CNC cut time calculator
Estimate how long a toolpath runs from its length, feed rate, depth and number of plunges. Add a machine-hour rate to see what that time is worth.
How to use this calculator
CNC machines are billed by time, and almost all of that time is the tool moving along the toolpath. The core estimate is:
Run time = (passes × toolpath length ÷ feed rate) + (plunges × seconds per plunge) + allowance
Passes come from depth: a router cutting 3/4 in plywood at 1/4 in per pass needs 3 passes, so the outline is traced three times. A plasma table cuts through in one pass, but every separate shape needs a pierce, and pierce time adds up on designs with many holes.
Example: a 240 in outline at 150 in/min, 3 passes, 6 plunges per pass at 3 s each: 4.8 min cutting + 0.9 min plunging, plus 15% for rapids and slow-downs, about 6.6 minutes.
The allowance matters. Machines rarely hold the programmed feed in tight corners and small details because they have to accelerate and decelerate, and the tool travels between shapes at rapid speed. 10–20% is a reasonable first guess for profile cuts; detailed V-carving can run well over. Your CAM software (VCarve, Fusion, Carbide Create) gives a better figure once the toolpaths are drawn, and the gap between its estimate and the real run is a useful number to learn for your own machine.
Add a machine-hour rate to see what the time costs. Makers on The Spool List set their own rate in every quote, so post your job to compare real numbers.
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Questions about this calculator
Why does my CAM estimate differ from the real run time?
Most CAM estimates assume the machine reaches the programmed feed everywhere. Real machines slow for corners and short segments, so detailed jobs run longer than estimated.
How do I find the toolpath length?
CAM software reports it, and most vector programs can measure path length. For a rectangle it is simply 2 × (width + height).