On my Ubuntu Linux box, I run my fiber while reading email, youtube videos and other software in the foreground and I see no appreciable speed difference…
However, I know I can increase the software priority level if it seems bogged down… Assumed the same with Windows…
The buffer on these are relative large, so I’d expect a lot of code would be already loaded into the controllers memory? That being said, I’d think that would mostly eliminate it from bogging down from the OS viewpoint, if all this was in the controller…?
A normal job goes through the standard buffering on the hardware, so if you’re running a non-rotary job, you’d never see a difference.
If you run a rotary job, the rotary commands aren’t processed through the standard streaming buffer, so the software has to send a slice, wait for that slice to complete, send the command to move the rotary, wait for THAT to complete, and repeat. Each wait will take extra time if the app isn’t in focus, and that’s where the extra time is taken.
Task scheduling is tricky business with often competing priorities based on work load type. We likely wouldn’t be even having this conversation if this were running an a real-time OS but that would lead to other trade-offs that could otherwise make the experience worse.
I believe disk I/O takes precedence over USB. Any programs that require disk read/writes and memory (like all those mentioned) will be serviced before any USB I/O. There’s a way to give USB a higher priority in Device Manager but that’s not normally a good idea. I’m afraid USB falls pretty low on priorty in the scheme of things. A better interface for printers (of any kind–paper, laser, 3D, etc.) will be Wifi.
It sounds like there’s not much buffering going on in your printer and you don’t mention if your USB ports are 2.0, 3.0, 3.1 or now 4.0. So, the best thing to do is restrict your use of the PC while running USB print jobs. Or, if your printer has a microsdxc port, run you G-code out to an XD card and print from that.
All my printers are Wifi now. I can be running a Laser job, 3D print and a paper print job all at the same time while checking Email, playing music, reading documentation or viewing the latest on multiple forums. And my mini-PC is about 4"x4"x2" and sits on the back of my display running Windows 11 Pro. Even my keyboard and mouse are wireless.
Relying upon wireless for anything is a horrible idea in a shop environment such as this one. Several high frequency generators play havoc with such things, not to mention the added aggravation it would add to security audits. ( bear in mind that 95% of successfully completing those has nothing to do with actual security but rather the prejudices that the auditor brings with them. )
However, you raise an interesting question. How to run the laser from a USB stick… It communicates over USB now, so I have to wonder if there is a way to replace the cable with a stick/card and run some manner of (essentially) a text file. (much the same as most other machines in the shop, albeit most are using some manner of RS232.)
Sorry, I forgot some people still work for living. I’m retired.
Will it read from a thumb drive now? Such as for firmware updates? If not, inserting a thumb drive into a printer port could damage the drive. Although I’ve never tried. I was talking about an XD slot on the printer. These are typical and used to update the firmware for the printer. I would check the printer’s documentation before changing any process now.
I’m poking around to find out if it can run from a thumb drive, but I’m not optimistic. I don’t see any option for Lightburn to save to some other type of file. Only the typical lbrn2. And even then, I’m unsure if the laser itself can. Would be nice, though. Would be VERY nice.
I was poking around in what little documentation was available for JCZ Lasers. If your interface looks anything like this (below), I think you’re SOL. They seem to be using technology from the 80s. Even their video setup looks like it was done on Windows XP machine. The USB port they show is a USB 2.0 Type-B that won’t accept a thumb drive. The large connection at center bottom looks like a parallel printer port. I haven’t seen those on a PC since about 2005. The four ports above that are serial ports. No better than USB 2.0. I’m affraid you’re stuck with outdated hardware.
We have nothing like that. The back panel is solely power, one connector each for galvo and rotary, and the USB port. It would be a simple enough affair to pop a hole for any other type connector, but I don’t know if there is even the base line capability for the machine to accommodate such a concept.
I still only see two serial and a parallel port. I guess that silver box at the top must be the usb port. I didn’t see anything like that. I must have been looking at old-er stuff.
That being said, I’d think that would mostly eliminate it from bogging down from the OS viewpoint, if all this was in the controller…?
