The objective of this study is to estimate the efficiency and penetration depth of the laser beam in the DED process using thermal finite element analyses (FEAs). A finite element model is developed based on the shape of the deposited beads from the experimental results. A moving volumetric heat flux with various efficiency and penetration depth of laser is adopted to simulate the transient thermal phenomenon of the laser based wire feeding type DED process. The estimated heat affected zone (HAZ) from the FEAs is compared with the experimental results in order to estimate the proper efficiency and penetration depth of the laser beam for each condition of DED process.