Weld Travel Speed for a Target Heat Input
Travel speed TS = (60 V I eta)/(1000 HI) to hold a target heat input.
Example
You enter
- Arc voltage (V) 24
- Welding current (A) 200
- Arc efficiency (1 for AWS/ASME limits; EN 1011-1: 0.8 GMAW, 0.6 GTAW, 1.0 SAW) 1
- Target heat input (kJ/in) 40
You get
- Travel speed (at or above) 7.2 in/min
Checked against published worked examples from: Lincoln Electric.
Details, formula, and sources
ScopeTravel at or above it to stay at or under the limit. GMAW 24 V, 200 A, 40 kJ/in -> 7.2 in/min on the AWS D1.1 / ASME IX basis (no arc efficiency); a 25 kJ/in ceiling forces 11.52 in/min. The qualified WPS governs.
Formula or tableTS = (60 x V x I x eta) / (1000 x HI); check HI = (60 V I eta)/(1000 TS).
Source and editionAWS D1.1 (Table 4.5 note: heat input = 60EI/V) and ASME IX QW-409.1(a), which carry no arc efficiency, solved for travel speed; EN 1011-1 thermal-efficiency factors for an EN-basis limit, by name.
Free accessThe heat-input relation HI = (60 V I eta)/(1000 x travel speed) is a standard AWS/ASME formula. The qualified WPS governs the allowable range.
What governsEstimate. AHJ and licensed professional govern.
API field namesV_volts, I_amps, eta, HI_kjin, travel_speed_ipm
- Heat-input relation TS = (60 V I eta)/(1000 HI); eta = 1 on the AWS/ASME basis; EN 1011-1 k = 0.8 GMAW/SMAW, 0.6 GTAW, 1.0 SAWAWS D1.1 / ASME IX QW-409.1 / EN 1011-1
- Slower is hotter at fixed V and I, lower travel speed raises the heat input (inverse relation)arc physics
- Match WPS eta match the WPS's efficiency convention; no bead-geometry or fusion modelscope of this tile