Tracking Machine Usage

Why Track Usage?

The hourly machine cost CrafterBy calculates is based on your estimated annual hours. If you run the machine significantly more or less than that estimate, the actual cost per hour is different from what you are charging to products. Tracking real usage lets you keep your estimates accurate and your pricing honest.

Logging Machine Hours on Production Orders

Machine usage is recorded at the production order level. When you complete a production run:

1. Open the production order (see the Production Orders section for full details).
2. On the production order, each product line that includes machine time has a field to enter the actual hours or minutes the machine ran.
3. Enter the actual run time. This may differ from the estimated time on the product if the job ran over or under.
4. Save the production order.

The actual hours are recorded against the machine and contribute to the machine's usage history.

Viewing Machine Usage History

1. Go to Machines & Equipment and open the machine.
2. Click the Usage tab (or Usage Report, depending on your version).
3. You will see a log of production orders that used this machine, with dates, products, and hours recorded.
4. The summary shows total hours logged in the current year and a running total.

Adjusting the Annual Hours Estimate

After 3–6 months of tracking, compare your actual logged hours (annualised) against the annual hours figure you entered when setting up the machine.

If actual usage is significantly higher or lower:

1. Open the machine and click Edit.
2. Update the Annual Hours field to a more accurate figure.
3. Save. The machine cost per hour recalculates immediately, and all products using this machine will reflect the updated cost.

Example

You set up your CO2 laser with an estimate of 1,000 hours per year. After 6 months, your usage log shows 650 hours — on track for 1,300 hours per year. Your actual depreciation per hour is lower than you estimated (more hours spread the same cost). You update the annual hours to 1,200 (a conservative revision). The machine cost per hour drops from €0.24 to €0.20 for depreciation, and your product costs adjust accordingly.

Usage and Maintenance Intervals

Cumulative hours are also used by the maintenance scheduling system. If you have set a maintenance task to trigger every 500 hours, CrafterBy will flag it as due when logged usage reaches that threshold. See the maintenance articles in this section for details.