INTP 3 years is a long time. The machine is not built yet. I'm just now finishing up designing and manufacturing the parts. It's somewhat complex with several servos, steppers, and even a small robotic arm to help unload finished parts. I'm starting the assembly soon. I have another custom machine that has a mechanical counter on it. I wanted to take this new machine to the next level with a digital counter on an LCD and keep track of the overall total parts made, not just what was done in a day. As far as the powering down, this machine will be in the garage and not used everyday. Some of guys brought up an issue i did not think about and that is power failure if the machine is powered up. dave-in-nj talked about a battery backup that would supply power long enough to save the count. Lots of things to think over. Thanks all the great ideas.