Determining toner coverage

[AdamR]

Hello,
I am a developer with a major printer manufacturer. What I am interested in is what kind of tools you are using to determine the amount of toner coverage of a print job up front, if any.

So please could you help me?

Are you doing this, and if so, how? Furthermore, do you charge your customers based on this coverage?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Muddy]

Isn't it irrelevant to us? Under my service contract I can use as much as I want, as often as I want as it is covered off in the click charge I am charged by the vendor

 

[jotterpinky]

We currently do not use anything to calculate toner coverage due to the aforementioned reason given that it's covered under our service contract. However on our inkjets we do keep an eye on ink coverage/usage, which is provided via the RIP software that runs the printers. If we are bidding on a large job we often run the file through the RIP to calculate the amount of ink required so we can be more competitive with larger print providers.

Given that the RIP is where the file is translated for the particular output device I almost think you would have to either have the RIP give the amount of ink used or a piece of software downstream that grabs it from the post-ripped data.

I'm hoping this question is a move by the manufacturers towards variable click rates based on ink coverage. Many of our customers would spend double to get some highlight color but not the 10x we charge for full color over B&W

 

[easiprint]

I think most printers will be under service contracts which will cover all toner costs for exactly that reason. As printers we do not want to be worrying about adjusting prices based on coverage. I have been offered a reduced click charge if I buy my own toner, but no thank you. I'll stick to the all inclusive rates.

 

[sbs01]

Isn't it irrelevant to us? Under my service contract I can use as much as I want, as often as I want as it is covered off in the click charge I am charged by the vendor

what brand/printer are you using?

we're looking at km, xerox & ricoh right now and are worried that the claims of "use all the toner you want" may be a bit disingenuous...would welcome any real world feedback from users of any of the following on what kind of pushback you may have had over heavy coverage (as it pertains to your pay per click agreements...):

xerox 700 or 800
km 7000 or 8000
ricoh 720, 900 or 901

thank you!

 

[GusG]

I'm not on a click charge arrangement so the toner coverage does matter to me and we do offer a discount on some jobs that use a small amount of toner.

To calculate this I open the document in Photoshop (CMYK, no colour management), flatten it and apply the average blur tool, then it's just a matter of seeing the CMYK percentages.

 

[Muddy]

what brand/printer are you using?

we're looking at km, xerox & ricoh right now and are worried that the claims of "use all the toner you want" may be a bit disingenuous...would welcome any real world feedback from users of any of the following on what kind of pushback you may have had over heavy coverage (as it pertains to your pay per click agreements...):

xerox 700 or 800
km 7000 or 8000
ricoh 720, 900 or 901

thank you!

I have a KM6501 and I never worry or pay attention to toner use. It is 100% "free", in a manner of speaking. (I do completely understand it is not free, as it is part of what makes up a click cost).

Have never had any pushback on toner usage. Nor would I EVER expect any.

 

[rar133]

Xerox claims ( on x700) that print coverage is equal to 15%.

ive been trying to find out on the internet just how they value that. i.e. is it total CMYK =15% or C= 15% M=15% Y=15% K=15%? does this give me a coverage of 60%?

now when considering i have a graphic work which requires full color ( whole page covered edge to edge) does this amount to 100% coverage or 400% coverage?

so to resume..... if @ 15% one click is costing me $ 0.10, will a full colored page (100%) be costing me $ 0.52 or up to 60% still remain $ 0.10.

i apologize if the way i laid it out looks confusing... but thats just how it is in my head right now

 

[X33]

I'm hoping this question is a move by the manufacturers towards variable click rates based on ink coverage.

instead of having a click rate, you could buy your own toner and figure out your prices based on coverage.

you will probably find out that clicks are better.

 

[X33]

Xerox claims ( on x700) that print coverage is equal to 15%.

what do you mean Xerox claims? Print coverage of what is 15%?

ive been trying to find out on the internet just how they value that. i.e. is it total CMYK =15% or C= 15% M=15% Y=15% K=15%? does this give me a coverage of 60%?

60% ... add the coverage from each color

now when considering i have a graphic work which requires full color ( whole page covered edge to edge) does this amount to 100% coverage or 400% coverage?

400%

so to resume..... if @ 15% one click is costing me $ 0.10, will a full colored page (100%) be costing me $ 0.52 or up to 60% still remain $ 0.10.

clicks (in the US) are the same regardless of coverage

 

[karl17]

Xerox claims ( on x700) that print coverage is equal to 15%.

now when considering i have a graphic work which requires full color ( whole page covered edge to edge) does this amount to 100% coverage or 400% coverage?

Any print over 260% toner coverage may have problems.

To have an idea i use inkcoverage app for mac. But it will never be 100% accurate, depends on your rip, printing profile, printing calibration, paper, etc.

 

[mattbeals]

I think you could use callas pdfToolbox's "visualizer" view to calculate coverage. Hadn't tried, but I think it will work. Download the demo and see!

 

[kt89]

APFill

APFill

Go get this software, low cost and simple to use.

APFill - Ink Coverage Calculator, How to calculate ink coverage and consumption - AVPSOFT

Do note that the software only calculate your file toner coverage but this does not mean the actual usage or consumption of your toner yield due to toner droppings and waste toner.

Cheers

 

[made4print]

Hi,

We are proud to announce that we have just updated our Printcalc application, available at Printcalc : Home.

Printcalc is an online tool reports the % CMYK and Spot colour coverage of your files (PDF, EPS and PS support)

Mark Redman
Printcalc

 

[happywing]

I seem to recall a tool in Pitstop.

 

[arossetti]

You also have to factor that the printer pumps and dumps a lot of toner during those image adjustment periods.

 

[MailGuru]

I still don't understand why it matters. We use (3) Xerox 8002's, had a KM 6500, had a Xerox 5000, had an Ikon CPP 650. On all those printers, from 3 different vendors, we pay a click charge per page. The click charge includes toner, developer, core-trons, service & parts. The color click charge is the same regardless of toner coverage, paper size, etc. Whether it's 1 line on the page, or, full-coverage 4cp/4cp photograph, it's the same cost.

 

[arossetti]

Some people pay a monthly service fee and pay as you go for toner. If you are an inplant running a lot of documents with little color this option might not be a bad way to go. If you are print for pay and do a lot heavy coverage this may not be the best way to go. I know some in-house print shops who print 95% black ink text with spots of color (ie red words).

 

[dmills]

I have an Intec "envelope"printer. (similar to xante and others) I buy supplies so knowing coverages would be important. Xante has a software called IQUEUE that calculates coverage and based on your supply cost you enter,la cost for the project is determined. I am looking for a similar software to use with my Intec..any suggestions?

 

[Paul Santer]

I have an Intec "envelope"printer. (similar to xante and others) I buy supplies so knowing coverages would be important. Xante has a software called IQUEUE that calculates coverage and based on your supply cost you enter,la cost for the project is determined. I am looking for a similar software to use with my Intec..any suggestions?

How about APFill as suggested above, you can download a free demo to try.