Materials & Material Usage

Overview

Materials (also called consumables) track items used with resources or sold separately. Examples include 3D printer filament, chemicals, substrates, or supplies. Materials generate charges based on rates and project configuration.

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Materials

Viewing Materials

Navigate to Resources → Materials.

Table Columns:

Column	Description	Example
NAME	Material name	qui sequi consequatur
UPC	Universal Product Code	9789437263868

Actions: ... | 👁 View | ✏ Edit | 🗑 Delete

Pagination: Navigate with « ‹ 1 › » (showing 1-5 of 5)

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Creating Materials

Click Create Material.

Required Fields:

Name (Required)

• Material name
• Examples: "PLA Filament - White", "Acrylic Sheet 3mm", "Etching Solution"

Optional Fields

UPC

• Universal Product Code for inventory tracking
• Barcode number

Description

• Rich text material details
• Specifications, safety info, supplier info
• Write/Preview tabs

Settings

• Click Add row for custom settings
• Material-specific parameters

Save Options

• Create Material - Save and return
• Create & Add Another - Save and create another
• Cancel - Discard

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Material Usage

Material usage tracks consumption of materials by users for projects.

Viewing Material Usage

Navigate to Resources → Material Usage.

Table Columns:

Column	Description	Example
MATERIAL	Material used	sed eos quo
QTY	Quantity used	2.00
UNIT	Unit of measure	Each

Actions: ... | 👁 View | ✏ Edit | 🗑 Delete

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Creating Material Usage

Click Create Material Usage.

Required Fields:

Material (Required)

• Select material from dropdown
• Must exist in materials list

Qty (Required)

• Quantity consumed
• Numeric value

Unit (Required)

• Unit of measure dropdown
• Examples: Each, Gram, Milliliter, Sheet, Meter

User (Required)

• Select user who consumed material
• Dropdown: "Click to choose"

Project (Required)

• Select associated project
• Required for charge generation
• Dropdown: "Click to choose"

Optional Fields

Resource Usage Record

• Link to associated resource usage
• Connects material use to specific resource session
• Dropdown selection

Save Options

• Create Material Usage - Save and return
• Create & Add Another - Save and create another
• Cancel - Discard

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How Materials Work

Material Tracking

Standalone Use:

• Materials sold or distributed separately
• Track inventory consumption
• Generate charges without resource usage

With Resources:

• Materials used during resource operation
• Link to resource usage record
• Track combined costs

Example:

Resource: 3D Printer
Usage: 5 hours printing
Material: PLA Filament, 250g

Charges:
- 3D Printer: 5 hours × $50/hour = $250
- PLA Filament: 250g × $0.10/g = $25
Total: $275

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Billing Integration

Charge Generation

Materials generate charges similar to resources:

Requirements:

1. ✓ Material must have Rate
2. ✓ Rate must be in Rate Group
3. ✓ Rate Group assigned to Project
4. ✓ Material usage record exists

Charge Calculation:

Charge = Quantity × Material Rate

Example:
Material: Acrylic Sheet
Quantity: 3 sheets
Rate: $15.00 per Each
Charge: $45.00

Rate Configuration

Set rates for materials in Resources → Rates:

• Create rate with material name
• Assign to rate group (Academic, Industrial, etc.)
• Attach rate to material
• Different projects charged different rates

Example:

Material: Chemical Solution
Academic Rate: $5.00/mL
Industrial Rate: $15.00/mL

Academic Project Usage:
100mL × $5.00 = $500

Industrial Project Usage:
100mL × $15.00 = $1,500

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Common Use Cases

1. 3D Printing Filament

Material: PLA Filament - Black
Unit: Gram
Usage: 250g per print
Rate: $0.05/gram
Charge: $12.50

2. Chemical Consumables

Material: Etching Solution
Unit: Milliliter
Usage: 500mL per batch
Rate: $0.10/mL
Charge: $50.00

3. Sheet Materials

Material: Acrylic Sheet 3mm
Unit: Each
Usage: 2 sheets
Rate: $15.00/each
Charge: $30.00

4. Linked to Resource

Resource: Laser Cutter (2 hours)
Material: Acrylic Sheet (1 sheet)

Charges:
- Laser: 2 hours × $50/hour = $100
- Acrylic: 1 sheet × $15/each = $15
Total: $115

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Best Practices

Material Management

• Use clear, descriptive names
• Include specifications in description
• Track UPC codes for inventory
• Update quantities regularly

Usage Tracking

• Record usage promptly
• Link to resource usage when applicable
• Ensure correct units selected
• Assign to correct project for billing

Rate Configuration

• Set rates before recording usage
• Use consistent units across rates and usage
• Create rate groups for different customer types
• Review rates periodically

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