# Welding Process Deposition Efficiency and Operating Factor Reference

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/weld-process-deposition-efficiency-operating-factor-reference
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Planning ranges for deposition efficiency, operating factor, deposition rate and typical use by arc welding process.

## Category

engineering-plm

## Industry

Metal Fabrication

## Audience

- Estimator
- Welding engineer
- Cost accountant

## Tool

**Kind:** worksheet

**Mode:** reference

**Columns:**

#### Process

**Key:** process

**Type:** text

#### Variant

**Key:** variant

**Type:** text

#### Typical deposition efficiency

**Key:** dep_eff

**Type:** text

#### Typical operating factor

**Key:** op_factor

**Type:** text

#### Typical deposition rate

**Key:** dep_rate

**Type:** text

#### Shielding

**Key:** shield

**Type:** text

#### Estimating note

**Key:** notes

**Type:** text

**Rows:**

**Process:** SMAW

**Variant:** Stick, E7018 low hydrogen

**Dep eff:** 55 to 65 percent

**Op factor:** 15 to 30 percent

**Dep rate:** 2 to 4 lb/hr

**Shield:** Flux coating

**Notes:** Stub loss and coating weight lower the yield. Good for field and repair work.

**Process:** SMAW

**Variant:** Stick, E6010 or E6011

**Dep eff:** 55 to 65 percent

**Op factor:** 15 to 30 percent

**Dep rate:** 1.5 to 3 lb/hr

**Shield:** Flux coating

**Notes:** Common for root passes on pipe. Slower fill rates.

**Process:** GMAW

**Variant:** Solid wire, short circuit

**Dep eff:** 90 to 95 percent

**Op factor:** 25 to 45 percent

**Dep rate:** 2 to 5 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon CO2 mix or CO2

**Notes:** Thin sheet and out of position work. Watch lack of fusion on thick sections.

**Process:** GMAW

**Variant:** Solid wire, spray transfer

**Dep eff:** 95 to 98 percent

**Op factor:** 25 to 50 percent

**Dep rate:** 6 to 12 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon rich mix

**Notes:** Flat and horizontal positions only. Low spatter, high yield.

**Process:** GMAW

**Variant:** Pulsed spray

**Dep eff:** 95 to 98 percent

**Op factor:** 30 to 50 percent

**Dep rate:** 3 to 8 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon rich mix

**Notes:** Used for aluminum and out of position steel. Higher equipment cost.

**Process:** FCAW

**Variant:** Gas shielded flux cored

**Dep eff:** 80 to 90 percent

**Op factor:** 25 to 45 percent

**Dep rate:** 5 to 15 lb/hr

**Shield:** CO2 or Ar CO2 mix

**Notes:** High deposition, good for structural fill. Slag removal adds time.

**Process:** FCAW

**Variant:** Self shielded flux cored

**Dep eff:** 75 to 85 percent

**Op factor:** 20 to 40 percent

**Dep rate:** 4 to 12 lb/hr

**Shield:** Flux core only

**Notes:** Field work without gas. Fume and spatter are higher.

**Process:** MCAW

**Variant:** Metal cored wire

**Dep eff:** 92 to 98 percent

**Op factor:** 30 to 55 percent

**Dep rate:** 6 to 15 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon rich mix

**Notes:** Little slag, so less cleanup. Common on robotic cells.

**Process:** GTAW

**Variant:** Manual, cold wire

**Dep eff:** 95 to 100 percent

**Op factor:** 10 to 25 percent

**Dep rate:** 0.5 to 2 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon or Ar He

**Notes:** Highest quality and slowest. Wire waste is the end of each rod.

**Process:** GTAW

**Variant:** Mechanized hot wire

**Dep eff:** 95 to 100 percent

**Op factor:** 40 to 70 percent

**Dep rate:** 3 to 8 lb/hr

**Shield:** Argon

**Notes:** Orbital and cladding applications.

**Process:** SAW

**Variant:** Single wire

**Dep eff:** 95 to 100 percent

**Op factor:** 40 to 70 percent

**Dep rate:** 8 to 20 lb/hr

**Shield:** Granular flux

**Notes:** Flux is consumed at roughly one to one with wire. Flat and horizontal only.

**Process:** SAW

**Variant:** Tandem or multi wire

**Dep eff:** 95 to 100 percent

**Op factor:** 50 to 80 percent

**Dep rate:** 20 to 50 lb/hr

**Shield:** Granular flux

**Notes:** Heavy plate, vessels and girders. Needs tight fit-up.

