金属电弧焊电极的可用性、焊接质量和焊接速度取决于电极烧损率。本文描述了导致燃耗率差异的因素。 在金属电弧焊中，在金属电极和待焊件之间保持高电流电弧。电极尖端的熔合持续消耗电极。电极尖端的熔化金属通过电弧间隙以各种尺寸的颗粒和可能的汽化金属的形式转移到焊缝中。 此外，当电极沿着焊缝前进时，工件的一部分被电弧的热量熔化。电极尖端熔化或“烧掉”的速度对金属转移的特性有很大影响在穿过电弧时，来自电极尖端的熔融金属会在电弧所属的焊接电路中引起电流波动。这些波动会影响电弧稳定性，以及在手工焊接中，焊工操作电极的难易程度。因此，金属电弧焊电极的可用性、焊接质量和焊接速度在一定程度上取决于电极燃烧- 折扣。 影响电极烧损率的因素很多。 其中一些因素是电路的特性、电极涂层的类型、电弧气氛的组成、芯线的类型和所用基板的类型。 给定尺寸电极的烧损率直接随电流变化，取决于使用直流电时的极性，并受电弧电压（弧长）变化的影响。

The usability of metal-arc welding electrodes, the quality of the welds and the rate at which welds can be made depend in a measure on electrode burn-off rate. Factors which cause these differences in burn-off rates are described. In electric metal-arc welding, a high-current arc is maintained between a metal electrode and the pieces to be welded. The electrode is continuously consumed by fusion of its tip. The melted metal at the tip of the electrode is transferred across the arc gap into the weld as particles of various sizes and possibly also as vaporized metal. Furthermore, a part of the workpiece is melted by the heat of the arc as the electrode advances along the weld joint. The character of metal transfer is influenced considerably by the rate at which the tip of the electrode is melted or "burns off." In crossing the arc, the molten metal from the electrode tip causes current fluctuations in the welding circuit of which the arc is a part. These fluctuations affect the arc stability and, in manual welding, the ease with which the welder can manipulate the electrode. Thus, the usability of metal-arc welding electrodes, the quality of the welds and the rate at which welds can be made, depend to a certain extent upon the electrode burn-off rate. There are many factors which can influence the burn-off rates of electrodes. Some of these factors are the characteristics of the electric circuit, the type of electrode coating, the composition of the arc atmosphere, the type of core wire and the type of base plate used. The burn-off rate of a given size of electrode varies directly with the current, depends on the polarity when direct current is used and is influenced by changes in arc voltage (arc length).