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Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Operator speed
- - By Dave Lowen1234 (*) Date 05-15-2007 21:40
List

Can anyone steer me to a chart or publication that lists what would be a reasonable amount of weld length an operator may be expected to do per hour? Field welding preferred.

TIA

Dave
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 05-15-2007 22:02
Hello Dave Lowen1234, you're trying to come up with information that has a very great number of variables to influence the answers. I don't believe such a list exist, although I've been proven wrong before. I mentioned that there are infinite variables that could influence the answer here, here are a few examples of those variables: diam. of electrode, process type(SMAW, FCAW-Self-shielded, GTAW,in some instances), welding position, joint configuration and orientation, operator skill and familiarity with process(some able to run at higher amp settings or with larger electrodes), ease of access for set-up to make welds, physical location of weld joint(need high-reach equipment to access, scaffolding, confined space, fall-protection considerations). Type of material to be welded can have considerable impact on weld times, does it require a backing gas?, does interpass temp need to be monitored?, does it require preheat or postheat?, these would be just a few more examples where you would have to include additional time.    
     If you are really trying to figure this out to ballpark it, you might need to take the time to spend a day or more on the site and note what is taking place and why it is happening and then come up with an inches of weld per hour average. With everything that changes constantly in a field situation I would question the validity of even considering this as an approach though. If I have totally misunderstood your post, please forgive me. I think possibly more information might yield some better responses from the forum. My $.02. Best of Luck and Regards, aevald
Parent - - By Dave Lowen1234 (*) Date 05-15-2007 22:55
Thanks for the quick response. I am at the site. I have one guy that is doing overhead stitch welding CS, 1/4 fillet, 7018, 5/32 rod going at a rate of 6.5 feet per hour, average.

I have another guy doing vertical stitch welding CS 1/4 fillet, 7018, 1/8 rod going at a rate of 2 feet per hour, average. This seems awfully  slow to me.

What I really need is estimating guidlines.
Parent - - By Lawrence (*****) Date 05-15-2007 23:26
Dave,

That does sound slow...

Have you actually observed what is going on?

Is the welder, cutting, fitting up and prepping the work to be welded?  That takes time.

In the time you take to research this whole "feet per hour" thing you might just as easily get your answer by simply watching the guy... Is he working or goofing off? 

Is the job beyond his ability?   Is he spending time grinding and rewelding time and again?

Did you ask the welder why he is producing only 2 feet per hour?  He might have the answer himself. Or Maybe he needs help.
Parent - - By Dave Lowen1234 (*) Date 05-20-2007 20:08
I found the problem, the guy is a slacker, he is goofing off. He will be leaving the site soon. Thanks for all the responses.
Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 05-20-2007 22:27
Hello Dave Lowen1234, I guess that's the problem you hope you don't end up with, but if it is then it needs to be dealt with too. Hopefully you'll find someone to take his place that will work to his/her full potential. Good luck and best regards, aevald
Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 05-16-2007 00:31
Hello again Dave Lowen1234, there are some differences with the two positions and the electrode diameter that these two welders are using that can account for some of the time difference. Your welder that is running the overhead stitch welds is using 5/32" electrode and can possibly operate this rod at an amperage setting nearly the same as a horizontal fillet would require, thus he doesn't have to run more slowly due to his position, he is also able to deposit more weld metal for the same size fillet that the other welder is applying because his electrode size is larger and he can increase his travel speed. The welder that is making the vertical welds is using an electrode that is smaller in diameter and thus will have a lower deposition rate than the 5/32" electrode and due to the vertical position he is likely having to reduce the current that he is running the electrode at to keep the profile and size of the bead within the appropriate size fillet range. It seems your best bet is as Lawrence suggested, visually watch to see what is going on and determine if there is anything that is causing him to incure so much additional time. One other consideration to take into account, if the horizontal welds are on one level it is likely that this individual can just walk along and perform those welds without having to use ladders or move scaffolding or other things, possibly the fellow that is doing the vertical welds is constantly having to go up and down ladders or scaffolding or other types of heigth accessing types of equipment causing a delay in arc time. A few more thoughts to ponder. Regards, aevald
Parent - By CHGuilford (****) Date 05-17-2007 16:54
I don't know if you still are looking for ifo on this.

We generally figure 10 feet an hour as a conservative number for shop welding.  That accounts for easy and difficult work averaging out.

At the job site I am visiting today (I can't say where but it is not anyone I work for), the welders don't get any more than 3 feet an hour and it takes a welder and a tender to do it. This is simple fillet welding in the 2F position, in the field, and with easy access.  They will not use wire feeders because of wind (it's calm here today), rods used are rarely larger than 3/32".  The GC has been pulling his hair out because the welding is going so slowly and there is really no good reason for it.  I'm glad I'm not payiing the bill.

I have used dataloggers in the past to record a welder's "arc-on" time and found the average operating factor was 10%.  This was structural welding that requires a fair amount of handling. 
For jigged work, the operating factor increases to ~60%.  In fact my datalogger has limited memory and was maxxed out in 1 hour for the person I tried it on.

I'm not sure there is any chart you can use because every situation is different; some slow production is legitimate and some is not..  You can however, keep track of the welding and categorize it by the nature of the work, for future reference.  Then you'll have at least some idea of a number to plug in.
Parent - - By XPERTFAB (**) Date 05-24-2007 05:10
Years of production type welding in the field with approximately thirty percent of the time spent in prep and fixturing has led me to this general rule of thumb.  At the end of day, a reasonable to good skilled welder should complete one inch of compliant weld for every minute worked using SMAW process.  The same skilled welder using FCAW process would complete three and one half inches per minute worked.  The morely highly motivated welders could push this into the five inch per minute range.  This is based on the volume of weld metal for the average field applied 1/4" to 5/16" fillet weld in the 2F and 3F positions with approximately twenty percent of all welds in the flat position.  Field conditions for these applicable numbers are very accurately described as  reasonable access with favorable weather conditions and no tender. 
In situations where some level of increased productivity is required, you may choose to consider an incentive bonus of additional money per inch of completed and compliant weld.  If the welder makes a mistake, he now feels the pinch.  If he/she is good then the reward for such is there and continual.
Incidently these figures do not include connections requiring CJP welds such as moment frames.  These are bid on a per point basis with each point being defined the completed CJP weld as would be UT'd. 
In California and portions of Nevada it is not uncommon to be paid by the inch as opposed to the hour for "Good" welders.  The pay per inch varies by the differing employers.  But in the worst of times I have been paid $.55 per inch for compliant work at the above described pace.  You do the math but the incentive to really excel at your craft is there.  Keeping your hood down and the trigger pulled becomes paramount when the money is on the line.  Even some production bonus of as little as $.20 per inch is substancial to the welder at the end of the day if he/she is just pacing themselves using the "inch a minute" figure.  Food for thought!  Please note that this is for work as would be covered in D-1.1 and not pipeline or rig work. I have not worked in those fields and in respect to those who are very skilled in these areas, I could not comment on what is considered productive and these figures as quoted do not apply!
XPERTFAB
Parent - By Dave Lowen1234 (*) Date 05-26-2007 01:29
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you sir!
Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Operator speed

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