Stainless Steel Drilling and Reaming Data

Stainless steel drilling and reaming data depends on the exact alloy group, condition, tool geometry, diameter, depth, machine rigidity and coolant. This reference separates two manufacturer sources: Sandvik CoroDrill 870 cutting speeds for selected stainless material groups, and one Kennametal 5 mm KenReam S102 reaming recommendation. The entries are tool-specific starting points, not a generic recipe for every stainless grade.

MECHANITEC / ENGINEERING REFERENCE

Selected manufacturer stainless drilling and reaming data

Sandvik CoroDrill 870 stainless drilling cutting speeds and a separate Kennametal 5 mm carbide reamer example.

1–8 of 8 matching rows (8 total)

Selected manufacturer stainless drilling and reaming data — page 1 of 1
Operation	Tool and manufacturer	Work material and condition	Source hardness	Diameter and depth limit	Speed min (m/min) (m/min)	Speed starting value (m/min) (m/min)	Speed max (m/min) (m/min)	Feed guidance
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Ferritic/martensitic stainless, annealed	200	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	30	40	50	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Ferritic/martensitic stainless, hardened and tempered	330	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	70	90	110	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Austenitic stainless, annealed/quenched	200	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	40	50	60	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Austenitic stainless, machinability-improved group	200	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	60	75	90	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Super-austenitic stainless, Ni >20%	200	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	20	40	60	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Duplex stainless, >60% ferrite; N <0.10%	230	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	40	55	70	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Drilling	Sandvik CoroDrill 870	Duplex stainless, <60% ferrite; N >0.10%	260	10–20.99 mm; below 6×D	20	40	60	Use Sandvik geometry and diameter-specific feed chart.
Reaming	Kennametal KenReam S102, 5 mm, 4-flute	ISO material group M stainless steel	Product-specific	5 mm reamer; 5×D tool; internal coolant	20	40	50	0.08–0.12 mm/tooth; four flutes; verify stock allowance.

Search and sort apply to all 8 rows. Print and CSV include only the 8 rows shown on this page.

Choose the matching stainless material group

The drilling entries retain the ISO material group and condition used by Sandvik. Annealed ferritic or martensitic stainless, hardened-and-tempered material, austenitic stainless, super-austenitic stainless and duplex stainless are separate categories. The duplex rows also distinguish the material notes given for higher and lower ferrite content. Use the source classification that best matches the workpiece certificate; do not select a row from a generic “stainless” label alone.

The listed CoroDrill 870 cutting-speed ranges apply to the manufacturer’s specified drill family for hole depths below 6×D. The recommended value is a starting point within the min-to-max window. A long overhang, poor chip evacuation, unstable workholding, interrupted entry, cross-hole or an unknown workpiece condition can require different settings. Confirm the current tool revision and the full diameter-specific feed table before machining.

Keep the reaming example separate

The reaming row is a separate Kennametal product recommendation for a 5 mm KenReam S102 carbide reamer with internal coolant and a helical flute, used in its stated stainless material group. Kennametal lists a 20–50 m/min cutting-speed window with a 40 m/min starting value. The feed is specified per tooth, not per revolution. With four flutes, the listed 0.08–0.12 mm/tooth interval corresponds to 0.32–0.48 mm/rev if the tool manufacturer’s four-flute setup is used.

Do not compare the reamer values directly with the CoroDrill values as if the operations or tools were interchangeable. Reaming follows a drilled or bored hole and depends on the remaining stock allowance, alignment, runout, coolant delivery and hole depth. Verify the product variant, diameter, flute geometry, allowance and work material in the Kennametal application data.

Calculate spindle speed from cutting speed

For a metric tool, spindle speed is n = 1000 × Vc ÷ (π × D), where Vc is cutting speed in metres per minute and D is tool diameter in millimetres. At 10 mm diameter and 40 m/min, the calculated spindle speed is about 1,273 rpm. This calculation converts a selected cutting speed; it does not validate the recommended speed for a different tool or workpiece.

For a reamer, convert feed per tooth to feed per revolution by multiplying by the number of flutes, then multiply by spindle speed to obtain feed in mm/min. Check the manufacturer’s convention for the particular tool, entry and exit, and any feed adjustments required by the hole geometry. Avoid dwelling in stainless steel because it can work-harden.

Use a controlled trial

Check the machine, holder, runout, coolant concentration, chip evacuation and tool condition before raising speed or feed. Record the workpiece grade and hardness, drill or reamer designation, diameter, depth, speed, feed, coolant and observed chips. Inspect the hole size, finish and tool wear. If results differ from expectations, adjust one parameter at a time within the product maker’s guidance.

The values in this table do not replace a tool-specific application calculation, a validated procedure or a machinist’s review. Stainless grades vary in work hardening, strength and chip behavior, and even a single grade can vary by condition. Confirm the exact application before production.

Sources

Drilling speed ranges are from Sandvik Coromant’s CoroDrill 870 metric cutting-data sheet. The reaming values are from the product-specific Kennametal KenReam S102 application data. Each source applies only to its stated tool and material conditions.