Why is the overall cost of CO2 welding lower than that of arc welding?

CO₂ welding offers lower overall costs than arc welding due to the following reasons:

Efficiency and Cost Advantages
CO₂ welding boasts a deposition efficiency exceeding 90%, compared to only 55%-65% for arc welding, resulting in less metal waste. Furthermore, CO₂ welding is three times faster than arc welding, saving labor and costs.

Material and Energy Consumption
CO₂ welding wire is cheaper than electrodes and eliminates the need for flux depletion (which requires cleaning of the electrodes' coating and slag), resulting in higher material utilization. Furthermore, CO₂ welding consumes approximately 30% less electricity than arc welding, reducing equipment costs by 67%-80%.

Labor and Auxiliary Costs
CO₂ welding offers a high degree of automation and low labor intensity, reducing labor and time costs. Post-weld slag cleaning is unnecessary, significantly reducing auxiliary labor and costs associated with deformation correction. Groove and Filler Metal
The cross-sectional area of the groove in CO₂ welding is 36% to 54% smaller than that in arc welding, saving filler metal.