Purpose

Step 1: Create the Coating Material

1. Go to Materials and create a new coating material (e.g., Gloss Coating).

2. Units: purchase in 25 kg, charge in 1 kg.

3. Calculation type: Finish Area (m²).

4. Options:

   • Select Enforce whole charge units if you want to charge by the kilogram only (rounding up).

   • Ensure Manage stock levels is enabled.

Repeat as needed for other coatings (Matt, Eco-Satin, etc.).

Step 2: Create the Coating Operation

1. Create a new operation called Coating.

2. Set the operation category to Coating.

3. If you offer more than one type of coating, use {Reference} in the customer description.

4. On the Components tab:

   • Tick Component Refs.

   • Add a default coating type if desired.
     
     
     

5. Make coating available to the correct presses (e.g., Heidelberg XL75 – Sheetwork, Work & Tumble, Work & Turn).

6. Select Plan on Press under Production Options.

7. Do not add machine or labour rates (set machine cost/hour to 0).
   

Step 3: Add Material Options and Multiplier

The next step is to consider which presses that you are going to make coating available to. In the example given below, we have nominated the different methods of working for a Heidelberg XL75. i.e. Sheetwork, Work & Tumble, and Work & Turn.

Add a component line for each press, being mindful to ensure that they are offered for each type of coating under ‘General Options’. Also ensure under ‘Production Options’ that the Plan on Press check box is selected.

As this operation is planned on press, there is no need to add in a machine or labour rate. (Ensure that the machine cost p/h is set at ‘0’)

1. Add a Material Options component record.

2. This converts coating material (kg or lbs) into coated area (m² or ft²).

3. Apply the correct multiplier (see formulas below).
   

METRIC EXAMPLE:

Step 4: Calculating Coating Usage (Metric)

Formula:

Where:

• Total Area (m²) = Sheet Area (m²) × Number of Impressions (sides × sheets)

• 0.006103 = kg per m² (includes 15% safety factor)
  

• 0.0053 = kg per m² (excluding the safety factor) 

Example:

• Sheet size: 640 × 900 mm = 0.576 m²

• Run length: 10,000 sheets, double-sided = 20,000 impressions

• Total area = 20,000 × 0.576 = 11,520 m²

• Coating required = 11,520 × 0.006103 = 70.3 kg

Step 5: Calculating Coating Usage (Imperial)

Formula:

Where:

• Total Area (ft²) = Sheet Area (ft²) × Number of Impressions (sides × sheets)

• 0.00125 = lbs per ft² (includes 15% safety factor)
  

• 0.001 = lbs per ft² (excluding the safety factor)

Example:

• Sheet size: 18 × 36 in = 4.5 ft²

• Run length: 10,000 sheets, double-sided = 20,000 impressions

• Total area = 20,000 × 4.5 = 90,000 ft²

• Coating required = 90,000 × 0.00125 = 112.5 lbs

Quick Reference Table

Common Industry References

Industry standards and supplier guidelines generally report that aqueous coatings consume between 4.5–6.0 kg per 1,000 m² (metric) or 1.0–1.25 lbs per 1,000 ft² (imperial) under full flood coverage. The values in this article use the higher end of those ranges to include a 15% safety factor, ensuring estimates are conservative. In practice, many printers achieve slightly lower consumption, but using the safety factor helps avoid underquoting.

Best Practices

• Allow for make-ready waste when quoting.

• Use Enforce whole charge units if coating should always be rounded up to whole kg.

• Coverage may vary slightly by coating type (Gloss, Matt, Satin).

• Adjust safety factor if your press runs consistently below typical usage rates.