**Process:** GMAW or FCAW

**Variant:** Robotic cell

**Dep eff:** As for process

**Op factor:** 50 to 80 percent

**Dep rate:** As for process

**Shield:** As for process

**Notes:** Operating factor depends on load and unload time and part variety.

**Process:** ESW

**Variant:** Electroslag welding

**Dep eff:** Close to 100 percent

**Op factor:** 50 to 80 percent

**Dep rate:** Over 30 lb/hr

**Shield:** Slag pool

**Notes:** Very thick sections in a single pass. Specialized equipment.

**Notes:** Planning ranges commonly cited in welding cost literature, not guarantees. Actual values depend on wire diameter, current, position, shop layout and welder skill. Always replace these with timed data and consumable weighings from your own shop before quoting.

## Content

**Intro:** Weld cost estimates depend on two multipliers that people guess at: how much of the filler ends up in the joint, and how much of the clock the arc is burning. This table gives planning ranges by process so you start from a defensible number.

**Sections:**

#### How to use it

**Body:** Search by process or variant and read the typical deposition efficiency and operating factor. Use efficiency to convert deposited weld metal into filler to buy, and operating factor to convert arc time into paid labor time. Feed both numbers into the weld job labor cost calculator or your own spreadsheet.

#### Definitions

**Body:** Deposition efficiency is the weight of weld metal in the joint divided by the weight of electrode consumed. Losses come from spatter, stub ends, slag and, for flux cored wires, the non-metallic core. Operating factor is arc-on time divided by total paid welding time. Deposition rate is pounds of weld metal per arc hour.

**Bullets:**

- Stick electrodes lose the unused stub and the coating weight
- Solid wire is the most efficient of the wire processes
- Operating factor is driven by fixturing and handling more than by process

#### Reading the table

**Body:** A process with a high deposition rate but low operating factor can cost more per pound deposited than a slower, better organized one. That is why submerged arc and mechanized setups pay off only when parts, fixtures and material flow keep the arc running.

#### Limits of the numbers

**Body:** These are broad ranges. A shop with positioners can double the operating factor of a similar shop without them. For quotes, take timed samples, weigh wire spools before and after, and store the results in your ERP by product family.

**Cta:** Netray can help pull actual wire usage and labor hours from your ERP so these ranges are replaced by your measured values.

**Faq:**

#### Why is stick welding efficiency so low?

**Answer:** Part of every electrode is the flux coating and the stub that cannot be used. Together with spatter and slag, that leaves roughly 55 to 65 percent of purchased weight in the weld.

#### Does flux cored wire need a different efficiency?

**Answer:** Yes. Part of the wire weight is the flux core, which becomes slag or gas, so gas shielded flux cored wire sits around 80 to 90 percent and self shielded wire a little lower.

#### What is a good operating factor?

**Answer:** It depends on the work. Manual welding of varied parts is typically low, while fixtured repetitive work or automated cells can approach 50 percent or more. Measure yours instead of assuming.

#### Can I use these for aluminum or stainless?

**Answer:** The ranges are mainly for carbon steel. Aluminum and stainless use similar efficiency logic but different gases, travel speeds and cleaning time, so use your own data for those.

## Search terms

deposition efficiency by welding process, welding operating factor table, typical deposition rate GMAW FCAW SAW, smaw deposition efficiency, welding process comparison, welding cost estimating factors, flux cored vs solid wire efficiency, welding process selection table

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