Welding & Fabrication calculator
Arc-On Time Calculator
Estimate arc-on time from weld length, travel speed, and allowance. Adjust the allowance to model setup, breaks, and minor stops without redoing the math.
What this calculator does
- Estimate arc-on time from weld length, travel speed, and allowance.
- Use it when arc-on time in welding and fabrication is changing rate or allowance and you want to see the impact.
- Turns arc-on time workload, arc-on time completion rate, setup, handling, and delay allowance into a adjusted run time for arc-on time in welding and fabrication.
Formula used
- Base arc-on time = arc-on time workload ÷ arc-on time completion rate
- Required arc-on time = base arc-on time × allowance factor
Inputs explained
- Arc-on time workload: Enter the required workload from the work order, build plan, test queue, or maintenance job plan.
- Arc-on time completion rate: Use a measured completion rate from a recent production report, time study, test log, or line observation.
- Setup, handling, and delay allowance: Add the normal allowance for setup, checks, staging, breaks, minor stops, or retest time.
How to use the result
- Reach for it when a customer asks for a lead time and you need a number you can defend in 30 seconds.
- Setup, changeover, and major stoppages are not in the formula. Add them on top for welding and fabrication jobs that include them.
Common questions
- What does the arc-on time calculator give me? Estimate arc-on time from weld length, travel speed, and allowance. You get a adjusted run time you can defend before quoting, scheduling, or sign-off.
- Which assumptions drive the adjusted run time? arc-on time workload, arc-on time completion rate, setup, handling, and delay allowance usually move the adjusted run time most. Pull from measured welding and fabrication runs, supplier data, and recent quotes rather than memory.
- How should I act on the output? Use it to quote lead time for welding and fabrication jobs and to push back on requests that do not fit the floor.
- What can throw the result off? Validate your allowance against actual welding and fabrication downtime; an outdated allowance is the most common reason this misses.
Last reviewed 2026-05-12.