So much of the designing process takes place in the digital realm. But when it comes time to realize your ideas, it’s necessary to consider and calculate how much media and money you need to invest in finishing the process. Whether you’re creating blueprints, engineering schematics, marketing materials, or other projects, you need to know how much media to have on hand. Running out of media at a critical juncture can lead to cost overruns, lost time, and halted production on other projects. And overcalculating how much you need can lead to lost money on unnecessary supplies.
Learning how to calculate plotter linear feet to square feet gives you the knowledge necessary to succeed. Get ready to walk through the process and learn how to keep your calculations precise and your profit margins higher.
Beginning With the Basics
What exactly is a linear foot versus a square foot? For linear feet, the definition boils down to this: A linear foot is a one-dimensional measure accounting for the length of the material you have at your disposal. When accounting for rolls of media, a 10-foot-long roll of photo paper is 10 linear feet of that type of material. Square feet, on the other hand, account for two-dimensional area. A square foot is best envisioned then as a full square measuring one foot on each side. You calculate square footage by multiplying the length by the width. An area of 4 square feet is 2 feet in length and 2 feet in width.
Why Convert Linear Feet to Square Feet?
So much for our trip back to grade school mathematics class! Now, how does this apply to plotter paper? Why do we convert linear feet to square feet for our printer? Well, it’s because plotter printers use rolls of paper and other media. While professionals measure the media in linear feet if fully rolled out, what matters during the printing process is their area. You need to know how much of the material’s surface your document or image will cover. Converting linear feet into square feet will help you determine the number of prints you can produce during a job, which aids in cost calculations and helps you budget.
The Right Formula
Let’s go back to school again and retrieve the proper mathematical formula for calculating linear feet to square feet. To get started, you must know the width of the material. Once you know it, here’s the basic formula for our calculations:
Square feet = linear feet x width (in feet)
Naturally, you can use this formula with the assumption that the width of the material is consistent throughout its length. That’s a safe bet since most rolls of media maintain the same width; otherwise, it would lead to complications for most printers.
Next Steps in the Conversion Process
Here’s an example of the process with a hypothetical roll of plotter paper.
Step 1: Measure the Width
First, measure the width of your plotter paper. Be sure to convert this measurement to feet. Width in feet is equal to the plotter paper’s width in inches divided by 12 inches. For instance, if your paper width is 24 inches, divide 24 by 12 to get 2 feet.
Step 2: Determine the Linear Feet
Next, determine the length of the material in linear feet. Suppose you have a roll that is 50 feet long.
Step 3: Apply the Conversion Formula
Now, apply the formula:
Square feet = linear feet x width (in feet)
Thus, for our example:
50 linear feet x 2 feet = 100 square feet
Step 4: Verification
Verify your calculations as part of your best practices. Recheck your measurements and ensure all conversions (for example, inches to feet) are accurate.
Now What?
All well and good, but now what? Well, here’s why you need to do these calculations. Understanding the conversion process ensures several positive outcomes.
Accurate Estimates
As mentioned, you need to perform these calculations to ensure you have enough, but not too much, material on hand. When you know the square footage of your media, you’ll know to select as much media as is necessary—no more and no less.
Cost Calculations
It’s all about the Benjamins, as they say, and with many printing jobs, the number of Benjamins involved can be prohibitively large and expensive. Plotter paper cost often relies on the area of the roll. When you convert linear to square feet, you’ll know the exact cost per square foot. This information grants you greater accuracy in projecting and keeping to your budget. Greater cost management carries over to every job then, ensuring you maintain a healthy income and smaller outgo.
Inventory Management
How many square feet of media do you have in stock right now? With proper calculations, you can ensure you have sufficient stock without sacrificing storage space. And there’ll be no surprises at coming up short down the line.
Histakes Mappen!
Like any kind of calculation, there’s always the opportunity for mistakes. Fortunately, math is an exact science, quite literally. Keep these in mind, and you’re less likely to find your calculations have gone amiss.
Incorrect Width Measurement
As the old carpentry saying goes, measure twice, cut once—and so it goes for printing. Ensure you’re measuring the width accurately and in feet. Mess it up here, and you’ll miss the right calculations later.
Ignoring Unit Conversions
Keep all measurements within the same unit system. If the width is in inches, convert it to feet first.
Forgetting Paper Thickness
Paper thickness doesn’t apply to every job, but it might apply to yours if layering and stacking are necessary. This may not affect your calculations, but it could interfere with later product planning, positioning, and the like.
Naturally, there are always programs and software that can aid in automating this process. While it’s good to trust old-fashioned paper and pen calculation, an online calculator might be better at ensuring reliable measurements and saving time when it comes to larger numbers.
Those are the basic steps on how to calculate plotter linear feet to square feet, as well as a few other notions to keep in mind while performing those calculations. If you have further questions about how to make the most of media for your job, contact us today!
