Table 3.

Relative Cost Ratios for Stainless Steel Welding

Shielding Gas	Weld Mode	Wire Costs	Equip. Costs	Gas Costs	Labor/Weld
Ar/CO2 99%/1%	Short circuit	+	++	+	++
Ar/CO2 99%/1%	Short circuit	+	++	+	++
He/Ar/CO2	Short circuit	+	++	++	++
Ar/CO2 99%/1%	Axial spray	+	++	+	+
Ar/O2 99%/1%	Axial spray	+	++	+	+
Ar/O2 98%/2%	Pulsed spray	+	+++	+	+
Ar/CO2 75%/25%	FCAW	++	++	++	+
none	SMAW	++	+	none	++