How to Improve CNC Cycle Time for Free - Tips & Tricks

You don’t need new machines to reduce cycle time. Many shops save minutes — and thousands of dollars — by focusing on non-cut time, smarter programming, toolpath optimisation and better setups. 

Understanding Cycle Time

When you hit “start” on the machine, the clock begins. Cycle time ends when the part is finished and unloaded. But within that time is a mix of real cutting (where chips fly) and non-cut time (tool changes, rapid moves, positioning, retraction). Many manufacturers assume cycle time gains come only from faster cutting. The reality: the biggest wins often live in non-cut time. For example, a study by Makino found that non-cut time (tool changes, rapid moves) often offers lower-risk gains than pushing aggressive cutting parameters.

By distinguishing cutting vs non-cut time you open up the free-hour potential in your shop floor.

Audit the Process First

Before you tweak anything, you must know where your time is being spent. Start by capturing data: either from controller logs, tool-by-tool runtimes, or a simple stopwatch on critical runs. Use this to classify time into two buckets: cutting vs non-cut. A common theme: machine idle, rapid moves, tool change, or positioning consumes 30-50% of many cycle times. 

Once you have that breakdown, apply a Pareto approach: identify the 20% of operations that consume 80% of the time. Focus your efforts there.

Focus on Non-Cut Time Before Hitting Feed

Once you know where the loss is, you’ll find many improvement opportunities that carry zero hardware cost. For example:

• Reduce the height of your R-plane so the spindle travels less before cutting begins.
• Combine rapid moves and rotate axes simultaneously rather than sequentially (some controls enable multi-axis moves in one line).
• Reorder your tool sequence to minimise tool changes or repositioning.
• Make sure turret indexing, spindle stop/warm-up, coolant on/off, clamp/unclamp all overlap where possible rather than be sequential.

These changes cost nothing or very little — just programming time and awareness. Yet they often cut seconds per part, which turn into hours per batch.

Setup, Work­holding and Batch Planning

Cycle time isn’t just about the machine’s motion — it’s about how prepared the job is. Setup delays, fixturing changes, tool carousel waiting all add up. A review of CNC routing operations shows that setup and non-productive moves can drag on just as much as the cutting time. To reduce this: standardise setups, pre-stage tools and parts, optimise tool change sequences, and if possible group identical or similar parts to reduce changeovers. Also consider job planning: newer parts or high mix jobs risk more setup time; stabilise a process before focusing on cycle time.

Leverage Existing Data

Many machines and controls include features you may not use that can reduce cycle time. For example, the Makino article mentioned controller settings (e.g., parameter 5001) enabling simultaneous rotary motion + tool length offset in one move rather than several. Similarly, improved toolpaths - rest machining, trochoidal milling - can increase material removal rates without new hardware. Start by checking your CAM/post-processor for options, your controller for parameter tweaks, and your controller logs for where delays occur.

Culture & Continuous Improvement

Cycle time improvement isn’t a one-time fix. You want to build a culture where every tool change, every toolpath, every idle move is questioned. Track performance over time: for example, time per tool, parts per hour, non-cut time percentage. Encourage operators and programmers to flag delays or inefficiencies.

Most CNC users agree: “You can reduce the number of roughing or finishing passes… you can change Z retract height so tool travels less… minimize tool changes.” Keep measuring, test changes, record the before and after, and scale what works.

Tips & Tricks How to Improve Cycle Time

You may not build a new machine this quarter — but you can reduce cycle time with what you already have. Start by auditing your current job: how much time is non-cut? Then pick one part or tool to optimise: reduce rapid moves, combine sequences, reorder tools. 

• Audit your cycle time by separating “cutting” vs “non-cutting” blocks — many shops find 30-50 % of the cycle is non-cut time.
• Reduce the rapid-plane height so tool travels less distance before cutting starts — lowering that plane saves seconds per part.
• Combine movements (tool change + turret index + spindle start) into one block rather than sequential commands — fewer pauses, less overhead.
• Sequence your fixturing or multi-side machining to minimize repositioning and tool change loops — smarter program flow reduces idle time.
• Enable or exploit built-in controller parameters for simultaneous axis moves (multi-axis in one block) — often overlooked but high leverage.
• Start cycle time improvement with the job/process you know works reliably — new or unstable jobs add risk; proven production is the low-cost win.
• Track key metrics such as non-cut time per part, number of tool changes, rapid traverse distance. Use these to build improvement targets, not just spec speeds.
• Operator involvement matters: when machinists see the time saved, they become advocates. Without buy-in, even well-coded programs won’t deliver.

Use your existing control features and data logs to drive change. Finally, keep tracking and keep improving. A 1-2 minute saving per part on a batch of 500 parts adds up to hours, dollars, and capacity.

About MDCplus

Our key features are real-time machine monitoring for swift issue resolution, power consumption tracking to promote sustainability, computerized maintenance management to reduce downtime, and vibration diagnostics for predictive maintenance. MDCplus's solutions are tailored for diverse industries, including aerospace, automotive, precision machining, and heavy industry. By delivering actionable insights and fostering seamless integration, we empower manufacturers to boost Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduce operational costs, and achieve sustainable growth along with future planning.