How to Determine Print Costs for Large Format Printers in Your AEC Business

Large format printing has opened many doors in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The technology has allowed the industry to streamline many workflows. However, to use it effectively, organisations must know how to compute print costs in large format printers. Only then can you manage expenses and optimise operations to get the most out of the technology. This article will explore the topic of large format printing costs. It will provide the tools needed to calculate, analyse, and optimise these expenses.

The cost per print is one of the most foundational metrics in large format printing expenses. It combines all the costs associated with producing a single print. This includes materials, labour, overhead, and more. To calculate this metric, consider the following factors:

1. Material costs
2. Electricity consumption
3. Labour costs
4. Printer depreciation
5. Maintenance expenses

Once you've calculated what each of these adds to the expense of creating a single print, you merely need to sum them together to get the final cost per print metric.

Let's take a closer look at material costs since these tend to be the most significant component of large format printing expenses. For all large printing jobs, these costs include the paper or other media that will be printed on and the ink or toner that will be used during the printing process. For some jobs, finishing materials such as laminates or mounting boards must also be factored in.

In addition to making up the bulk of the expense for a printing job, the materials are also often where the most flexibility comes in. High-quality paper or ink increases the output quality at the tradeoff of costing more. Standard-quality materials will lower the output quality but increase the affordability of the print.

While not as large a factor as material costs, the costs of maintaining and running the printer are also less obvious. Forgetting to calculate one of these elements can make your final cost per print amount less accurate. When you add up expenses, be sure to include these items:

1. Cleaning supplies
2. Replacement parts (print heads, belts, etc.)
3. Calibration tools
4. Software updates
5. Electricity consumption

With the factors involved out of the way, we can begin to take a look at the actual calculation process. Getting this right is an important part of pricing your services, budgeting, and identifying areas where you can improve your finances.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you decide how to compute print costs in large format printers accurately.

When you want to know how to compute print costs in large format printers in a standardised way, work on a specific unit of measurement. For example, you may base your calculations on a square meter of printing. With the unit decided, calculate how much the print media, ink, and additional materials (such as laminate) cost when printing something that size.

Next, add up the estimated time required to prepare files for printing, operate the printer, and perform any finishing work. Multiply this number by the hourly rate of the staff members performing the task.

Next, you must calculate overhead as part of how to compute print costs in large format printers. This should be very comprehensive. For example, the printers can take up quite a bit of space, though there are large format printers that even small businesses can use. This space is valuable, so its portion of the rent should be included in the costs. Do the same for utilities and other general business expenses.

Add in the maintenance and running costs for the printer as described above. Here, you'll also want to include printer depreciation. At some point, you'll need to replace the printer. To account for this expense, divide the printer's purchase price by its expected lifetime in days to get the daily cost for a replacement.

All of these calculations may seem intimidating. Thankfully, there are several types of software products that can help simplify the process.

• Spreadsheet software: A simple spreadsheet tool like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets will let you create a template that can be easily reused and that will automatically handle the calculation for you.
• Print management software: Some printers include print management software that makes tracking material usage and printer-related job costs easy.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems: These tools often have extensive features for integrated costs, including printing costs. They can also provide deep insights into profitability and cost-saving.
• Cloud-based cost calculators: Some cloud-based financial planning solutions also have features that can help. These products make it easy to collaborate with team members in real time.

Understanding the factors that influence printing costs can help you identify areas for optimisation. It will also help you make more informed decisions regarding equipment purchases and business practices. The primary factors are:

Economies of scale mean that higher print volumes tend to have lower costs per print. However, if too many people are trying to use the printer all at once, it can create a bottleneck that reduces cost efficiency. Effective scheduling can work around this problem.

Newer printers frequently have better ink efficiency and faster printing speeds. Cheaper printers may save money upfront but have quality so low that reprints are necessary, increasing costs over time. More expensive printers cost more upfront but may have lower maintenance costs. Consider all these factors when making a purchase.

In addition to paying attention to how the above factors can impact costs, here are a few more tips for controlling your printing expenses and finalising how to compute print costs in large format printers.

• Design Efficiently: Minimise waste by creating designs that fit optimally on the page, for example, by reducing white space.
• Use High-Resolution Images: Print high-resolution images from the start to avoid unwanted reprints from poor-quality prints.

• Optimise Print Settings: Adjust settings like resolution, ink density, and print mode to get a good balance between quality and cost.
• Perform Regular Maintenance: Keep your printer well-maintained to minimise the impact of costly repairs and downtime.

• Select Cost-Effective Materials: Balance the quality of the materials with the intended use of the output. Cheaper materials can be fine for many tasks.
• Monitor Ink Consumption: Track your ink usage to identify areas where you can reduce waste. Keep ink refills on hand to reduce downtime.

• Proofread Carefully: Give your designs a thorough proofread to avoid costly mistakes that require reprints.
• Negotiate With Suppliers: Building strong relationships with your printing suppliers can help you negotiate favourable terms, such as volume discounts or special pricing.

A large format printer is a significant investment, both in time and in physical space. To make the right choice among the many available options, you need detailed information about those choices and how to compute print costs in large format printers. Our HP DesignJet experts understand that you have questions and will happily provide you with any information you need to make your decision.