Every CAM vendor, machine tool builder, and cutting tool supplier promotes the importance of cutting optimization. But what is really meant by “optimization”? This presentation will provide an analytic overview of the different types, with special focus on which optimization techniques are best suited for different materials or machining processes. It will also introduce attendees to a new physics-based optimization method that determines the maximum reliable feed rate for a given cutting condition based on the following four factors: force on the cutter, spindle power, maximum chip thickness, and maximum allowable feed rate.