How do you calculate arc-on time?

Divide total weld length by travel speed for the base time, then multiply by one plus your allowance. For 600 inches at 18 in/min with a 15% allowance, base time is 33.33 minutes and required booth time is 38.33 minutes.

What is arc-on time in welding?

It is the time the arc is actually established and metal is being deposited. It excludes long idle periods but, in this calculator, includes a small allowance for repositioning and minor stops that interrupt a continuous run.

What is a realistic setup and minor-stop allowance?

For accessible, well-fixtured work, 10-15% is common; awkward positions, frequent repositioning, or heavy tacking can push it to 25-40%. The 15% in the example adds 5 minutes to a 33.33-minute base.

Is arc-on time the same as cycle time?

No. Cycle time also includes fit-up, tacking, grinding, inspection, and handling. Arc-on time is just the welding portion; you build cycle time by adding those other operations on top of this result.

How do I get travel speed for the calculation?

Read it from a weld procedure spec (WPS), a test coupon timed over a known length, or a data plate. Typical values run 8-30 in/min depending on process, position, and joint. The example uses 18 in/min.

Why add an allowance instead of using pure length over speed?

Pure length over speed assumes one uninterrupted pass with zero repositioning, which never happens. The allowance captures the real small stops so your standard is achievable — 38.33 booth minutes instead of an optimistic 33.33.

Welding & Fabrication calculator

Arc-On Time Calculator

Arc-on time is the number of minutes a welder actually needs current flowing to lay down a given length of weld, plus a realistic allowance for repositioning, restarting, and minor stops. Estimators and cell planners use it to convert a weld map into a defensible time standard, schedule booths, and price labor. Unlike a raw length-divided-by-speed figure, this calculator adds the small-stop overhead that always exists at the booth, so the number matches what a supervisor sees on the floor rather than an idealized best case. It is the bridge between weld geometry and a labor minute.

What this calculator does

Estimate arc-on time from total weld length, travel speed, and a setup and handling allowance.
Use it when planning a welding job to convert weld length and travel speed into the minutes a welder will actually have the arc burning.
It divides total weld length by travel speed to get base arc time, then inflates it by your setup and minor-stop allowance to give required arc-on time at the booth.

Formula used

Base arc-on time = total weld length to deposit ÷ weld travel speed
Required arc-on time at the booth = base arc-on time × (1 + allowance)

Inputs explained

Total weld length to deposit:
Weld travel speed:
Setup, repositioning, and minor-stop allowance:

How to use the result

Use it when turning a weld symbol or weld map into a time standard for quoting, capacity planning, or booth scheduling.
It is a single-pass estimate — multi-pass welds, tacking, grinding, and inter-pass cleaning are not included and must be added separately for thick joints.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 348.53 (BLS, May 2026), up 6.7% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
Industrial electricity averages 8.66 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA, Apr 2026), up 5.5% from a year earlier. Energy-intensive steps carry this directly into unit cost.
U.S. iron and steel imports ran $2.1B in May 2026 (Census International Trade). The U.S. ran a trade deficit of $0.4B in the category that month. Import volumes are the pressure gauge behind tariff and reshoring decisions.
The U.S. has 53,790 fabricated metal products establishments employing about 1,441,471 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate arc-on time? Divide total weld length by travel speed for the base time, then multiply by one plus your allowance. For 600 inches at 18 in/min with a 15% allowance, base time is 33.33 minutes and required booth time is 38.33 minutes.
What is arc-on time in welding? It is the time the arc is actually established and metal is being deposited. It excludes long idle periods but, in this calculator, includes a small allowance for repositioning and minor stops that interrupt a continuous run.
What is a realistic setup and minor-stop allowance? For accessible, well-fixtured work, 10-15% is common; awkward positions, frequent repositioning, or heavy tacking can push it to 25-40%. The 15% in the example adds 5 minutes to a 33.33-minute base.
Is arc-on time the same as cycle time? No. Cycle time also includes fit-up, tacking, grinding, inspection, and handling. Arc-on time is just the welding portion; you build cycle time by adding those other operations on top of this result.
How do I get travel speed for the calculation? Read it from a weld procedure spec (WPS), a test coupon timed over a known length, or a data plate. Typical values run 8-30 in/min depending on process, position, and joint. The example uses 18 in/min.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.