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KipwareQTE®

 

 

 

This Chapter will deal with some information specific to KipwareQTE® - Machine Shop Cost Estimating & Quoting software.

 

For complete video training for KipwareCYC® ... please visit our Video Training Catalog through the link below :

https://www.kentechinc.com/Kipware_Video_Training_Catalog/index.htm

 

This chapter will deal with some general operation notes and offer some hints for operating KipwareQTE®.

 

Database Notes :

The capacity of all KipwareQTE® databases is unlimited ... ann number of items can be included in each database file.

Databases are loaded when the software is started.

It is recommended that if you intend to add or alter a database, you perform the required operation and then re-start KipwareQTE® prior to using the new information in an estimate. This will ensure that all data is populated and up to date as you create an estimate.

PERISHABLE TOOLING DATABASE : When cost estimating, do you account for the perishable tooling ... drills and inserts ... that will be used in the production run? Most users do not ... and are missing a huge cost and reason why jobs are won but actually lose money. The TOOLING database in KipwareQTE® along with the estimated tool life entry in the Tool Cost portion of the cost estimating process ... allows user to quickly, easily and accurately ensure that perishable tooling costs are included in the cost estimate.

NON-MACHINING DATABASE : This feature is a powerful and important tool in KipwareQTE®. Many users do not even include minor ... but costly ... operations in their cost estimates. For example ... deburring or packing. The Non-Machining database in KipwareQTE® allows users to quickly and easily add these minor costs to an estimate pricing them through either a cost per part, fixed cost or hourly rate. On example might be to cost the deburring operations at a lower cost than actual machining operations. During the cost estimating process users can quickly and easily add say the 1.5 hours of deburring costs to the estimate by selecting the entry from the non-machining database drop-down ... and assigning 1.5 hours. The pre-defined hourly rate will be applied and the calculated costs will be added to the cost estimate as a non-machining cost.

Interfacing with KipwareQTE® : to interact and interface directly with KipwareQTE®, machine names entered into the KipwareCYC® MACHINE DATABASE and the KipwareQTE® WORKCENTER DATABASE MUST BE identical. When a cycletime is created in KipwareCYC® and then imported into KipwareQTE® ... the labor costs are calculated by comparing workcenters used in the cycletime estimate with workcenter hourly rates and efficiency factors contained in the KipwareQTE® workcenter database. If the machine names don't match completely ... those comparisons and calculations will not take place.

 

General Software Operations :

The best method to move from field to field is by using the TAB key. Enter the information in the field and then press the TAB key which will act like the ENTER key and will move the cursor to the next field.

When creating a cost estimate ... we recommend that user follow the option in the Cost Estimating toolbar form left to right. This ensures that all areas of the estimate are included and priced accordingly into the estimate.

Loading a Cycletime Estimate from KipwareCYC® ... When a previously created cycletime estimate created in KipwareCYC® is loaded ... KipwareQTE® will compare machine names included in the cycletime estimate with machine names in the KipwareQTE® WORKCENTER COST database. If a match is made ... labor costs based on the machine hourly rate and efficiency factor pulled form the Workcenter Cost Database will be applied to each matching operation in the cyletime estimate and a labor cost for each operation and a total labor cost will be calculated. For this reason ... it is important that machine names in the KipwareCYC® Machine Database and the KipwareQTE® Workcenter Database match EXACTLY.

MARK-UP Percentages : The mark-up calculation in KipwareQTE® can be used in various ways. Some user prefer to include actual costs when estimating ... then utilize the mark-up percentage to calculate their profit margins. Others use a marked-up cost and utilize the mark-up percentage to add extra margins to the estimate. One of the more powerful advatages of the KipwareQTE® mark-up percentage is that a different mark-up can be set for each of the main areas of the quote from material to tooling to labor to non-machining costs.

Use the CALCULATE COST button at any time during the estimating to view on-screen totals for each area of the quote. This allows the user to view higher cost areas ... and to possibly perform "what-if" scenarios to possibly alter those high priced areas more into alignment.

Adding Your Company Logo and Info to Pre-Defined Forms ... Uers can ensure their company logo and contact information is available on each pre-defined form in KipwareQTE® by performing the following.

Replace the logo.bmp file in the KipwareQTE® folder with their own company image or logo. To display best ... the image should be 240 x 120 pixels ... amke sure to save the image in the KipwareQTE® folder with the name logo.bmp replacing the default shipped file.

Update the information in the OWNERS CONTACT INFORMATION form by selecting that option in the SETTINGS toolbar located on the left side of the KipwareQTE® main screen.

Updating the Notes on the Pre-Defined Quotation Form ... the notes that appear at the bottom of the pre-defined Quotation form can be user updated in the QUOTATION SETTINGS form by selecting that option in the SETTINGS toolbar located on the left side of the KipwareQTE® main screen. There are also user defined options for the PAYMENT TERMS and SHIPPING OPTIONS that display in the QUOTATION SPECIFICS form when preparing the quotation form.

NETWORK USERS ... although not supported for use over a network, KipwareCYC® provides a SETTING which allows users to store the KipwareCYC® database files in a central location and then use this setting to point KipwareCYC® to look in the designated location and use the database files located there. This allows multiple users to all utilize the same database files for consistence and accuracy. To accomplish this ... copy all database file ( files with the extension .DAT ) and place them in the selected central location on the network. Then each user should open the SETTINGS page in KipwareCYC® and point the DEFAULT DATABASE PATH to this central location. Re-starting KipwareCYC® will make that setting and the contents of the centrally located databases to become active.

 

 

 

 

 

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