Is it my computer?

[bob pfohler]

I have a client that asked for 100 2"x2" engraved maple leafs from 1/4" maple ply.
I drew them up and got about 60 to a sheet. I ran the engraving and when it started to vector cut the laser would hesitate for about 60-70 sec. between cutting and display "processing file"
With simple shapes like name tags the laser flies so I'm wondering if I should download my laser software to one of our systems with more faster processor and more ram?

[Anthony Welch]

Bob,

Being that I up, and the first to respond to your question. I have had similar files where the Epilog "hiccoughs", but goes on and completes the file.

I am concerned at the moment, but the file completes as I had wanted it to. And I think no more of it. If it were to happen on everything I send to it then I would have said something, but so far it has not been a problem. This may not be much of solving what you have going on, so just ignore me.

Anthony

[Scott Shepherd]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that's a driver issue. What version of the driver are you using? I've seen it before, but it was on buggy beta releases. Every time I ever went to the production release of the driver, it cleared the issues up.

Shouldn't be an issue. I do a lot of things like that with 100's and 100's of things on one sheet.

Make sure you are using the latest version of the driver. Might not be the problem, but it's my best guess.

[bob pfohler]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that's a driver issue. What version of the driver are you using? I've seen it before, but it was on buggy beta releases. Every time I ever went to the production release of the driver, it cleared the issues up.

Shouldn't be an issue. I do a lot of things like that with 100's and 100's of things on one sheet.

Make sure you are using the latest version of the driver. Might not be the problem, but it's my best guess.

I looked on their site and I didn't see any download for the latest driver? Anyone know what the lastest version is and where I can get it?

[Linda Tetreault]

Bob,
I had similar problems, usually I copy the design & paste it on a new page, most of the time it works. I assume any glitches are operator problems, so that's where I start.:o

[Eric Seest]

Bob,
I am currently using UCP5.24.38, as far as I know that is the latest driver for my PLS6.60 (not sure if this will work with your PRS, not sure what the difference is). If you want PM me and I can send it to you.
Sometimes I have the same problems but it seems to be where I have not cleaned up the design very good and there are overlapping lines that cause it to pause. But then I know my computer is not fast enough either but I am not ready to upgrade and trying to stay away from Vista.

[Mike Null]

It could be a ram issue. How much memory are you running?

[bob pfohler]

It could be a ram issue. How much memory are you running?

2g, I was thinking about plugging in another system I have with 3g?

[Mike Null]

2g should be more than enough.

I would have another look at the file and then maybe the drivers.

If you have a lot of windows open shut some down.

There are certain files which are very slow to load on my machine but once loaded they run with no problem. These tend to be high res drawings or jobs I run at 1000dpi.

[Scott Shepherd]

I'll PM you a place to get it. It's uploading now, give me a minute.

[Scott Shepherd]

PM sent, please be careful, updating drivers (or anything) on the weekend when there is no support and you have a pile of work is always a high risk process.

Hopefully it'll help. If not, report back and maybe Mike Mc. Can help out.

Good luck-
Steve

[Mike Mackenzie]

Bob,

You can download it here http://cemlasers.com/pg--17--Drivers.aspx

[bob pfohler]

Thanks to all who offered help. It was indeed the driver. I installed the latest version and flew through the program!!

[Scott Shepherd]

Great to hear Bob! Glad it worked out. There are also some new goodies in that driver, I think (depending on which one you came from).

[Dan Hintz]

Steve,

I noticed a few extra checkboxes... any chance you have the latest manual that describes them?

[Scott Shepherd]

Steve,

I noticed a few extra checkboxes... any chance you have the latest manual that describes them?

Now that IS funny! Manuals....on updated drivers......too funny.

It's actually one thing I have complained to ULS about. Thanks for putting some more items in my driver, any chance you might put something in there that explains what they do? Doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to me.

[Scott Erwin]

Now that IS funny! Manuals....on updated drivers......too funny.

It's actually one thing I have complained to ULS about. Thanks for putting some more items in my driver, any chance you might put something in there that explains what they do? Doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to me.

Sounds very familure with a lot of things....

Hello right hand...this is the left hand....Left hand this is the right hand.
Maybe you two could talk to each other so the rest of the body knows what is going on?....Didn't think so either...

I have to guess what my hands are doing sometimes too.
Sometimes I get slapped because of my hands but that is a different issue..hehehe (not really, or maybe it is.)

[Mike Mackenzie]

Scott, Scott, & Dan,

The newest manuals are available They are shipping with the new equipment as a CD. Contact the service department and request the new manual if you do not have one.

PS- They are too large to e-mail or download

[Dan Hintz]

Mike,

One of my major sticking points with ULS (other than corporate's hit or miss tech support) has been a lack of consistent driver support. I only found out about the latest driver update when my machine wasn't homing to (0, 0) on bootup.

