Latex vs. Eco-Solvent TCO Calculator
Compare the total cost of owning a latex or an eco-solvent wide format printer over several years. Enter your volume, facility and job mix, then change any assumption to match your own quotes.
Advanced assumptions (every default can be changed)
The starting values are illustrative planning numbers, not quotes. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
| Cost line | Eco-solvent | Latex | Latex minus eco |
|---|
What moves the result most
How the Latex vs. Eco-Solvent TCO Calculator Works
The calculator adds up ten cost lines for each technology over the time horizon you choose: purchase price, ventilation, electrical work, electricity, ink, extra media cost, maintenance, extra handling time, and the margin lost on work a printer cannot run. It then shows the totals, the difference line by line, and which lines move the result most.
Every default can be changed under Advanced assumptions. The defaults are planning numbers taken from manufacturer spec sheets where one exists, and from the cost ranges in our wide format printer cost breakdown where one does not. Where there is no benchmark at all, the table below says so.
The result is a comparison on your inputs. It is not a quote and not a procurement specification.
Default Assumptions and Where They Come From
| Cost line | Eco-solvent | Latex | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | $22,000 | $28,000 | Mid-range 54-inch production models. Replace with your quotes. |
| Ventilation | $0 to $15,000 (by building type) | $0 | Illustrative retrofit placeholders. Get a local quote. |
| Electrical work | $0 | $0 to $3,750 | 220V run $500–$2,000, panel upgrade $1,500–$3,500 (see the TCO post). Midpoints used. |
| Power while printing | 3.8 kW | 3.6 kW | Rated figures: Mimaki CJV300 series up to 3.84 kVA at 200 V (spec); HP Latex 730 printer 1.5 kW plus curing 2.1 kW (HP guide). Real averages are lower. |
| Power in ready mode | 0.1 kW | 0.1 kW | HP lists 95–105 W in ready mode for the Latex 730/830. Eco-solvent value is an assumption. |
| Ink | $0.08/sq ft + 7% purge waste | $0.085/sq ft + 2% waste | 440 mL at $180/L (eco-solvent) and 775 mL at $110/L (latex) per 1,000 sq ft. Illustrative and model-dependent. |
| Extra media cost | $0.00/sq ft | $0.05/sq ft | Latex: about a quarter of volume on coated or heat-tolerant stock at roughly $0.19/sq ft premium. |
| Service agreement | 10% of price per year | 10% of price per year | Typical figure quoted in the TCO post. Set to 0 if you self-service. |
| Head reserve | $500/yr | $1,000/yr | Latex heads $200–$800 each; eco-solvent mid-life head replacement $2,000–$3,000. Spread over their life. |
| Supplies and cleaning | $480/yr | $480/yr | About $40 a month for cleaning supplies and wipers. |
| Extra handling time | 10 min per 100 sq ft | 0 | No benchmark. This is a placeholder: time your own racking and finishing. |
| Margin lost on work eco-solvent cannot run | $2.00/sq ft | $0 | Applied to the specialty share you enter. Set to 0 if you never do that work. |
Illustrative figures in U.S. dollars. Prices, power draw and ink consumption vary by printer model, print mode and country.
Understanding TCO for Wide Format
Why does purchase price mislead most buyers?
The purchase price is the number every vendor quotes first, but it is one line among several. Ventilation, electrical work, ink, service agreements, head replacement, handling time and substrate limits all add to it over five years. A printer that costs more to buy can cost less to own, and the reverse. Change the inputs and watch which lines move the total.
What is the biggest hidden cost in eco-solvent?
Usually ventilation, if your building does not already have it. Requirements and costs depend on the printer, the building, the lease and local rules, so get a written quote before you rely on any default. The calculator’s retrofit figures are illustrative placeholders. In a shared or mixed-use building, check with the landlord and local regulations first.
How does outgassing affect cost?
Eco-solvent prints typically need 4 to 24 hours before lamination, longer with heavy ink loads, cold shops or high humidity. The waiting is not labor, but it ties up racks and floor space, delays same-day jobs and adds handling steps. The calculator charges only the extra handling time you enter.
When does eco-solvent still win on TCO?
When ventilation is already in place, little of your work needs substrates eco-solvent cannot run, and the printer is cheaper to buy and service. Set ventilation to existing, specialty share to a low number and compare. Print quality on glossy media is also a real reason to choose eco-solvent, and no cost model captures it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this calculator free to use?
Yes. It is free for personal and commercial use, with no login. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How accurate are the cost figures?
The starting values are illustrative planning numbers, not quotes. Purchase prices, ventilation, service and handling time all vary by region, vendor and shop. Replace the inputs with your own quotes and records. Treat the output as a directional comparison, not a financial projection.
What does extra handling time mean in the results?
It is only the additional hands-on time eco-solvent prints need compared with latex, such as racking and storing prints while they outgas, and extended finishing steps. Base operator time for loading media and running jobs is the same for both and is excluded. Waiting time is not labor, so the dwell period itself costs nothing here unless it forces extra handling. There is no industry benchmark for this number, so time it in your own shop.
Why does the substrate share affect the result so much?
Latex inks are water-based and can be used on some porous and uncoated materials that eco-solvent handles poorly or not at all, such as certain textiles, wallpaper and uncoated paper. If a share of your work needs those materials, an eco-solvent printer means turning that work away or outsourcing it. The calculator charges you the margin you enter for that share. Set it to zero if you never do that work.
Does the calculator include electricity?
Yes. It uses rated power draw while printing and in ready mode, your print volume and speed, and your electricity price. The defaults come from manufacturer spec sheets: the HP Latex 730 lists 3.6 kW while printing (printer plus curing), and Mimaki lists up to 3.84 kVA at 200 V for the CJV300 eco-solvent series. At typical shop volumes electricity is a small line next to ink, service and ventilation. Check your own printer’s spec sheet.
Does the calculator account for printer downtime?
Not as a separate line. Service agreements, head reserves and supplies are in the maintenance figures. Revenue lost to unplanned downtime depends too much on the shop to model in a general tool.
Where can I read the thinking behind these numbers?
The post Wide Format Printer Cost: The Real Numbers Nobody Shows You covers the cost categories, and the cost per square foot calculator covers per-job pricing.