Vixvvo Tools - 3D Printing Business Management

Overview

The Printers page allows you to create and manage your personal printer library with custom cost settings. You can also access pre-configured global printer presets for common 3D printers, which you can import and customize for your own use.

Understanding the difference between custom printers and global presets will help you build an accurate printer library for cost calculations.

Adding Custom Printers

Your Custom Printers

Custom printers are personal printer profiles that only you can see and use. These allow you to configure exact cost settings based on your specific printer purchase price and expected lifespan.

How to Add a Custom Printer

Navigate to the Printers page from the dashboard sidebar
Look for the "Your Custom Printers" section at the top
Click the "Add Printer" button (blue button with plus icon)
Fill in the required printer information in the modal
Click "Add Printer" to save

Required Information

When adding a custom printer, you need to provide the following information:

Printer Name *

The name of your printer model.

Example: Prusa i3 MK3S+, Creality Ender 3 V2, Bambu Lab X1 Carbon

Brand *

The manufacturer of your 3D printer.

Example: Prusa, Creality, Bambu Lab, Anycubic, Elegoo

Price *

The purchase price of your printer in your selected currency. This is used to calculate depreciation costs.

Example: 999.00, 250.00, 1499.99

Lifespan (hours) *

The estimated total print hours before the printer needs replacement. This is a critical value that directly affects the cost per hour calculation.

Example: 6000 hours (typical for consumer printers), 10000 hours (high-end), 3000 hours (budget models)

Cost per Hour (Auto-calculated)

This field is automatically calculated based on your price and lifespan inputs. You cannot edit this field directly.

Formula: Cost per Hour = Price ÷ Lifespan

Tip: All prices are stored in USD internally but displayed in your preferred currency. When you change your currency preference, all printer prices automatically convert to show in the new currency.

Global Printer Presets

What are Global Presets?

Global presets are pre-configured printer profiles for common 3D printers. These are created by administrators and available to all users. They include standard pricing and lifespan estimates based on manufacturer specifications and industry averages.

Global presets are displayed in the "Global Presets" section below your custom printers on the Printers page.

Importing Global Presets

You can import any global preset to your personal printer library, which creates a copy that you can customize with your own cost settings.

How to Import a Global Preset

Scroll to the "Global Presets" section on the Printers page
Find the printer you want to import
Click the green "Import" button on the right side of the printer row
The printer is immediately added to your custom printers with the same settings
You can now edit it to adjust the price, lifespan, or other details

Note: Importing a global preset creates an independent copy in your library. Changes you make to your copy will not affect the global preset, and updates to the global preset will not affect your imported copy.

Editing and Deleting Printers

Editing Your Custom Printers

You can edit any printer in your custom library to update its specifications or cost settings.

How to Edit a Printer

Find the printer in your "Your Custom Printers" table
Click the blue edit icon (pencil) in the Actions column
The Edit Printer modal opens with current values pre-filled
Update any fields you want to change
Click "Save Changes" to apply your updates

Deleting Printers

You can permanently delete any printer from your custom library.

How to Delete a Printer

Find the printer in your "Your Custom Printers" table
Click the red delete icon (trash can) in the Actions column
A confirmation modal appears to prevent accidental deletion
Click "Delete" to confirm and permanently remove the printer

Warning: Deleting a printer is permanent and cannot be undone. If you delete a printer that is being used in saved calculator presets, those presets will still reference the printer name but may not function correctly.

Admin Features (Global Printers)

Managing Global Presets

If you have administrator privileges, you can add, edit, and delete global printer presets that are available to all users.

Adding Global Printers

Admins see an additional "Add Global Printer" button in the Global Presets section (green button). This opens the same modal as adding a custom printer, but the printer is saved as a global preset.

Editing Global Printers

Admins can click the edit icon on global printers to update their specifications. Non-admin users cannot edit global presets and will see a permission denied message if they try.

Deleting Global Printers

Admins can delete global printers using the delete icon. This removes the preset for all users. Non-admin users cannot delete global presets.

Note: When adding a global printer, you'll see a blue notification in the modal indicating that the printer will be available to all users.

Best Practices

Tips for Managing Your Printer Library

Use Descriptive Names: Include the model number and any distinguishing features (e.g., "Prusa i3 MK3S+ (Upgraded Nozzle)") to easily identify printers if you have multiple.

Research Lifespan Values: The lifespan value significantly impacts cost calculations. Research typical lifespans for your printer model or use manufacturer specifications. Conservative estimates (lower hours) result in higher costs per hour.

Include Full Costs: When entering the price, consider including the total investment (printer + essential upgrades + initial setup) for more accurate depreciation calculations.

Start with Global Presets: If your printer is available as a global preset, import it and then adjust the price to match what you actually paid. This saves time and provides a good starting point for lifespan estimates.

Update Regularly: As you gain experience with your printers and understand their actual longevity, update the lifespan values to improve cost accuracy.

Don't Delete Printers with Active Presets:If you have calculator presets that use a specific printer, editing the printer is safe, but deleting it may cause issues with those saved presets.

Help Center

Adding Printers