Screen-printing ink consumption calculator.
Estimate ink by weighing a sample print. Calculate each color or print location separately, then combine the results.
Your inputs
Planning estimate · based on your inputs
Plan your ink before the press runs.
Example values are not industry standards. Weigh a controlled test run for the actual ink, artwork, mesh, and print method. Account for multiple passes in your measured consumption rather than multiplying the same consumption twice.
See the calculation
Ink needed (g) = impressions × measured grams per impression × (1 + allowance ÷ 100) + screen/tool reserve. Ink cost = total grams ÷ 1,000 × price per kilogram.
Can mesh count alone predict ink usage?
No. Artwork coverage, ink properties, stencil, squeegee, and technique also matter. Use measured consumption from a comparable job. This calculator deliberately does not infer ink weight from mesh count.
Better inputs.
Better estimates.
Keep a record of your actual job results. Replace these example values with measurements from your own shop.
Our calculation approach ↗Updated · Methods and example checks
How to estimate screen-printing ink consumption
Multiply the number of impressions by a measured wet ink mass per impression, then add a handling allowance and an operating reserve. Run the estimate separately for each ink color or location when their consumption differs.
- Count the impressions for the color and location being estimated.
- Use a wet-ink consumption measurement from a comparable test or production run.
- Add an allowance for handling losses that are not already in that measurement.
- Enter the ink you need available on the screen and tools as a separate reserve.
- Enter the price per kilogram to estimate the cost of the total ink prepared.
Worked example: 100 impressions
For 100 impressions at 2 g per impression, the base ink quantity is 200 g. A 15% handling allowance adds 30 g. A 50 g operating reserve brings the amount to prepare to 280 g, or 0.28 kg. At $30/kg, that prepared quantity has a value of $8.40.
The 2 g rate and 15% allowance are example inputs, not expected yields for any particular ink. If you print 100 shirts with two colors, calculate each color’s requirement individually. You do not necessarily need 200 impressions of each color.
Measure wet consumption without double counting
Start with a consistent material balance: weigh ink introduced to a controlled run, record recoverable ink remaining, and account separately for waste and retained ink. Keep the same definition for every test. Dividing total run consumption by impressions gives a useful operational rate, but a rate that already includes handling losses should not get another handling allowance for those same losses.
Do not use the mass change after curing as a direct measurement of wet ink consumption without validating that method for the ink. Drying or curing may change the material mass. See the ink measurement worksheet and method for an example material balance.
Prepared ink and consumed ink are different
The reserve keeps ink available during the run. Some of it may be recoverable afterward. This calculator prices the entire prepared quantity, so its cost can exceed the cost of ink actually consumed. For job pricing, decide whether you are allocating prepared inventory, consumed material, or a conservative material budget.
Ink estimate questions
Can I enter liters instead of kilograms?
No. This tool uses mass. To convert volume to mass, obtain the density for the exact ink from its supplier and use compatible units. Do not assume 1 liter weighs 1 kilogram.
Should I multiply by the number of squeegee passes?
Only if your measured rate represents one pass. If the measurement already covers the complete print sequence, multiplying again counts the same passes twice.
Can I reuse a rate from a different design?
Treat that as an assumption to verify. Coverage, print dimensions, ink, and the production setup may differ. Keep the mesh count and unit with each test record so you can identify comparable runs.