# Offset Press Job Time and Hourly Rate Cost Calculator > Source: https://netray.co/tools/offset-press-job-time-and-hourly-rate-cost-calculator > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer Estimate total press hours, effective sheets per hour and machine cost for a sheet-fed job. ## Category cost-finance ## Industry Packaging and Printing ## Audience - Print estimator - Production scheduler - Plant controller ## Tool **Kind:** calculator **Currency:** $ **Inputs:** #### Sheets per pass **Key:** sheets **Type:** slider **Default:** 12000 **Min:** 500 **Max:** 40000 **Step:** 500 **Unit:** sheets #### Press passes **Key:** passes **Type:** select **Default:** 1 **Options:** ##### 1 (perfecting or single side) **Value:** 1 ##### 2 (separate back pass) **Value:** 2 ##### 3 **Value:** 3 #### Rated press speed **Key:** rated **Type:** number **Default:** 10000 **Min:** 100 **Step:** 500 **Unit:** sheets/hr #### Running speed efficiency **Key:** eff **Type:** slider **Default:** 75 **Min:** 20 **Max:** 100 **Step:** 1 **Unit:** % **Help:** Actual average running speed as a share of rated speed. #### Makeready time per pass **Key:** mr_min **Type:** number **Default:** 45 **Min:** 0 **Step:** 5 **Unit:** min #### Wash-up time per pass **Key:** wash_min **Type:** number **Default:** 20 **Min:** 0 **Step:** 5 **Unit:** min #### Press hourly rate **Key:** rate **Type:** number **Default:** 120 **Min:** 0 **Step:** 5 **Unit:** per hour **Help:** Machine plus labour and overhead. **Outputs:** #### Effective running speed **Key:** eff_sph **Expr:** rated * eff / 100 **Format:** integer **Description:** Sheets per hour while running. #### Running hours **Key:** run_hr **Expr:** sheets * passes / eff_sph **Format:** decimal #### Makeready and wash-up hours **Key:** setup_hr **Expr:** passes * (mr_min + wash_min) / 60 **Format:** decimal #### Total press hours **Key:** total_hr **Expr:** run_hr + setup_hr **Format:** hours **Primary:** true #### Press cost **Key:** cost **Expr:** total_hr * rate **Format:** currency **Primary:** true #### Cost per 1000 sheets **Key:** cost_1000 **Expr:** cost / sheets * 1000 **Format:** currency #### Overall sheets per hour **Key:** overall_sph **Expr:** sheets * passes / total_hr **Format:** integer **Description:** Includes setup. This is the number to schedule with. **Chart:** #### Cost per 1000 sheets vs run length **Type:** line **X:** sheets **From:** 1000 **To:** 40000 **Steps:** 40 **Series:** - cost_1000 **Disclaimer:** Planning estimate. Use measured speeds and setup times for your presses and job types. ## Content **Intro:** A press is rated at a headline speed but rarely runs at it. This calculator uses effective speed plus makeready and wash-up to give honest job hours and cost, and shows how run length changes cost per thousand. **Sections:** #### How to use it **Body:** Enter the sheets per pass, number of passes, rated speed and running efficiency. Add makeready and wash-up per pass and your hourly rate. The calculator returns running hours, setup hours, total hours, press cost, cost per thousand and overall sheets per hour. Use the overall figure when scheduling, because it includes the time the press is not printing. #### The method **Body:** Effective speed is rated speed times running efficiency. Running hours equal sheets times passes divided by effective speed. Setup hours equal passes times makeready plus wash-up minutes divided by 60. Total hours are the sum, and cost is hours times the hourly rate. Cost per thousand falls as quantity grows because the fixed setup time is spread across more sheets. **Bullets:** - Effective speed = rated x efficiency - Run hours = sheets x passes / effective speed - Setup hours = passes x (makeready + wash-up) / 60 - Cost per 1000 = cost / sheets x 1000 #### Common mistakes **Body:** Using the rated speed instead of actual produces schedules that slip every day. Forgetting that a separate back pass doubles setup is another. Hourly rates should be built from actual press cost, labour crew and overhead absorption; if you copy a competitor rate you may underprice. Review actual run speeds from press counters or MES, not from operator memory. **Bullets:** - Use measured efficiency by job type - Count each pass as a separate setup - Include wash-ups for colour changes - Rebuild the hourly rate yearly **Cta:** If press counters and downtime are already in your MES or ERP, we can help turn them into estimating rates automatically. **Faq:** #### What is a realistic running efficiency? **Answer:** It depends on job mix, paper and crew. Many plants see well below rated speed on short or difficult jobs. Use press counter data to find your real average rather than guessing. #### How do I build an hourly rate? **Answer:** Add depreciation or lease, labour for the crew, maintenance, utilities, space and overhead, then divide by productive hours rather than calendar hours. That gives a rate that covers idle time too. #### Does the result include paper cost? **Answer:** No. It covers press time only. Add paper, ink, plates, finishing and delivery separately. The makeready and spoilage calculator estimates the stock side. #### Why is overall speed so much lower than rated? **Answer:** Setup is fixed per job and the press runs below rated speed on average. Short jobs especially are dominated by makeready, so overall sheets per hour can be a fraction of the headline number. ## Search terms offset press time calculator, press hourly rate costing, sheets per hour effective speed, print job time estimate, press makeready time, printing cost per 1000 sheets, press scheduling calculator, print estimating hourly rate --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json