What is cost per cutting edge?

Cost per cutting edge is the insert price divided by the number of usable edges on that insert. A square insert with four edges at 8 EUR costs 2 EUR per edge, a triangle with three edges at the same price costs 2,67 EUR per edge. It is the fair way to compare inserts of different shapes and prices, instead of comparing sticker price alone.

How do you calculate tool cost per part?

Divide the tool life per edge (in minutes) by the cutting time per part to get parts per edge, then divide the cost per edge by parts per edge. Tool cost per part = (insert price / edges per insert) / (tool life per edge / cutting time per part). This is the number that actually drives your part cost, not the insert's unit price.

Why does a cheaper insert sometimes cost more per part?

Because unit price ignores edge count and tool life. A cheaper insert with fewer edges or shorter tool life can produce fewer parts per edge, so its real cost per part is higher than a pricier insert that lasts longer and cuts faster. Cost per edge and cost per part are the numbers to compare, not the price tag.

What operating hours should I use for an annual tooling-cost projection?

Use your actual annual spindle-on time for that machine or operation, not a generic default. A single eight-hour shift, five days a week, roughly 48 weeks a year, is close to 1,900 to 2,000 hours; two shifts roughly doubles it. If you do not know the real figure, your production or scheduling data will have it, and using the real number is what turns this from a rough estimate into a decision-grade one.

Does this calculator account for machine downtime or scrap cost?

No. This calculator isolates tooling economics only: cost per edge, cost per part, and an annual tooling-cost projection from insert price, edge count, tool life and cycle time. It does not model machine hourly rate, scrap, rework, or changeover time, which belong in a full part-cost model.

MATERIAL CROSS-REFERENCE · N FREE-CUTTING BRASS

CuZn39Pb3 / C38500: one material, every designation.

CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) is the same material your supplier may list as UNS C38500 or JIS C3604. This page maps the designations across standards and gives the ISO N-group machining starting point, brand-neutral.

EN · W.-Nr. · AISI/ASTM/UNS · JIS ISO 513 group N Free, no signup

01 · DESIGNATIONS

CuZn39Pb3 / C38500 across the standards

System	Designation
EN (EU)	CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N)
Werkstoffnummer	2.0401
AISI / ASTM / UNS (US)	UNS C38500
JIS (Japan)	C3604 (nearest)

Compiled from the public standard designation systems (EN 10027, SAE/AISI, ASTM, UNS, JIS). Entries marked “nearest” are the closest commonly-cited counterpart, not a drop-in equivalent. Always verify against the material certificate.

02 · MACHINING

How CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) machines

The screw-machine benchmark: lead breaks chips into dust and speeds are limited by the machine, not the material. Uncoated sharp carbide, minimal rake, and it just runs.

ISO group	Starting Vc (coated carbide, turning)	Feed fn
N N · Non-ferrous	300–1200+ m/min · 985–3940+ sfm	0.05–0.3 mm/rev · .002–.012 ipr

Group-level starting range from our speeds & feeds guide; convert to RPM with the speeds & feeds calculator. Condition, subgroup and operation shift the number — the material page has the detail: ISO N · Free-cutting brass.

03 · FAQ

Common questions

What is the US equivalent of CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N)?

CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) (Werkstoffnummer 2.0401) corresponds to UNS C38500. In JIS terms the counterpart is C3604 (nearest).

Which inserts and cutting data for CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N)?

It is an ISO N-group material, so the starting window is 300–1200+ m/min · 985–3940+ sfm at 0.05–0.3 mm/rev · .002–.012 ipr for coated-carbide turning, adjusted for condition and operation. For a grounded, brand-neutral pick — grade, geometry and cutting data across 13 brands — ask the advisor.

Are CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) and C38500 interchangeable on a drawing?

They designate the same composition under different systems, but the drawing standard governs: certificates, tolerances and delivery-condition requirements differ between standards even for equivalent chemistry. Substitute only with the certificate in hand.

Designation solved. Now the tooling question.

Knowing the material is half the job; picking the grade and cutting data for the operation is the other half. That is what the advisor does, grounded in catalog data and honest when there is no verified match.

Ask the advisor about CuZn39Pb3 (CW614N) → ISO N material guide All material cross-references