Ez Cad 3!!! ???

[Tony South]

Anybody here have ezcad 3 yet?? I sold my machine and got a new one and it has ezcad 3. It is friggin awesome. very smooth and doesn't crash when you import large vector files. I previously had ez cad 2 2.14.10. worked pretty good but I guess its not a true 64 bit as ez cad 3 is truly 64 bit. let me know if any of you have it yet. i believe it was released like a year or so ago.

[Kev Williams]

Seems 2.14.10 may be the last for the V2 software? I say this only because I can't remember anyone who's stated they have a higher version... My 2 ebay machines came with 14.10, my 3-year old Triumph came with 5.3-! And 14.10 is SOOO much better, lots more hatch options, moving while redlighting, contour redlighting on/off on the main screen instead of 5 button clicks, etc etc... It would be neat to see what's changed from 2 to 3--

But alas, if 3 is a 64 bit program, I won't be able to use it... 2 of my fibers are run by 32bit machines- one XP and one win7- and my ebay2 machine is currently driven by 64bit win10 on an HP pavillion laptop, and I have never in my LIFE dealt with such a pathetically slow computer. My Triumph fiber came with a cheap Hasee laptop with a 32 bit win7 Ultimate, but is now driven by a 32bit win7 desktop. The Hasee will be replacing the HP any minute now, and the win10 HP is getting mothballed until Turbotax forces me to use it (which is the end of this tax year I believe). My only other 64bit machine is my 'main' computer, located out of range at the moment...

SO, what does 3 do better than 2?

[Julian Ashcroft]

Found this: http://www.bjjcz.cn/en/common/solution_detail.aspx?nodeid=237&contentid=178

[Tim Bateson]

Interesting... I'm still unsuccessful at getting 2.9 upgraded to 2.14. Someday I may see 3.. but not anytime soon. {green with jealousy}

[Tony South]

so I have a little youtube video and I explain the software a little bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Kc0ay3SKI&t=150s
The software is similar as its still ez cad but with some updated parts. so first of all. there are no more drop down tabs under the laser mark tab. you go into your parameters and switch through rotary, x table or xy table or whatever you are running. then its all on the main screen instead of a seperate drop down screen. there are 8 hatches. 2 new hatch patterns. capable of doing 3d and 3d models, but i have no use for that. the main part that I like is that it is not glitchy, its fast, doesn't freeze.

[Kev Williams]

I see from your monitor that EzCad STILL has NOT fixed the ONE issue that creates more scrapped parts than anything else I can think of:

F1=RED LIGHT
F2=FIRE THE LASER

Seriously, that's ridiculous-- WHY is the FIRE BUTTON IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE TEST BUTTON!!

The fire button should be MILES from the test button, even the F4 button would nearly eliminate misfires, F5 better, F12 best...
I've even pulled the F2 key off a couple of keyboards, but that's just an inconvenience, and since Gravostyle uses the F2 key for nearly ALL dimensional inputs and my Triumph fiber uses the same computer, I can't pull that F2 key. Even the icons onscreen are too close together, I've misfired using the mouse more than a few times...

One thing that's been frustratingly obvious in the 38 years I've used computer controlled machines is that those who design software to run lathes, mills, lasers, rotary engravers, embroidery machines, etc, have never actually operated a lathe, mill, laser, rotary engraver, embroidery machine, etc, at least on any regular basis, and seems they don't consult much with those that do.

Rant said, any idea the cost to buy 3 outright?

Tim-- curious about the issue with upgrading 9 to 14?

[Matt Schrum]

I found one download link that led to a "this file has been recently deleted" and found one vendor selling the software on the usual shady sites. I put in a request for pricing on it, we'll see what they come back with or if any other download links on company websites pop up soon.

Edit: Looks like they are more formally unveiling/advertising the software at a Hanover World of Metalworking trade show that wraps up this weekend.

[John Lifer]

Kev, have you not changed your settings so that it is a two step process to fire the laser? click F2 and then enter key? or step on pedal and hit enter key?
Yes, I lose a second or two, but I don't mistakenly burn anything.

[John Lifer]

Oh, In looking at the Chinese site for ezcad,it looks like EzCad3 uses a new and different control board. So no upgrade from version 2 without changing your board.

[Tony South]

From what they told me Yes you would need a different board and i beilive its around $500 usd for the software. They said jcz is picky about it cuz they dont want it to get pirated too quickly haha.

[Kev Williams]

So then, the board, for the moment anyway, will be unique to version 3, making one useless without the other, so I would think they'd sell them together-?

John-- never figured out the 'safe start' thing, and I'm not sure my old 2.5.2 can do that... and haven't found in the 2.14.10 manual any info on changing the start sequence--at least info I can understand. I HAVE figured out if I set the start-mark port to 1, signal to low and pulse to off that the laser will continuously start, forever... not exactly what I need!

A while back someone mentioned that ANOTHER key could be substituted for the F2 key, which would be ideal, but maybe it was to do with a 2-step like you're saying... Really, I don't think I'd like the 2-step, I already use the 'continuous mark mode', at times, which is where the machine red-lights when finished, and will start again directly, but to start takes 2 button or pedal pushes, not one. When doing 500 parts that take 1.2 seconds to engrave, starting twice gets old...

But the 2-step would come in handy while setting up. Right now my fix is to just turn off the power to ALL colors before setting up jobs..

[John Lifer]

Kev, Under F3 (param) and under the tab Other, check Start Mark Dialog.
That brings up a dialog box that you can click or press enter to start the laser firing.

I haven't tried the continuous mode, might be easer on some things.
I usually will just cut off the dialog when I have several hundred of the same thing going, especially when using multiple up jig.

[Kev Williams]

Interesting, I'll have to play with that-

Where the continuous mark comes in handy for me-- I have a customer who makes really weird shaped parts for HIS customer, some of them hard to hold fast and consistent in all directions... usually the issue is the X axis will hold consistent, but due to protrusions or whatever the Y axis can 'flop' in the clamp- The continuous mark mode auto redlights when the engraving is finished, that way I can put the part in the clamp, then nudge it a bit till if 'fits the light'... then go..