drill feed follows the same formula but is tuned for a controlled-depth second pass; pair with a coated back-drill entry sheet - see our back-drill guide.
Why use an entry board at all? An entry board (aluminum) centres and cools the bit on entry, cuts drill wander and improves hole quality versus drilling bare stack.
Why use a backup board? A backup board supports the exit, controls burr and nail heading, and protects the drill on breakthrough - essential for clean holes.
What is the difference between mechanical and laser drilling? Mechanical drilling uses a coated bit for larger holes; laser drilling (UV/CO2) forms micro-vias without a bit. Both need correct parameters for hole quality.
The fundamental relationship — Feed (mm/min) = RPM × chip load × flutes — governs heat generation, burr formation, and tool wear. For micro-drills below 0.2 mm, keep chip load between 0.005–0.012 mm/tooth to avoid drill breakage. Validate on your stack with a sample before committing to production.
Proto-Electronics — PCB drilling process ↗
Stack height and aspect ratio (hole depth ÷ diameter) interact directly with feed parameters. High aspect ratio holes (> 10:1) require reduced feed to maintain chip evacuation and avoid resin smear. Pairing a lubricated entry board with a UV melamine backup board supports higher stacks without quality degradation.
NCAB Group — HDI / microvia design ↗
Tool life is maximised when feed rate keeps the cutting edge loaded (not rubbing). A stable feed of 6–12 mm/min for 0.2 mm drills on FR4 typically yields 3,000–4,000 hits per bit. Worn bits increase burr height and hole wall roughness — monitor both as end-of-life indicators.
IPC — rigid PCB standards (IPC-6012) ↗
The entry board material directly affects parameter stability. Standard aluminum entry sheets provide consistent centering for most builds; lubricated aluminum entry sheets reduce drill wander on micro-vias below 0.15 mm and enable higher feed rates by lowering frictional heat.
YUESHAN — What is an entry board
The backup board absorbs exit energy and controls burr. UV melamine boards (880/950 grades) offer the best surface hardness for HDI and fine-pitch work; HDF is cost-effective for standard FR4; phenolic suits back-drilling and rigid-flex applications.
YUESHAN — What is a backup board
The total cost per hole includes drill bit cost, entry/backup board cost, machine time, and scrap. Optimising parameters to increase hit count by even 20% often has a higher ROI than reducing consumable cost per sheet. Use the tools on this site to model the trade-offs.
Process and CAM engineers use these numbers across demanding builds:
The right entry and backup board is what actually lets you hold a stable feed rate without breakage. Explore the product lines:
HDF, UV melamine and phenolic backup boards for stable exits and burr control.
Product Page →Plain and coated aluminum entry boards, including lubricated grades for micro-holes.
Product Page →Self-lubricating entry sheets that cool and center the bit on HDI / micro-via drilling.
Product Page →Coated back-drill entry sheets built for controlled-depth second-pass accuracy.
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