Metalworking Calculators

Bend Allowance Calculator

Calculate sheet metal bend allowance and bend deduction from bend angle, inside radius, thickness, and K-factor, with fully worked flat-pattern examples.

Drilling Thrust Force Calculator

Calculate the axial thrust force required for a drilling operation based on drill diameter, feed rate, and material.

Fastener Torque Calculator

Calculate the tightening torque needed to achieve a desired bolt clamp force using the torque-tension relationship.

Feed Rate Calculator

Calculate CNC feed rate for milling from RPM, flute count, and chip load, or for turning and drilling from RPM and feed per revolution, with worked examples.

Galvanic Corrosion Risk Calculator

Assess galvanic corrosion risk between two dissimilar metals based on their galvanic series potential difference.

Kerf Width Calculator

Calculate how many parts a length of stock yields once cutting kerf is accounted for, with worked examples showing material lost to each cut.

Material Removal Rate Calculator

Calculate material removal rate (MRR) in cubic inches per minute from depth of cut, width of cut, and feed rate.

Metal Cutting Speed Calculator

Convert between cutting speed (SFM) and spindle RPM for turning operations using workpiece diameter, with worked examples for common materials.

Metal Sheet Gauge Calculator

Convert between Manufacturers' Standard Gauge numbers and actual thickness for steel sheet in both inches and millimeters, with the full reference table.

Metal Weight Per Foot Calculator

Calculate weight per foot for round, square, rectangular bar, and round tube stock across common metals, with worked examples by shape and material.

Plasma Cutting Speed Calculator

Estimate plasma cutting travel speed based on material thickness and cutter amperage setting.

Press Brake Tonnage Calculator

Estimate press brake tonnage needed for a bend from length, thickness, die opening, and material, with worked examples comparing steel and stainless.

Rivet Shear Strength Calculator

Calculate total single-shear joint strength for a riveted connection based on rivet diameter, material, and count.

Sheet Metal Flat Pattern Length Calculator

Calculate total flat pattern length for a multi-bend sheet metal part, accounting for bend allowance across all bends.

Sheet Metal Weight Calculator

Calculate sheet metal weight from length, width, thickness, and material density, covering steel, aluminum, titanium and other common metals.

Spindle Speed Calculator (RPM from SFM)

Convert cutting speed (SFM) and tool diameter into the correct spindle RPM for machining operations.

Tap Drill Size Calculator

Calculate the correct tap drill size for imperial or metric threads from major diameter and TPI or pitch, with worked examples for common thread sizes.

Weld Bead Volume Calculator

Estimate weld metal volume from weld length, bead width, and bead height for filler metal planning.

Weld Heat Input Calculator

Calculate weld heat input in kJ/mm using the standard AWS formula from voltage, amperage, and travel speed.

Welding Cost Calculator

Calculate total welding job cost from weld length, speed, labor rate, consumables, gas, and overhead, with a full worked cost breakdown example.

Cutting and Bending Metal, Precisely

Sheet metal fabrication depends on knowing exactly how much material a bend or cut consumes — get the bend allowance or kerf width wrong and a part comes out the wrong final size even with a perfectly executed cut. These ten calculators cover that fabrication math.

Kerf Width Varies a Lot by Cutting Method

Typical kerf width by cutting method
Cutting MethodTypical Kerf Width
Laser Cutting~0.1 - 0.2 mm
Waterjet Cutting~1.0 - 1.5 mm
Plasma Cutting~1.5 - 3.0 mm

Kerf is the material actually removed by the cutting process itself — ignoring it on a precision part means the finished piece comes out narrower than designed by exactly that amount on each cut edge. The Kerf Width Calculator and Bend Allowance Calculator both correct for this before cutting, not after.

Popular Metalworking Calculators

  • Press Brake Tonnage Calculator — calculates the tonnage needed to bend a given material thickness and length.
  • Metal Cutting Speed Calculator — finds the optimal cutting speed for a given material and tool.
  • Sheet Metal Weight Calculator — calculates weight from sheet dimensions, thickness, and material density.

Related: Mechanical Engineering Calculators, Manufacturing Calculators.