As to the cost of argon, argon gas welding price is as expensive as $3.8-5.2 / cubic meter (purity 99.999%), while CO₂ gas is only $0.3-0.5 / cubic meter, with a difference of more than 10 times. Taking automobile manufacturing as an example, the gas consumption of a single body argon arc welding is about 12 cubic meters (cost $62.4), while CO₂ welding is only $3.6, but argon protection reduces the spatter rate from 15% to 3%, and the subsequent grinding cost is reduced by 78%. According to the calculation of Tesla’s Texas factory, while the Model Y aluminum chassis TIG argon arc welding increases $430,000 / year to the gas cost, the quality repair rate reduces by 1.8%, saving $2.1 million.
Argon arc welders (e.g., the Miller Syncrowave 210) on average cost $8,500, 140% more than that of CO₂ welders (Lincoln Electric POWER MIG 210 MP). And needs to be equipped with high-frequency arc module (add $1,200 cost) and gas flow precision controller (precision ±0.1 L/min). Japan Panasonic Group data show that the argon arc welding equipment maintenance frequency is 0.25 times/month (CO₂ welder 0.7 times/month), but the tungsten replacement cost is 18 US dollars/branch (life span 50 hours), 9 times that of CO₂ welding nozzle (2 US dollars/piece).
Process complexity raises labor costs, with argon arc welding operators requiring 200 hours of special training ($4,800 / person) compared to 80 hours ($1,600) for CO₂ welders. The stainless steel pipeline argon arc welding certification rate of welding qualification is only 65% (CO₂ welding 85%) based on the EU EN 1090 standard, and the enterprise manpower reserve cost is increased by 23%. In the welding of high-speed railway vehicles in CRRC Group, the average daily output of argon arc welding is 12 meters (CO₂ welder up to 28 meters), and the unit working hours cost 116% more.
Material constraint enhances overhead, aluminum alloy welding requires 99.999% super pure argon (40% more than industrial argon) and requires helium mixing (Ar+He=70%:30%) to improve the penetration, the mixing cost of $8.6 / m3. In the welding of Boeing 787 fuselage titanium alloy, the consumption of argon gas is three times that of carbon steel welding (15 cubic meters/meter weld), and the need to build a clean workshop (costing $3,200 /㎡) to prevent oxidation, accounting for 7.5% of the total project budget.
Energy disadvantage is obvious, TIG argon arc welding thermal efficiency is only 30% (MIG welding 45%), the energy consumption of welding 6 mm steel plate 4.8 kWh/m (CO₂ welding 3.2 kWh/m). When the pipeline system of German BASF chemical plant was reformed, argon arc welding consumed a total of 180,000 degrees more electricity compared to CO₂ welding, which added 29,000 euros in electricity expenses, yet reduced the weld corrosion rate from 0.12mm/year to 0.03mm/year and prolonged equipment life by 6 years.
Environmental compliance costs are overlapping. Direct argon emission does not exist, yet the energy consumption of air separation preparation is as much as 1.2kWh/cubic meter (CO₂ recovery only 0.3kWh), and the implied carbon cost per cubic meter of argon according to the EU carbon tax policy is 0.15 euros. When Norwegian shipyards use argon welding, they must be equipped with an oxygen concentration monitoring system ($18,000 per unit) to prevent the risk of suffocation, which adds an additional $4,200 per year for calibration, while CO₂ welding only requires normal ventilation ($600 per year).
Market supply and demand factors amplify price volatility, worldwide argon gas production capacity of around 7 million tons/year (only 0.6% of nitrogen), in 2021 China’s photovoltaic monocrystalline silicon production increase led to argon prices jumping to $12 / cubic meter (historical average of $4.5). CO₂, on the other hand, as an industrial by-product supply is reliable, the worldwide production capacity in 2023 exceeds 200 million tons, and the price variation is within ±15%.