Trotec VS Epilog (yes, another thread)

[Keith Winter]

Considering that JC is interactive with the laser, you are absolutely right. But could you have multiple instances of Job Control running on one computer?

I wouldn't know how to begin doing that. Considering how cheap pcs are today < $400 and the $ in mistakes it could cause if it made the laser stall, skip, or something I think the safer bet is to just use different pcs. Also if you use two different pcs if say an employee accidentally infects it with a virus that craps out the computer while trying to download spotify (true story ) you're not 100% down.

[Brian Leavitt]

See my post above, you could use $350 pcs to power the lasers and one pc to create all the files. So all you're talking about is a few hundred dollars per pc extra. In the grand scheme of things I wouldn't eliminate Trotec for this alone, it's not as bad as you think. Additionally perhaps ULS has something similar I don't know.

I wouldn't eliminate Trotec because of this, either, but I couldn't run more than one Trotec machine. In my situation here, I spend 80% of my day on the computer and I wouldn't have time to go between computers to get jobs running. I need to be able to set it up, hit print, and press start on the machine. Anything more than that takes time I don't have. I also never have exact repeat jobs since I do mostly personalized awards. Plus I'm the only laser operator. But that's just my personal situation. I didn't and wouldn't recommend against Trotec at all. Just for the way I run things it wouldn't make sense, and I prefer for my lasers to be able to process jobs themselves.

[Gary Hair]

Also if you use two different pcs if say an employee accidentally infects it with a virus that craps out the computer while trying to download spotify (true story ) you're not 100% down.

You mean "ex" employee, right?

[Scott Shepherd]

It's like I said earlier, it's what your workflow is. For our workflow, the individual computers at each laser works better for us. Now we can have 3 people working on different customer files if needed and no one has to get off the "design computer" or wait in line to get to it.

Everyone here can run Corel and for the most part, create their own files while other jobs are running. That works for us. Might not work for you, but it doesn't mean it's a bad system, it just means it might not be right for your workflow.

[Ivan Shuliak]

Yes, that's exactly my case. I can't imaging controlling 3 machines from 3 different computers for example. Even if all jobs are stored on the server and shared between them.
I normally send first jobs to the machines, start them and then send another 5-10 jobs while the first ones are running. They are saved on Epilogs and then I just select the next job on the machine's display. I don't touch the computer for another hour-two then.

[Keith Winter]

You mean "ex" employee, right?

Haha! If I fired everyone that did something stupid I wouldn't have any employees. Nor would anyone else. Getting someone to care about their work is hard these days...

[Kev Williams]

my gawd, I can't even wrap my head around the idea of a separate computer for each of the 14 machines I have in this house...

[Scott Shepherd]

my gawd, I can't even wrap my head around the idea of a separate computer for each of the 14 machines I have in this house...

Sure you can Kev!......

computers.jpg

[Keith Winter]

Photo above from Kevs place last week?

[Kev Williams]

Can't be my place, THAT place is neat & tidy...

[Jon Colley]

Most of our customers in Canada running multiple systems use one central PC and run the others headless via remote desktop software. If you have a Pro version of Windows, it's included and works well, but there are free alternatives such as VNC. One of our customers switched all of his systems (7) that were from a competitor to Trotecs and he is quite happy running like this.

[Ivan Shuliak]

Most of our customers in Canada running multiple systems use one central PC and run the others headless via remote desktop software. If you have a Pro version of Windows, it's included and works well, but there are free alternatives such as VNC. One of our customers switched all of his systems (7) that were from a competitor to Trotecs and he is quite happy running like this.

Hi Jon,
Nice to hear from you. Would you be able to send my file to Austria and ask why Speedy machines cut it in 12 minutes and Epilog Mini/Helix/Fusion cut in 8 minutes (even 6 minutes 45 seconds after nodes optimisation).
I'm sure it is something to do with drivers and how they process small curves. It is almost twice slower.
Or would you advise me to contact them directly?
So many customers would benefit from it.

[Keith Winter]

Ivan it's very likely a problem with your file as many others have said in this thread. Likely the ordering of your layers. If you want to post your file, if it's in Illustrator I can take a look, or if it's corel I bet one of the hundreds of corel users could take a quick peak.

Hi Jon,
Nice to hear from you. Would you be able to send my file to Austria and ask why Speedy machines cut it in 12 minutes and Epilog Mini/Helix/Fusion cut in 8 minutes (even 6 minutes 45 seconds after nodes optimisation).
I'm sure it is something to do with drivers and how they process small curves. It is almost twice slower.
Or would you advise me to contact them directly?
So many customers would benefit from it.

[Scott Shepherd]

I confirmed Ivan's findings with his files.

[Ivan Shuliak]

Ivan it's very likely a problem with your file as many others have said in this thread. Likely the ordering of your layers. If you want to post your file, if it's in Illustrator I can take a look, or if it's corel I bet one of the hundreds of corel users could take a quick peak.

Hi Keith, unfortunately it is not a file, but just a type of job. It has got lots of details and Trotec machines (drives) just can't handle them at the moment at the speed they could. Scott checked the file, and it took 12 minutes on his Speedy 300 machine whereas it takes about 6m 45s now on my Fusion M2.
PM me your email address and I'll happily send the file across to you as well.