I Assume when you say "welding speed" you mean weld travel speed. If this is correct the simplest way is to time how long it takes your welder to weld a given bead length. Measure the actual bead length, and divide by the time. This will give you travel speed for that pass.

Example: Your welder takes 420 sec to weld 33 inches. (33in/420sec) x 60sec = 4.71 in/min travel speed.

What have you been using???

I assume you mean travel speed.

Simply measure the length of weld deposited in a one minute time frame. Another way is to measure the length of weld deposited in fifteen seconds and multiply by four to get inches per minute.

Hope this helps.

Best regards - Al

Each process with a given filler metal and amperage/voltage setting will have a deposition rate. This can be calculated in Lbs Per Hour or the information taken from various charts and tables available from manufacturers

Then with the known deposition rate, the process will have a production factor which is the amount of time the process is depositing metal/Time. This production factor can vary considerably based on position, weather conditions, each welders, etc..

There are many other factors that may need to be considered. The production factor would be something unique to your situation.

Hope this helps get you started.

I have a little program I wrote that may help at http://www.weldinginspectionsvcs.com/weldassist_version_2.htm or Better yet check out http://www.mruczekweldingengineering.citymax.com/page/page/2953669.htm

Gerald Austin