How is weld metal calculated from the joint?

Cross-section times length times density. A 6 mm fillet has 6 x 6 / 2 = 18 mm2; with 10 percent excess weld metal that is 19.8 mm2. Over 1,280 mm of weld at 7.85 g/cm3 it needs 19.8 x 1,280 x 7.85 / 1,000,000 = 0.199 kg of weld metal.

What do deposition rate, efficiency and operating factor do?

Deposition rate turns weld metal into arc time: at 3.2 kg/h, 0.199 kg takes 3.73 minutes of arc. Operating factor turns arc time into welder time: at 35 percent that is 10.66 minutes. Deposition efficiency turns weld metal into filler bought: at 95 percent you buy 0.209 kg of wire. The example values are illustrative; use your procedure records.

Is shielding gas included?

Yes. Gas cost per kg deposited is gas flow times arc minutes per kg times gas price. GMAW at 15 L/min and 18.75 arc minutes per kg uses 281 L per kg deposited; at 2.20 per m3 that adds 0.62 per kg to 2.53 of wire, 3.15 per kg in all. Processes without gas, like stick or submerged arc, have a flow of 0.

Why is welder time so much bigger than wire and gas?

Because most of a welder's time is not arc time. In the example the frame needs 17.9 minutes of arc but 110.9 minutes of welder time once operating factors, fit-up, handling and cleaning are added, so welder time costs about 89 per frame against 5 for filler and gas. Raising the operating factor with better fixtures or positioners usually saves more than cheaper wire.

How does it relate to the Welding Cost per Part calculator?

The calculator returns (processed weldments x consumables per weldment + setup and tooling + loaded labour) / accepted weldments. This workbook builds those inputs from the weld list and checks them against the calculator's engine: the calculator's own example (100 processed, 98 accepted, 4.50, 180 and 1,200) gives 18.67 per accepted weldment, and the example batch of 25 frames gives the same 158.38 cost as the workbook.

Can I work in inches, pounds and cubic feet per hour?

Yes. Weld sizes and lengths can be in mm or in, deposition rate and filler price in kg or lb, and gas flow in L/min (price per m3) or ft3/h (price per ft3). Conversions are exact: 1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, 1 ft3 = 28.316846592 L. The currency is a label you type on Setup; no exchange rate is applied.

Industry Cost Kits

Welding Cost Estimator Excel Template

List the welds on a weldment and get weld metal, arc time, filler and gas, welder time and a price per weldment for five batch sizes, with every formula shown.

Overview

This welding cost estimator is an Excel tool for fabrication estimators, welding engineers and shop owners pricing welded assemblies. It ships with a worked example for a fictional fabricator, a welded steel machine base frame with six groups of fillet and butt welds made with GMAW, FCAW and GTAW, priced at batches of 5 to 100 frames.

Each weld starts with its geometry. A fillet's cross-section is leg squared over two; a single-V butt weld's is thickness squared times the tangent of half the included angle plus root gap times thickness; both get an allowance for reinforcement. Area times length times density is the weld metal. The process data on Setup then turn weld metal into arc time (deposition rate), welder time (operating factor) and consumables cost (filler price over deposition efficiency, plus shielding gas for the arc time). Every weld shows its own time and cost.

Fit-up and tacking, handling and cleaning minutes, inspection, fixture setup and the jig complete the cost. Rejected weldments are paid for through first-pass acceptance, overhead is added on welder time and setup, and your target margin on price gives a price per weldment rounded to your step. The Dashboard shows the batch you pick with two charts and the cost build-up, and the structure matches the Welding Cost per Part calculator on this site, which the build checks against the calculator's engine.

What this template includes

Welding process list on Setup: deposition rate, deposition efficiency, operating factor, filler price, gas flow and gas price, in kg or lb and L/min or ft3/h
Arc minutes and consumables cost per kg deposited, calculated for every process
Weld list for fillet and single-V butt welds in mm or inches: cross-section with excess weld metal, weld metal, arc time, welder time and cost per weld
Fit-up, handling and cleaning minutes, inspection per weldment, fixture setup and a one-off fixture or jig
Five batch quantities with weldments to process for your first-pass acceptance, every cost line, overhead, margin on price, a rounded price and welder hours
Dashboard for the batch you pick: price, cost, margin against target, arc time, two charts and the cost build-up
Verify sheet that recomputes process rates, weld areas, times and the price build-up on fixed inputs against an independent reference

Suggested use case

Use it to price welded assemblies from the drawing, to compare processes (GMAW against FCAW or SAW) on cost per weld, and to see how much of a weldment's cost is welder time rather than wire and gas.

How to use it

On Setup, type your company name, currency, welder rate, overhead, margin, first-pass acceptance and price step, and choose kg or lb and L/min or ft3/h.
Enter your welding processes with deposition rate, efficiency, operating factor, filler price, gas flow and gas price.
On Weld Estimate, set the dimension unit and V-groove geometry, then list each weld with joint type, size, total length and process.
Enter fit-up, handling and cleaning minutes, inspection per weldment, fixture setup and fixture cost, and five batch quantities.
Read cost, price per weldment, margin and welder hours; on the Dashboard, pick a batch to see the tiles, charts and cost build-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is weld metal calculated from the joint?: Cross-section times length times density. A 6 mm fillet has 6 x 6 / 2 = 18 mm2; with 10 percent excess weld metal that is 19.8 mm2. Over 1,280 mm of weld at 7.85 g/cm3 it needs 19.8 x 1,280 x 7.85 / 1,000,000 = 0.199 kg of weld metal.
What do deposition rate, efficiency and operating factor do?: Deposition rate turns weld metal into arc time: at 3.2 kg/h, 0.199 kg takes 3.73 minutes of arc. Operating factor turns arc time into welder time: at 35 percent that is 10.66 minutes. Deposition efficiency turns weld metal into filler bought: at 95 percent you buy 0.209 kg of wire. The example values are illustrative; use your procedure records.
Is shielding gas included?: Yes. Gas cost per kg deposited is gas flow times arc minutes per kg times gas price. GMAW at 15 L/min and 18.75 arc minutes per kg uses 281 L per kg deposited; at 2.20 per m3 that adds 0.62 per kg to 2.53 of wire, 3.15 per kg in all. Processes without gas, like stick or submerged arc, have a flow of 0.
Why is welder time so much bigger than wire and gas?: Because most of a welder's time is not arc time. In the example the frame needs 17.9 minutes of arc but 110.9 minutes of welder time once operating factors, fit-up, handling and cleaning are added, so welder time costs about 89 per frame against 5 for filler and gas. Raising the operating factor with better fixtures or positioners usually saves more than cheaper wire.
How does it relate to the Welding Cost per Part calculator?: The calculator returns (processed weldments x consumables per weldment + setup and tooling + loaded labour) / accepted weldments. This workbook builds those inputs from the weld list and checks them against the calculator's engine: the calculator's own example (100 processed, 98 accepted, 4.50, 180 and 1,200) gives 18.67 per accepted weldment, and the example batch of 25 frames gives the same 158.38 cost as the workbook.
Can I work in inches, pounds and cubic feet per hour?: Yes. Weld sizes and lengths can be in mm or in, deposition rate and filler price in kg or lb, and gas flow in L/min (price per m3) or ft3/h (price per ft3). Conversions are exact: 1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, 1 ft3 = 28.316846592 L. The currency is a label you type on Setup; no exchange rate is applied.