 For manual welding methods , labor costs generally make up the vast majority of the total cost . As a result , many cost @-@ saving measures are focused on minimizing operation time . To do this , welding procedures with high deposition rates can be selected , and weld parameters can be fine @-@ tuned to increase welding speed . Mechanization and automation are often implemented to reduce labor costs , but this frequently increases the cost of equipment and creates additional setup time . Material costs tend to increase when special properties are necessary , and energy costs normally do not amount to more than several percent of the total welding cost . 
