Weld Metal Deposition Rate Calculator — GMAW, FCAW, SMAW and SAW

By /



The weld metal deposition rate is the mass of filler metal deposited per unit time (kg/h). Knowing the deposition rate allows welding engineers to calculate weld time, filler metal consumption per joint, and production cost per metre of weld. This calculator covers GMAW (MIG/MAG), FCAW, SMAW, and SAW processes using wire feed speed, electrode diameter, and process efficiency factors.

Weld Metal Deposition Rate Calculator







Wire cross-section area—
Theoretical deposition rate (100% arc-on)—
Actual deposition rate at duty cycle—
Wire consumed per hour (kg/h)—
Wire consumed per shift (8h, kg)—
Deposition efficiency factor—

Formula: DR (kg/h) = (π/4) × d² × WFS × ρ × 60 × (duty/100) × η_dep
where d = wire diameter (cm), WFS = wire feed speed (cm/min), ρ = density (g/cm³)
Deposition efficiency η_dep: SAW ~99%, GMAW solid ~95–98%, FCAW-G ~85–90%, SMAW ~65–85%, FCAW-S ~80–87%

Arc Welding Processes — Key Parameters Comparison Process Shielding Electrode Deposition Typical Use HI Range SMAW Flux coating Consumable 0.5–3 kg/h General fabrication, site 0.5–3.5 kJ/mm GMAW Gas (Ar/CO₂) Wire feed 2–6 kg/h Structural, automotive 0.3–2.5 kJ/mm FCAW Gas+flux core Cored wire 3–10 kg/h Structural, offshore 0.5–4.0 kJ/mm GTAW Gas (Ar/He) Non-consumable 0.5–2 kg/h Stainless, Ti, root pass 0.1–1.5 kJ/mm SAW Granular flux Wire+flux 5–25 kg/h Heavy plate, pressure vessel 1.0–8.0 kJ/mm PAW Gas plasma Non-consumable 1–4 kg/h Aerospace, precision 0.1–2.0 kJ/mm Relative Deposition Rate SMAW GMAW FCAW SAW Highest © metallurgyzone.com/ — Welding Process Selection Guide
Figure: Comparison of major arc welding processes (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW, PAW) — shielding, deposition rate, heat input range, and typical applications. © metallurgyzone.com/

Deposition Rate Reference Table — Typical Values by Process

Process Wire/Electrode Dia. Typical Current Deposition Rate Dep. Efficiency
GMAW solid (MIG) 1.0–1.6 mm 150–280 A 2–6 kg/h 95–98%
GMAW metal-cored 1.2–1.6 mm 180–350 A 3–8 kg/h 90–95%
FCAW-G (gas-shielded) 1.2–2.0 mm 200–400 A 3–10 kg/h 82–90%
FCAW-S (self-shielded) 1.6–3.2 mm 200–500 A 3–9 kg/h 78–87%
SMAW (stick) 2.5–5.0 mm 80–220 A 0.5–3.0 kg/h 60–85%
SAW (single wire) 2.4–5.0 mm 300–1000 A 5–25 kg/h 97–99%
SAW (tandem wire) 2 × 3.2–4.0 mm 500–1500 A total 15–45 kg/h 97–99%

Using Deposition Rate for Weld Cost Estimation

Once you know the deposition rate, you can calculate the weld metal required per joint, the time to complete a weld, and the filler metal cost:

  • Weld metal volume per joint (cm³): Cross-sectional area of the weld pass(es) × total weld length
  • Weld metal mass per joint (kg): Volume × density / 1000
  • Arc time required (h): Weld metal mass / (deposition rate × deposition efficiency)
  • Total time (h): Arc time / (duty cycle / 100) — accounting for repositioning, wire changes, inter-pass inspection
  • Filler metal cost: Wire consumed (kg) × price per kg

For multi-pass welds, repeat the calculation for each pass size and sum the totals. Most weld cost estimation software (e.g. Lincoln VRTEX, Miller Weld Setting Calculator) uses this same approach.

Improving Deposition Rate in Production

  • Upgrade from SMAW to GMAW/FCAW: Up to 5–10× deposition rate improvement with equivalent weld quality
  • Increase duty cycle: Pre-positioning fixturing, automated wire feed, efficient inter-pass cleaning
  • Larger diameter wire at higher current: SAW with 4mm wire at 800A achieves >15 kg/h vs 5 kg/h for 2.4mm at 400A
  • Metal-cored wire: Higher deposition efficiency than flux-cored, lower spatter than SMAW; ideal for robotic GMAW

References

  • Lincoln Electric, The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding. 14th ed. The Lincoln Electric Company, 2000.
  • AWS A5.18/A5.18M:2021 Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes and Rods for Gas Shielded Arc Welding.
  • Miller Electric, Weld Cost Calculator Methodology. Appleton, WI, 2019.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top