Printed Electronics & Flexible Hybrid Electronics worked example

Silver Ink Cost at 58% effective silver utilization on substrate: a worked example

This worked example runs the silver ink cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 58% effective silver utilization on substrate instead of the typical 80%. Silver conductive ink is often the single largest consumable cost in printed and flexible hybrid electronics, so knowing the loaded cost per piece is essential for quoting and margin control.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Printed pieces in the run: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Silver ink cost per piece at full coverage: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Effective silver utilization on substrate: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed setup and screen cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Silver Ink Cost cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Per piece value works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured value works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed adjustment works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where effective silver utilization on substrate sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • Use it when quoting a printed-electronics job, comparing ink suppliers, or evaluating whether a utilization improvement pays for a new print head. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 2,610 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Silver Ink Cost calculator, set effective silver utilization on substrate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.