MIG/TIG Gas Consumption Estimator - CFH, Cylinder Use & Refill Cost
Estimate shielding gas consumption in cubic feet per hour, bottles per job, and total gas cost
Free MIG and TIG shielding gas planning screen for welding shops, fabricators, and field operations. Enter a welding process, local gas row, flow rate in CFH, arc-on minutes per shift, schedule, cylinder size, refill cost, and pre-flow/post-flow timing. The app calculates local cubic feet per shift, effective gas per arc hour, cylinders per shift/week/project, pre/post-flow waste, and refill cost. Treat gas mixes, flow rows, cylinder sizes, and costs as preliminary planning defaults, not WPS approval, supplier-certified cylinder data, weld-quality approval, bulk-gas upgrade justification, hot-work permit support, ventilation approval, or OSHA/CGA compliance.
Calculate heat input for your welding procedure
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Air Change Rate Calculator →How It Works
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Select Welding Process and Gas
Choose MIG, TIG, or gas-shielded flux core and select a local shielding-gas row. Verify the actual gas mix against the WPS, supplier classification, wire, base metal, transfer mode, and welding review before using it on production work.
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Enter Flow Rate
Input the regulator or flowmeter setting in cubic feet per hour (CFH). The app screens consumption only; nozzle or cup size, gas lens, stickout, drafts, leaks, and procedure guidance control the actual setting.
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Set Welding Schedule
Enter arc-on minutes per shift, shifts per day, days per week, and project weeks. Arc-on time is the time shielding gas flows for welding, not total clock time unless the torch flows continuously.
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Enter Cylinder and Refill Cost
Input the local cylinder row and refill or exchange price. Verify the stamped cylinder, supplier fill volume, pressure or weight basis, rental, delivery, demurrage, hazmat, tax, and contract terms before ordering.
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Review Consumption and Cost
Review cubic feet per shift, pre/post-flow waste, cylinders per shift/week/project, and refill-cost arithmetic. Use whole-cylinder quantities and supplier quotes for purchasing decisions.
Built For
- Welding shop managers screening monthly shielding-gas expenses before supplier review
- Fabrication companies comparing local cylinder rows before bulk or microbulk quotes
- Field welding crews estimating preliminary spare-cylinder needs before loading and transport review
- Purchasing agents checking refill quotes on a local per-cubic-foot basis
- Maintenance teams comparing measured cylinder changeovers against local leak and waste screens
Assumptions
- Flow rate is treated as steady CFH through the active flowmeter while the arc is on.
- Pre-flow and post-flow are modeled at the same flow rate for each entered start.
- Cylinder capacity and refill cost are local planning rows that require supplier verification.
- Cost excludes rental, delivery, demurrage, hazmat, tax, handling labor, downtime, and contract terms.
Limitations
- Does not detect or account for gas leaks in fittings, hoses, or solenoid valves.
- Does not approve flow rate, gas mix, WPS, porosity correction, back-purge procedure, or weld quality.
- Does not model bulk tank, microbulk, rental, delivery, demurrage, hazmat, tax, or labor economics.
- Does not determine hot-work, ventilation, confined-space, PPE, cylinder storage, transport, or OSHA/state-plan compliance.
References
- AWS A5.32/A5.32M shielding-gas classification source pointer.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252 hot-work safety source pointer.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.253 and 1926.350 cylinder safety source pointers.
- CGA P-1 compressed-gas container safety source pointer.
- NIST SP 811 unit-conversion source pointer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More
Why Weld Heat Input Matters More Than You Think
What heat input actually controls in the weld zone, cooling rate metallurgy for non-metallurgists, AWS D1.1 requirements, and how to measure travel speed accurately.
Where Your Welding Gas Money Actually Goes
Shielding-gas planning limits, flow-rate source gaps, cylinder vs bulk quote checks, leak checks, and WPS review boundaries.
Gas Cylinder Duration Planning Guide
Plan compressed-gas cylinder run time from local cylinder-volume and flow assumptions before supplier and safety review.
AWS D1.1 Weld Joint Prep Guide: Groove Geometry, Filler Metal & Prequalified Joints
How to select and prepare CJP and PJP groove welds per AWS D1.1. Covers prequalified joints, groove parameters, filler metal estimation, backing bars, and joint prep methods.
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