Print Roll Length Calculator

Work out print roll length instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Print Roll Length Calculator

The run length is impressions divided by the number across the web, times the cylinder repeat length. Set-up waste for registration, colour matching and reel splices is a fixed length regardless of run size, which is why short runs carry a much higher waste percentage.

Formula

Print roll length

Repeats = ceil(impressions / across web); run length = repeats x repeat length; total = run length + set-up waste

Worked example

With the default values below, Print Roll Length Calculator returns Roll Length Required of 16,250.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Impressions Requiredminimum 1: 200,000
Print Repeat Lengthminimum 0.01 mm: 320 mm
Impressions Across The Webminimum 1: 4
Set-Up And Splice Wasteminimum 0 m: 250 m

Results

Roll Length Required: 16,250.00
Print Run Length: 16,000.00
Repeats To Print: 50,000
Set-Up Waste Share: 1.538%

Step by step

1Values used
2Print roll length
3Roll Length Required= 16,250.00
4Print Run Length= 16,000.00
5Repeats To Print= 50,000
6Set-Up Waste Share= 1.538

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 3 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

Why are short runs disproportionately expensive?

Set-up waste and plate or cylinder cost are fixed. On a 500 m run, 250 m of set-up waste is 33% of the roll; on a 20,000 m run it is 1.2%.

Can waste be reduced?

Digital printing eliminates most make-ready waste and suits short runs. On conventional presses, pre-register systems and closed-loop colour control cut it by half or more.