There is a customer we worked with who will never look at drilling the same way again. They were outfitting heavy brackets on a production run, drilling dozens of holes per unit. The process seemed straightforward enough. It worked, until the parts started cracking during testing.
Rework piled up quickly. Labour hours doubled. Consumable costs spiked. What had looked like a simple, cost-effective fastening method was costing them tens of thousands of dollars every year in delays, scrap, and repeated labor.
When they came to us to get set up with stud welding, the results were immediate. Installation time dropped by 40 percent. Scrap rates fell to nearly zero. And they eliminated the risk of compromised base metal entirely. One step, no drilling, no consumables, and stronger fastening solved a problem that had been draining their profitability for months.
Why Drilling Feels Like the Easy Choice
On the surface, drilling a hole feels simple and smart. The requirements seem minimal. You need a drill bit, a little time, and the job gets done. For many shops, it is the default approach because it is familiar and requires no change in process.
But when you look closer at what drilling actually requires, the cost becomes harder to ignore.
The Real Cost of Every Hole
Every hole drilled into a part carries costs that extend far beyond the few seconds it takes to make the cut. These costs accumulate across every unit, every shift, and every production run.
Labour Costs Add Up Fast
Drilling is not a single action. It requires setup, alignment, drilling, deburring, and cleanup. Each of these steps takes time, and time is labour. Multiply that across hundreds or thousands of fasteners, and the hours add up quickly. In high-volume production, even small inefficiencies compound into major cost centers.
Consumables Burn Out Constantly
Drill bits wear down. Cutting fluid runs out. Taps break. These consumables are not one-time purchases. They require constant restocking, storage, and management. Each consumable has a cost, and each one contributes to downtime when supplies run low or tools wear out mid-shift.
Installation Speed Slows Down
Every hole is another step in the process. Drilling requires precise alignment, careful execution, and post-drilling cleanup. In contrast to methods that complete fastening in a single action, drilling introduces multiple stages that slow throughput and create opportunities for error.
Base Metal Integrity Is Compromised
This is the cost that often goes unnoticed until it is too late. Every hole removes material from the base structure. That removed material weakens the part. In high-stress applications or environments with vibration, temperature fluctuations, or repeated loading, those weakened points become failure risks. Cracks form. Parts fail inspection. Rework becomes necessary, or worse, field failures occur after installation.
For the customer mentioned earlier, this was the breaking point. The holes they were drilling were creating stress concentrations that led to cracking during testing. The parts looked fine during assembly, but under load, the compromised base metal could not hold up. The result was costly delays, high scrap rates, and a need to find a better solution.
How Stud Welding Eliminates These Costs
Stud welding removes the drilling step entirely. The fastener is fused directly to the base material in a single, controlled weld that completes in a fraction of a second. There are no holes to drill, no bits to replace, and no weakened base metal to worry about.
The benefits are both immediate and long-term:
Faster Installation
Stud welding completes in one step. There is no drilling, no tapping, no aligning hardware, and no cleanup. Teams move through installations quickly, reducing labour hours and increasing throughput without compromising quality.
Zero Consumables Waste
With no need for drill bits, cutting fluid, taps, or bolts, consumable costs drop dramatically. There are no worn-out bits to replace and no secondary hardware to manage. The stud is the only component required, and it becomes a permanent part of the assembly.
Stronger, More Reliable Connections
Because stud welding does not remove material from the base structure, the integrity of the part remains intact. The weld creates a high-strength bond that does not loosen over time and does not introduce stress concentrations. This results in parts that perform reliably under load, resist vibration, and pass testing on the first attempt.
Lower Scrap Rates
When base metal integrity is preserved and installations are consistent, scrap rates fall. Parts do not crack during testing. Rework becomes rare. The consistency of stud welding ensures that every fastener meets quality standards, reducing waste and protecting profitability.
What Looks Cheap Ends Up Costing More
The customer who switched to stud welding discovered something that many manufacturers eventually learn: what looks cheap at first often costs far more over time. Drilling may seem like the simple choice, but the labour, consumables, slower installations, and compromised base metal add up quickly.
Stud welding fixed the problem overnight. Installation time dropped by 40 percent. Scrap rates fell to nearly zero. And the risk of cracked parts disappeared entirely. The long-term savings far outweighed the initial investment in equipment and training.
Rethinking Fastening Methods
For manufacturers still relying on drilling and bolting, it is worth taking a closer look at the true cost of these methods. The labour hours, consumable expenses, and risk of compromised base metal may be costing more than expected.
Stud welding offers a straightforward alternative that eliminates these inefficiencies while delivering stronger, more reliable results. It is not about replacing skilled workers or overhauling entire production lines. It is about choosing a fastening method that supports efficiency, quality, and profitability at every stage of production.
Partner With Davis Stud Welding
At Davis Stud Welding, we help manufacturers eliminate hidden costs and improve reliability through proven stud welding solutions. With more than 12 years of specialized experience in stud welding and over 30 years in the service industry, our team provides the equipment, fasteners, and expertise needed to reduce labour, cut consumable use, and improve product quality.
Contact our sales team today to learn how stud welding can lower costs, increase throughput, and eliminate the risks associated with drilling and traditional fastening methods.