Quick Tip: How Much is Left on a Roll?

There is a relatively simple calculation you can use to determine how much is left on a roll of inkjet printable media, based on the diameter of the roll. Here’s how to determine the amount of material left on a roll, give or take an inch or two:

Roll length in feet = (0.06545/media thickness in inches) x (outer diameter squared – inner diameter squared)

All measurements are in inches, by the way.

For example, the outer diameter of the roll (core included) is 4 inches, the inner roll diameter is 3 inches, and the material thickness is .013 inches. There are 1,000 mils per inch, so the material in this example is 13 mils, or .013 inches thick. A 7-mil material would be .007 inches thick (7/1000):

(.06545/.013) x (42 – 32)

5.03 x (16-9)

5.03 x 7 = 35.24

Roll length remaining = 35.24 ft.