The Hardware Management system in 3DQ allows you to track and manage additional components used in your 3D printing projects, such as screws, magnets, LEDs, and other non-filament items.

To access the Hardware Management page:

1. Click on Hardware in the sidebar navigation

The Hardware Management page displays a list of all your hardware components with key information:

• Name
• Unit price
• Status (Active or Archived)

You can:

• Sort the list by clicking on column headers
• Filter by name using the search box
• Toggle between viewing all hardware items or only active items

To add a new hardware item:

1. Click the Add Hardware button
2. Fill in the following information:
   • Name: A descriptive name (e.g., "M3x10mm Socket Head Screw")
   • Unit Price: The cost per unit
   • Link: Optional URL to purchase the item
3. Click Save

To edit an existing hardware item:

1. Find the item in the list
2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
3. Update the hardware information
4. Click Save

Rather than deleting hardware items (which could break historical quotes), 3DQ uses an archiving system:

1. Find the hardware item in the list
2. Click the Archive/Unarchive button (archive icon)
3. Confirm your action

Archived hardware items:

• Will not appear in dropdown menus when creating new quotes
• Will still be available for viewing historical quotes
• Can be unarchived at any time
• Are visible when you toggle "Show All" in the hardware list

Deleting a hardware item should be done with caution, as it may affect historical quotes:

1. Find the item in the list
2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
3. Confirm the deletion

Note: You cannot delete a hardware item that is used in existing quotes. You must archive it instead.

When creating a quote, you can add hardware components in the Hardware step:

1. Select the hardware item from the dropdown
2. Enter the quantity used
3. The system will automatically calculate the total cost (quantity × unit price)
4. Add multiple hardware items as needed