1. Gas Saver System
2. Flow Rate Limiter

What % of Total Welding Cost is Shielding Gas? 

It Could Be as High as 30%!!

  SEE WHY

The shielding Gas Saver System (GSS^TM) costs about the same or less than a Heavy Duty standard gas delivery hose (SEE NOTE 1)  When your adding a new welder, the decision to purchase a GSS is an easy one - - "JUST DO IT" !

If your using any Helium in your gas mixture the "Just Do It" approach works for any situation!  Just replace all you gas delivery hoses before you get a 80% of last years usage allocation!  It's in short supply and is finite resource it doesn't come from the air!

When replacing an existing 12 foot or 25 foot gas delivery hose with a  GSS the tables below provide an estimate of the weeks it will take to payback the investment:

1. Retail Price Comparison of fitted GSS compared with Heavy Duty fitted gas hose from a major welding manufacturer (Brand name and part numbers available on request), The Heavy Duty hose was selected for comparison rather than cheap vinyl hose since it at least has fiber reinforced, abrasion resistant construction like the GSS hose, even though it provides none of the gas waste or surge reduction benefits.  The GSS  hose also has a better OD to ID size ratio than conventional hoses providing greater resistance to restriction when the hose is subjected to crushing, pinching or being stepped on.

    

   * Brand name 12 1/2 foot HD prefitted hose = $63.10 (no gas saving  or weld quality benefits)

   * GSS 12 foot prefitted hose =  $65.00  (Slightly higher but payback is very quick)

    

   * Brand name 25 foot HD prefitted hose = $114.30 (no gas saving or weld quality benefits!)

   * GSS 25 foot prefitted hose =  $81.00  (The GSS is less expensive "Just Do It!" -Want Brand Name, Part Number? Email

2. Conservative Assumptions used in calculations, namely:

   * Shielding gas savings estimated at only 25% when all reported results are between 30 to 63%

   * Gas usage assumed to be 2 1/2 times theoretical with published data showing a range from  2  1/2 to 5 times is what is used in industry

   * Flow rate set for 35 CFH

   * One shift operation and 40 hour work week.

   * Price of GSS based on 12 & 25 foot systems as noted; however longer hoses waste more gas which usually offsets their higher price.

   * Short welds and/or the use of many tack welds will  increase waste reduction  beyond 25%, decreasing payback time.

   * Reduced time to change cylinders not included in calculations.

   *All weekly payback values rounded up to higher number.

3. % Arc Time = amount of time in a work day welding is actually occurring versus the 8 hour work day -- stated as a percentage.

Other Cost Savings also result from  fewer cylinders being used over a fixed period of time.    A recent article by a manufacturer of shielding gases defined the benefits of using what is referred to as Microbulk gas distribution. It commented on the extra cost associated with cylinder use. 

One cost benefit defined was less cylinder handling. It mentioned cylinder handling can result in 20 minutes of extra labor per change-out. It also mentioned each cylinder often has residual gas left in it, up to 20%.  That is gas paid for and not used.  

Payback Calculations for Flow Rate Limiter

For Both:

WAT-FRL (Without Lock) &

WAT-FRLL (With Lock)

1. Work week = 40 hours for 1 shift
2. Welding has 40% duty cycle; i.e. arc is on 40% of the time
3. Shielding Gas Flow Desired = 35 ft³/hr
4. Without Flow Rate Limiter flow is set 15 ft³/hr higher than needed or at 50 ft³/hr.
5. Shielding gas cost $5.00/100CF = $0.05/ ft³

Gas Waste Calculation:

"Lean Welding Manufacturing Tools"  Learning Program

Optimizing Shielding Gas Use and Eliminating Waste