Engineering & PLMFree referencePDF, Excel, Word exportMetal Fabrication

Welding Process Deposition Efficiency and Operating Factor Reference

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.

Download:

Process	Variant	Typical deposition efficiency	Typical operating factor	Typical deposition rate	Shielding	Estimating note
SMAW	Stick, E7018 low hydrogen	55 to 65 percent	15 to 30 percent	2 to 4 lb/hr	Flux coating	Stub loss and coating weight lower the yield. Good for field and repair work.
SMAW	Stick, E6010 or E6011	55 to 65 percent	15 to 30 percent	1.5 to 3 lb/hr	Flux coating	Common for root passes on pipe. Slower fill rates.
GMAW	Solid wire, short circuit	90 to 95 percent	25 to 45 percent	2 to 5 lb/hr	Argon CO2 mix or CO2	Thin sheet and out of position work. Watch lack of fusion on thick sections.
GMAW	Solid wire, spray transfer	95 to 98 percent	25 to 50 percent	6 to 12 lb/hr	Argon rich mix	Flat and horizontal positions only. Low spatter, high yield.
GMAW	Pulsed spray	95 to 98 percent	30 to 50 percent	3 to 8 lb/hr	Argon rich mix	Used for aluminum and out of position steel. Higher equipment cost.
FCAW	Gas shielded flux cored	80 to 90 percent	25 to 45 percent	5 to 15 lb/hr	CO2 or Ar CO2 mix	High deposition, good for structural fill. Slag removal adds time.
FCAW	Self shielded flux cored	75 to 85 percent	20 to 40 percent	4 to 12 lb/hr	Flux core only	Field work without gas. Fume and spatter are higher.
MCAW	Metal cored wire	92 to 98 percent	30 to 55 percent	6 to 15 lb/hr	Argon rich mix	Little slag, so less cleanup. Common on robotic cells.
GTAW	Manual, cold wire	95 to 100 percent	10 to 25 percent	0.5 to 2 lb/hr	Argon or Ar He	Highest quality and slowest. Wire waste is the end of each rod.
GTAW	Mechanized hot wire	95 to 100 percent	40 to 70 percent	3 to 8 lb/hr	Argon	Orbital and cladding applications.
SAW	Single wire	95 to 100 percent	40 to 70 percent	8 to 20 lb/hr	Granular flux	Flux is consumed at roughly one to one with wire. Flat and horizontal only.
SAW	Tandem or multi wire	95 to 100 percent	50 to 80 percent	20 to 50 lb/hr	Granular flux	Heavy plate, vessels and girders. Needs tight fit-up.
GMAW or FCAW	Robotic cell	As for process	50 to 80 percent	As for process	As for process	Operating factor depends on load and unload time and part variety.
ESW	Electroslag welding	Close to 100 percent	50 to 80 percent	Over 30 lb/hr	Slag pool	Very thick sections in a single pass. Specialized equipment.

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.

Replace ranges with your own shop data

Optional review of how to derive efficiency and operating factor by process from your ERP records.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use it

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

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.

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

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is stick welding efficiency so low?

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?

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?

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?

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.

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

Talk to an Expert Explore More Free Tools

Related Tools

Costing & Finance

More Engineering & PLM tools

See all

Back to All Tools

Keep exploring

Free tools

Guides

How to Estimate Welding Cost for a Fabrication QuoteHow fabricators estimate welding cost: weld volume, deposition rate, arc-on time, filler efficiency, and where AI helps pull actual hours from past jobs.