Do I really need a dedicated computer for each Universal Laser?

[Tim Warris]

Just bought our 3rd Universal laser and love the new UCP driver. Our oldest laser, an M-300 is still running on a parallel port and using the old driver, which is fine. On that same computer we have a VLS4.60 driven from the UCP interface. This allows us to operate two lasers from one computer. Now that we have added a PLS6.75 it seems that in order to operate it simultaneously with the other lasers, we'd have to purchase another computer, and licence another copy of Windows and Corel to operate it. This seems like a huge oversight in the development of the drivers. Are those shops with multiple machines adding a dedicated computer for each of them? Seems redundant and unnecessarily expensive...

Tim

[Scott Shepherd]

Yup, we have a computer for every laser we have. At one time we did have one computer running two machines and found it to be really bad. If one machine is being setup to run something, then you have to sit and wait to finish that before you can get on another job.

The beauty and power of it all is that the machines stay updated. They stay updated because the brain of the machine, essentially, is on the computer, not inside the laser. So you don't end up with legacy equipment that is stuck in Windows 98 land. Our Universal is 7 years old now, I think, and it's running the same software with the same functions as one sold yesterday.

I think it's just something you need to get used to. As you run them more, you'll see the power in each machine having it's own computer.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

[Gary Hair]

I have 4 computers to run 2 lasers and a UV printer. One is my design computer, it has Corel, Outlook, etc., to allow me to do all of the design, layout and communication with customers. The 2nd is solely to run the co2 - I have Corel and the laser driver, that's it! The 3rd is dedicated to the fiber, the 4th is dedicated to the UV printer. If any one computer dies on me I have the other three to use as backups, if I had one computer for all three machines I would be screwed if it died. Plus, as Steve said, you can multi-task better with everything separate. All are networked together the design computer is where all the customer files are stored - easier for backup purposes as well. I use two 28" monitors for the design and co2 computers with a keyboard/mouse switch to toggle between the two of them. The fiber and UV printer are completely stand-alone with their own keyboard/mouse/monitor.

[Mike Troncalli]

I don't know which version of Corel you have, but my off the shelf CD X5 let me put the same copy on 3 different machines... Also any PC you buy is pretty much going to come with stock windows so I don't see any issues there either...

As everyone above as said, go with both.. You'll save yourself a whole lot of aggravation down the road...

[Patrick Smithwick]

I have a dedicated computer to both of my lasers. The straw hat broke the camels back was when I bought the fiber laser and had to wait for my wife to finish with some lasering on the CO2, run a decal on the cutting plotter and print some sublimation prints before i could run something. To me it is a no brainer to buy a dedicated if you can afford it.

[Paul Phillips]

If you're concerned about cost of a new computer you can try a refurbished system from someone like Newegg.com or discountelectronics.com, you can buy a complete setup for under $200 that should be plenty to run corel and UCP, plug it into a simple network switch and use one as your main storage, if space is a concern you can set up a shared monitor, keyboard and mouse arrangement (KVM switch) and just toggle between systems.

[John Sanford]

Just curious if you're the Tim behind the Bronx Terminal?

[Tim Warris]

Just curious if you're the Tim behind the Bronx Terminal?

Yes, that's me.

Thanks for all the feedback. I suspected this was the case. Seems odd to me, with all the technology available, they couldn't make one computer operate multiple lasers....

[Bill George]

If you're concerned about cost of a new computer you can try a refurbished system from someone like Newegg.com or discountelectronics.com, you can buy a complete setup for under $200 that should be plenty to run corel and UCP, plug it into a simple network switch and use one as your main storage, if space is a concern you can set up a shared monitor, keyboard and mouse arrangement (KVM switch) and just toggle between systems.

I do what he does, I purchase like new 3 year old Lenovo laptops for never more than $300. The medical clinics must use on lease and turn in for new ones. They are top of the line $2000 computers new.

[Mike Troncalli]

Yes, that's me.

Thanks for all the feedback. I suspected this was the case. Seems odd to me, with all the technology available, they couldn't make one computer operate multiple lasers....

They do... You can easily get a performance packed desktop. (processor, memory, solid state drive, etc, etc.) But you still end up with one point of failure.. As a few others have posted with 2 computers you always have a backup and, do you really want to have a job screw up in the middle because the computer is trying to process two machines at once...

[Tim Bateson]

Why do so many users refuse to add a signature block????? It would help so much to diagnose problems and relate to issues if everyone knew what equipment was being discussed.

[Lee DeRaud]

Why do so many users refuse to add a signature block????? It would help so much to diagnose problems and relate to issues if everyone knew what equipment was being discussed.

I agree...somewhat. Then again, it's in the thread title.
(And no, I don't have machine info in my sig either. But I'm rather OCD about including that info when I ask a question.)

[Dave Sheldrake]

Why do so many users refuse to add a signature block?????

Because the machines won't fit Tim

[Uma Duffy]

you should have a dedicated circuit to your machine, but any 34 or 64 bit processor today can run a warehouse full or lasers. how are you going to back up your system is a much more important question.

[Kev Williams]

Personally, I don't see the problem with running several machines off one computer OR having several computers to run individual machines-- I suppose it's because I do both. But to the OP's original question, I'm not sure why he would need a dedicated computer for a third machine? Each driver should be separate, and even if not, each machine should be able to be driven individually via the different machine names-

If that's not possible, then boo to whoever's behind designing that nonsense.

But additional computers are no problem at all- Do what I did, I found a guy nearby who flips used computers. He'll build me any computer I want and deliver to me ready to go for $75 to $125. (So far, his $75 computers work fine for me).