Author Topic: Software to measure open area  (Read 5189 times)

Offline ScreenFoo

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Re: Software to measure open area
« Reply #15 on: June 02, 2013, 12:30:12 PM »
If that's the type of "ink calculator" you're looking for, Union's UniMix software is free:

http://www.unionink.com/software/
I'm sure it's 'tuned' for plastisol, although I'd doubt anyone's doing anything but picking a factor to multiply by between that and WB.

Although it doesn't have any pretty pictures of ink in containers, it's not bad.  Heck, it's AMAZING, for the money.   ;D


Offline Gilligan

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Re: Software to measure open area
« Reply #16 on: June 02, 2013, 12:55:51 PM »
If that's the type of "ink calculator" you're looking for, Union's UniMix software is free:

http://www.unionink.com/software/
I'm sure it's 'tuned' for plastisol, although I'd doubt anyone's doing anything but picking a factor to multiply by between that and WB.

Although it doesn't have any pretty pictures of ink in containers, it's not bad.  Heck, it's AMAZING, for the money.   ;D


Yep, according to this app... the factor to go from Plastisol to WB is to multiply your plastisol usage by 0.714.  So roughly 71.5%.

Offline pwalsh

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Re: Software to measure open area
« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2013, 02:21:55 PM »
If that's the type of "ink calculator" you're looking for, Union's UniMix software is free:

http://www.unionink.com/software/
I'm sure it's 'tuned' for plastisol, although I'd doubt anyone's doing anything but picking a factor to multiply by between that and WB.

Although it doesn't have any pretty pictures of ink in containers, it's not bad.  Heck, it's AMAZING, for the money.   ;D


Yep, according to this app... the factor to go from Plastisol to WB is to multiply your plastisol usage by 0.714.  So roughly 71.5%.


Gilligan:  My question is; “Should the printer multiply by 0.715, or divide by 0.715?”  The answer depends on whether you think that the mileage of a water-base ink is more or less than what you would achieve from a plastisol.  From my perspective a plastisol – 100% solids ink system is going to provide more sq/ft per gallon mileage than an “evaporative” water-base ink system. 

Of course the lower cost per gallon, or per KG of a water-base ink might still see it come out on top as a lower cost for ink per print than plastisol.  Oh, BTW folks shouldn’t forget to figure in “Temp and Time to Cure” in their cost per print calculations, which at the end of the day is one of the most important considerations. 
Peter G. Walsh - Executive Vice President
The M&R Companies - Roselle, IL USA
Email:  peter.walsh@mrprint.com
Office 847-410-3445 / Cell 913-579-6662

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Software to measure open area
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2013, 03:02:08 PM »
Peter, my numbers are strictly from the App that Brian shared.

To go from Plastisol consumption to WB consumption according to them is the factor of 0.715.  So you would multiply.  So if you were going to use 10kg of plastisol to do the job then in their math you would need 7.15kb of WB to do the same job.

I've never printed WB nor ever calculated my ink usage... so I'm speaking STRICTLY theoretical and it's not even MY theory. :)