TSB
screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: TCT on April 30, 2019, 09:00:40 AM
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Wondering if any I-Image users, gurus, ect. might be able to help.
When in the ColorPRINT software you have the option to calculate how much ink each image uses. We are able to easily assign an amount just fine for 1 color images, good, great, done. Now let's say we bring in a 4 color design, when we calculate that one it just gives us a total amount for the file(all 4 colors combined). Is there any way without having each color in a separate file, to calculate the cost per screen/color in a multiple color file?
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At the moment it only gives you the ability to see total cost per job. So you just get the average cost per screen for that particular job once the math is done.
It is being worked on to give the end user the ability to see per screen cost. I do not have a timeline of that at the moment.
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At the moment it only gives you the ability to see total cost per job. So you just get the average cost per screen for that particular job once the math is done.
It is being worked on to give the end user the ability to see per screen cost. I do not have a timeline of that at the moment.
Cool.
I'm thinking maybe I should clarify, I had 2 people just email me directly offering advise. I realized I didn't give the full story....
We are really not trying to figure out what each screen costs in ink, I couldn't care less. What we ARE trying to do is figure out a equation for how much ink to mix per screen determined by coverage. Since we mix ink for every job, and since it is discharge, when the job is done we throw the remaining ink away depending on the color.
We have a few months of data and are close with a "equation" but right now we are only really able to apply it to 1 color screens because we can't get the individual data per screen on multiple color jobs.
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Not super easy but maybe of some help:
https://astutegraphics.com/blog/calculating-an-objects-area-in-illustrator/
https://astutegraphics.com/blog/how-to-calculate-an-objects-area-with-phantasm-and-inkquest-in-illustrator/
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Colin on here formerly of QCM and now Ryonet can help you. If my memory serves me correctly he does have a rough equation for this.
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Sorry Brandon - I dont. Not for iImage ink anyways.
For screen printing plastisol there is an easy equation. But I would need to go digging to find it....
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Sorry Brandon - I dont. Not for iImage ink anyways.
For screen printing plastisol there is an easy equation. But I would need to go digging to find it....
The equation you have, is what TC is looking for. He doesn't need what the I-Image ink will "cost", but the (per screen) content area where the press ink (discharge ink) will fill/print. The ink mass of the job.
Back when I worked at a glass factory, we would print real metallic gold ink and was very costly. "Real gold", but only enough content to give it that gold luster.
Our art director would use a grid and lay it over each separation and count each square that was covered by at least 1/4th area of art. A 1/4th of a square counted.
Then they would total that up and x 144 mugs or whatever. We always used the same steel screen mesh count so the was not a variable. The ink layer thickness stays the same.
You could get narrow it down more, by taking the max print area, and fill that with 50% halftone, then weight it. and weigh a blank tee. Get that total, and break it down per area. Kinda the same thing my old art director did at the glass factory.
I think I see someone is posting about a way to calculate space taken up using Illustrator and would be more accurate.