As I understand it, Epilog posts their drivers on the website... any reason why ULS doesn't do the same? I understand you run into the issue of drivers having bugs, but I would love to see an FTP forum on the ULS site (limit it by password to ULS owners only, if necessary) for driver/manual downloads. At the very least allow people to sign up for an email list that would notify us when a new driver is available, including a list of what bugs it fixed, what new features it offered, etc.

I'm still waiting on the driver that supports one-click photo processing (the one that was supposedly going to be available by ARA last month), but I'm told it hasn't been released yet... on top of that, I'm also told ULS is considering charging extra for the upgrade.

Sometimes I just don't understand the business model ULS is running with. Businesses being equal, I would still choose my ULS over an Epilog machine, but the businesses aren't equal... Epilog just appears to be more customer responsive.

[Scott Shepherd]

I'm saying this from an owner, not because I have any great inside knowledge of this, but ULS has been in one heck of a mess with drivers over the last year or so. Not because they are releasing bad drivers, but they had 3 platforms and all 3 had different back end for their drivers. So updating an issue had to be dealt with 3 times, 3 different ways. Over the last several years, I guess, they have been rewriting the drivers to all use the same driver with a different front end. So any changes would only need to be done once, not 3 times. Very smart idea.

However, they have promised so many things over that time period that didn't happen, it's left most of us cynical about their release dates.

The One Touch photo processing was promised to be delivered over a year ago. They should have kept their mouths shut and not mentioned it until it was ready.

It's also my belief that in rolling out these new drivers, they ran into tons of problems with different computers. I think they have worked through most all of that now and it looks like they have a solid release now.

But, it has been handled very poorly, in my opinion. The big annoucement at ARA was one touch photo. So where is it? Still not here yet.

I agree with Dan, driver updates and manuals shouldn't be a rep deal, it should be a blast email, "get your latest driver today" note, with a link.

I love my machine, but ULS management has wet the bed on this driver issue over the last year or so. I also know that some high level people left the company as well. So obviously there are some internal issues happening and they are spilling out to the customers through this type of service. We really don't care, just get it together.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Dan, Scott,

FWI- This is a public forum however if you want the people at ULS to be heard by you there customers I suggest e-mailing them, calling them, Throwing bricks at them what ever it takes to get the answers you need.

We do this all the time (well not throwing things) but remember we are just sales people they kind of hear us and kind of don't.

IMHO they need to listen to the end users of there equipment!

[Scott Shepherd]

Mike, I've spoke my opinion to various higher ups. Problem is, it's some of those higher ups who are responsible for the mess the drivers ended up in. I have spoken to ULS factory people at shows. Someone with a corner office, and he's one of the people who told me dates that meant nothing.

Let me be really clear. I have not had any issues with any of the production drivers. If you are on a production release driver, then it's my opinion you are in excellent shape. The problems all seem to arise on the beta releases, which, by nature, are buggy at best. Problem is when you are given a beta release as a production release.

I'm very very happy with my ULS. I've not had an ounce of problem with it. It just runs and runs and runs. It's a real work horse. I love the control panel and the way the jobs side of things work. I have ZERO complaints about the machine. I have complaints about the marketing and promises made by ULS, at the factory level. They would have been best served to put the word out early on to pull the talk about certain features, but they didn't. Every single show they went to, it was displayed and talked about. That's not a machine issue, that's a management issue.

[Dan Hintz]

Mike,

I have a favor to ask... would it be possible for you to put together an email list of higher ups I should send my comments and suggestions to? You would have a much better idea of whos ear to tickle than any customer like me ever would.

I'm an EE, but I work mostly in software (quite often in graphical user-interface design)... I have a growing list of suggestions that would make the control panel not only easier to use, but more powerful, as well. On the flip side, I also have a growing list of bugs that, while not critical or job-stoppers, show a poor implementation of some portion of the driver. For example, my latest find was the job view fails to show any part of an image that isn't set to black (255) when run in 3D mode. I can look in the machine to see where roughly my job stands on runtime, but I should still see the image being drawn on the screen... instead, I see 2% of an image scattered across the screen. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's 100% repeatable, and I have no clear channel to report the problem other than my sales rep.

Heck, give me the code and I'll add in some image processing routines that will partially remove the need for Photoshop. I'll do it for free in return for a clear-cut and responsive channel to tech support.

[Kevin Baker]

Mike Mackenzie -

I purchased my laser back in Nov and got a CD with my system. Is this the CD you're talking about? The CD has two manuals (for PLS & VLS) which are only 4.5megs each. Your reference to manuals too large to download or email has me thinking there are different manuals out there.

I also checked my version of the driver which is Database Verion 3.08.03 11 APR 2008.

Just wanted to check to ensure I'm up to date.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Mike Mackenzie]

Kevin,

The newest manual is over 80mb the database version is not the same as the driver version. One thing to keep in mind The desktop Versa systems (the one you have was not an issue with the manuals or drivers) It was specific to the VLS platforms and the PLS systems. All is OK now

Dan I will see what I can do offline.