Printing, Labels & Industrial Converting worked example

Print Energy Cost at 99% press production uptime share: a worked example

What does the result look like when press production uptime share reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when costing a long run on UV, IR, or hot-air drying lines where energy is a visible quote line.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Press energy consumed for the run: 640 kWh (unchanged)
  • Utility electricity rate: 0.14 $ / kWh (unchanged)
  • Press production uptime share: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • Dryer and warm-up energy charge: 55 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Print energy cost = press energy used × electricity rate × production uptime share + dryer and warm-up charge) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 144 $ for total print energy cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.22 $ / piece for print energy cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 88.7 $ for variable print energy cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 55 $ for fixed print energy cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where press production uptime share sits at 90% and the headline result is 136 $, this scenario comes in 5.95% above the baseline at 144 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when press production uptime share is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It uses a single blended rate; time-of-use tariffs, demand charges and power-factor penalties aren't captured and can materially change real billed cost.

Results at a glance

  • Total print energy cost: 144 $ (headline result)
  • Print energy cost per unit: 0.22 $ / piece
  • Variable print energy cost: 88.7 $
  • Fixed print energy cost adder: 55 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Print Energy Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.