How fast does a 3M™ Speedglas™ shield pay for itself?

If profitability is defined in terms of protection, one day is enough. But while “protection” sometimes can be difficult to measure, efficiency and weld quality are much easier to gauge.

Studies show that welders can increase efficiency by up to 50% when using Speedglas ADLs. Not only can welders literally move faster when they can always see, but they move more efficiently, placing electrodes more precisely. Most “bad weld starts” can be eliminated. Fewer bad welds mean less grinding and higher overall quality levels.

For example:
Productivity gains are, of course, dependent on the application. A welder doing lots of tack welds will have much greater productivity gains than a welder doing long seam welds.

With that said, this example uses a very conservative 15% gain in productivity. If a welder is paid AUD $35 per hour, the shield will pay for itself in less than two months. In one year, the productivity gain will be $6,000 in savings (a.k.a. new profits).