Welding & Fabrication worked example

Weld Heat Input with arc power of 2,600 W: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop arc power to 2,600 W, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate weld heat input from arc power (volts x amps) and travel speed, with a process efficiency factor.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Arc power (volts x amps): 2,600 W (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 5,280)
  • Weld travel speed: 15 in / min (held at the documented default)
  • Process efficiency factor (kJ basis): 0.05 x (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Raw heat input per inch = arc power (volts x amps) รท weld travel speed.
  • Effective weld heat input works out to 8.32 kJ / in at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Raw ratio works out to 173 value at these inputs.
  • Conversion factor works out to 0.05 x at these inputs.
  • Weld travel speed works out to 15 value at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where arc power sits at 5,280 W and the headline result is 16.9 kJ / in, this scenario comes in 50.76% below the baseline at 8.32 kJ / in.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to arc power, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It treats arc power as steady volts times amps; pulsed or waveform-controlled processes need instantaneous power integration, and the efficiency factor must match the actual process.

Results at a glance

  • Effective weld heat input: 8.32 kJ / in (headline result)
  • Raw ratio: 173 value
  • Conversion factor: 0.05 x
  • Weld travel speed: 15 value

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Weld Heat Input calculator, set arc power to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.