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Ink Consumption Calculator

Work out ink consumption instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Ink Consumption Calculator

Ink consumption is printed area x coverage x lay-down rate. Lay-down depends on the process — around 1-2 g/m2 for offset, 2-4 for flexo and 4-8 for gravure or screen at full coverage. Coverage above 100% is possible when colours overprint.

Formula

Ink consumption

Ink (g) = printed area (m2) x impressions x coverage % x lay-down (g/m2)

Worked example

With the default values below, Ink Consumption Calculator returns Ink Required of 6.9300. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Printed Area Per Impressionminimum 0 m2
0.045 m2
Impressionsminimum 1
200,000
Average Ink Coverageaccepts 0.1–400 %
35 %
Ink Lay-Downminimum 0.001 g/m2 at 100% coverage
2.2 g/m2 at 100% coverage

Results

Ink Required
6.9300
Total Printed Area
9,000.00
Ink Per Impression
0.034650
Impressions Per Kilogram Of Ink
28,860

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Ink consumption
  3. 3Ink Required= 6.9300
  4. 4Total Printed Area= 9,000.00
  5. 5Ink Per Impression= 0.034650
  6. 6Impressions Per Kilogram Of Ink= 28,860

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 6 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is average coverage estimated?

From the prepress file: the RIP reports ink coverage per separation. Summing the separations gives total coverage, which is why four-colour solids can exceed 300%.

Why does actual usage exceed the calculation?

Ink left in the duct, pans, pumps and lines at job end, plus washing-up losses. On short runs this residual can exceed the ink actually printed.

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