In my daily work in the field of mechanical machining and CNC milling, I often found myself repeating manual calculations: weight estimates, machining costs, cutting speeds, and so on. These are routine tasks, but they take time and are prone to human error. For this reason, I decided to develop a series of custom mechanical calculators using JavaScript, specifically tailored to the needs of a workshop like mine.

With the help of ChatGPT, I was able to turn my ideas into working code, even though I’m not a professional programmer. Thanks to guidance, debugging support, and code suggestions, I created a set of online tools that simplify repetitive yet essential tasks in design and production planning.

Mechanical Calculator – Weight Calculation by Geometry

These calculators allow you to quickly estimate the weight of material based on dimensions and density, supporting various geometric shapes:

• Solid round bar
• Flat bar / plate
• Round tube
• Rectangular tube
• Hexagonal bar
• Angle profile

I included the most commonly used materials such as steel, aluminum, brass, and copper. However, there is also the option to manually enter a custom specific weight in case you’re using a special material or alloy.

Mechanical Calculator – Right Triangle Trigonometry

This tool is useful for calculating geometric parameters during design or CNC programming phases:

• Diameter of a round bar to cut a plate
• General triangle trigonometry, for example to calculate chamfer or angle dimensions

Mechanical Calculator – Spindle Speed Calculation

This tool calculates the optimal rotation speed (RPM) for a drill or tool based on:

• Material type
• Tool type (e.g., HSS or carbide)
• Tool diameter

Mechanical Calculator – Machining Cost Estimation

By entering the part weight, material cost per kg, and estimated machining time, the calculator provides a quick cost estimate to support quotation activities.

Instant Results and Email Sharing

All results are immediately displayed on screen in a clear and readable format. I also implemented a function that allows users to send the results via email, making it even easier to share with colleagues or customers.

Why I Built These Tools

I created these tools to save time, reduce errors, and standardize calculations across my team. Previously, values were often calculated by hand or scattered across notes and spreadsheets. Now, everything is centralized and accessible from any browser.

How ChatGPT Helped

ChatGPT was fundamental throughout the process:

• It helped me structure the JavaScript code
• It explained technical concepts I wasn’t familiar with
• It supported me with debugging and interface improvements
• It made the tools more user-friendly, even for non-technical users

Thanks to this support, I was able to create functional tools without needing to hire a developer.

Available to Everyone on the Rimec Srl Website

All of these calculators have been published on the website of my company, Rimec Srl, and are freely accessible to anyone who wants to use them. You can explore them at the following link:

Visit the Mechanical Workshop Utilities Page

Ongoing Projects

I’m currently working on new utility tools, still developed in JavaScript, to further support workshop activities and the preparation of quotations. Each project is born from a real-world need I’ve encountered during day-to-day operations.