Materials & EquipmentBeginner3 min read
Adding Printers to Your Fleet
How to add and configure printers — build volume, hourly rates, and maintenance tracking.
printerssetupfleethourly rate
Your printer library tells Printforge about your fleet — the machines, their capabilities, and their operating costs. This feeds directly into your cost calculations.
Adding a Printer
Go to Printers and click Add Printer. Enter:
- Name — e.g., "Bambu Lab X1C #1" or "Prusa MK4 - Workshop"
- Build volume — width, depth, and height in millimetres
- Purchase price — what you paid for the printer
- Expected lifetime hours — how many print hours before replacement (e.g., 5,000–10,000)
- Power consumption — watts (typically 100–350W for FDM, more for resin)
- Maintenance cost per month — nozzle replacements, build plate wear, etc.
Hourly Rate
Printforge calculates an hourly operating rate from these inputs: depreciation (purchase price ÷ lifetime hours) + electricity + maintenance. This rate is used in the cost calculator's "Machine" component. You can override the calculated rate if needed.
Printer Cards
The Printers page displays each printer as a card showing its name, build volume, hourly rate, and status. Click any card to edit its details.
Tips
- Add every printer, even identical ones — name them with numbers (e.g., "#1", "#2")
- Update lifetime hours periodically as you learn how long your printers actually last
- Use realistic power consumption — check your printer's specs or measure with a smart plug
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