Epson c4000 - running costs

[Nigel Town]

This is a little long, sorry guys & gals, but please bear with me...

A group that I do some work for has just purchased an Epson Acculaser
C4000PS - to print posters, flyers and programmes - this is a great device
and will easily do these tasks, with time to spare. So I got to thinking
about offering a printing service to our members, to help generate a little
revenue and perhaps do some people a good turn - we don't need to make
massive profits.

However - trying to arrive a price per copy on this beast is a little
complex - I have taken the stated page values for all the consumables the
costs for these items as a start point, plus paper costs - these divided out
and then summed together gives me values of c1.5p and 7.5p per sheet (UK
pence) for B/W and Colour respectively.

I have included toner, fuser, transfer belt and drum in my spreadsheet.

So my questions are - the stated page values are all for 5% B/W or Colour
coverage - is this value realistic?

How can you calculate it for a given job, if indeed you need to care, a
typed letter with a colour logo against say a colour poster? Do these
variation effect all consumable usage, just toner, or are the differences
over time toosmall to bother about?

If we forget the capital cost of the device itself, since we have purchased
it for our own use anyway, are there any other factors that I need to factor
in to a costing model?

We are a small group, so running costs for this device are a major outlay, I
would like to get this right - or as right as possible!

Sorry to bore you with all this, especially as I am not a regular
contributor to this group. All suggestions gratefully received.

TIA

Nigel

 

[Jim]

So my questions are - the stated page values are all for 5% B/W or Colour
coverage - is this value realistic?

Not unless all you are doing is printing text. A photograph could easily
get to 100%.
Jim

 

[Yianni]

So my questions are - the stated page values are all for 5% B/W or Colour

coverage - is this value realistic?

For text a realistic value is about 5 to 9%
For printing photos --> total 70% (about 17.5% for each color including the
black -usually the black coverage is same as the colors)
If you need examples of coverage, take a look at this page
http://inkjet.myservice.gr/inkjet/newtech/printcost/inkconsume.html

 

[Nigel Town]

Yianni

Thanks for this input, I have extended my spreadsheet so that the toner
values can reflect these amounts - it pushes up the cost per copy quite
considerably, but better that than running into unexpected cost outlay
later - do you know if any of the other consumables, fuser, drum, etc., are
effected by an increase in coverage?

Nigel