Anilox calculator
Convert anilox screen and volume between the units in daily use, and see what the volume means as a theoretical ink film.
Anilox specifications arrive in whichever units the supplier, the press and the ink technician happen to prefer. Screen count comes as LPI or LPCM, volume as BCM or cm³/m², and the two systems are rarely on the same sheet of paper.
This converts between them and shows what the volume means as a theoretical wet ink film. That last figure is useful for reasoning, not for predicting density.
Calculator
How to use it
- Enter Screen entered as
- Enter Screen count in lines
- Enter Volume entered as
- Enter Cell volume
- Enter Assumed transfer in %. Only part of the cell volume reaches the substrate. 100% shows the theoretical maximum.
Formula
Worked example
A 360 LPI anilox at 4.0 BCM:
- Screen = 360 LPI =
141.7 LPCM - Volume = 4.0 x 1.55 =
6.2 cm³/m² - Theoretical wet film at full transfer =
6.2 µm
Assumptions
- The BCM to cm³/m² conversion of 1.55 comes from the units themselves: one billion cubic microns per square inch spread over a square metre.
- Transfer is entered by you. At 100% the figure is a theoretical maximum that no real press achieves.
Limitations
Every calculator on this site gives a planning figure, not a production guarantee. Check the result against your own records before committing material or money to it.
- Anilox volume does not determine print density. Ink solids, pigment strength, substrate absorbency, doctor blade condition, press speed, plate screening and drying all sit between the cell and the printed result.
- Cell geometry, engraving angle and wear change effective volume. A worn roll delivers less than its specification and no conversion can tell you how much.
- Choosing a screen and volume for a job is an engineering decision involving the plate screening and the ink. This calculator converts units; it does not specify rolls.
Common mistakes
- Treating the theoretical wet film as the actual ink film. Real transfer is a fraction of the cell volume.
- Comparing volumes between rolls of very different screen counts as if volume alone described them.
- Assuming a specified volume is the current volume. Rolls wear, and only a measurement tells you where one actually is.
Frequently asked questions
What is BCM in flexo printing?
BCM is billion cubic microns per square inch, the common way of describing how much ink an anilox cell structure can hold. One BCM equals 1.55 cm³/m².
How do I convert LPI to LPCM?
Divide LPI by 2.54, since there are 2.54 centimetres in an inch. 360 LPI is about 141.7 LPCM.
Does higher anilox volume mean darker print?
Not reliably. Volume sets an upper limit on how much ink can be carried, but density depends on ink strength, transfer efficiency, substrate and press conditions.
How much of the cell volume actually transfers?
Only part of it, and the proportion varies with the ink, the plate, the substrate and the condition of the roll and blade. This tool lets you enter your own assumption rather than inventing one.