Multitasking your Mach machines?

[ssutton]

My Mach machine is pretty much dedicated to run Mach. Windows XP pro, minimal installed programs, no internet access. I do have my cam software installed on it but my CAD is on another machine. Do any of you guys run your tables and at the same time work in other programs while Mach is operating? The guess the real question I am asking is how stable is Mach with other stuff going on taking up CPU resources and memory. My install of Mach has never crashed while running my table.

Scott

[Walky]

I always close my CAM/CAD software (and Winamp) when cutting stuff, and leave the computer alone until the work is finished. Actually, considering the fact that that's about the only software I have on my CNC computer, I'm more afraid latency-wise about auto-saves and auto-update attempts than from actual resource drain. Disabling the screensaver, energy saving features on Windows and the BIOS, and anything that might pup-up unexpectedly (like auto updates) is a must, too. Keeping the machine offline helps a lot. No antivirus, of course, which is another reason to have CAD-CAM on the same computer so you can keep the cnc computer *almost* isolated from any potential risks (there's always the need for ocasional resources that sometimes you can't get offline like reference images and stuff like that).

About a year ago I tried Mach in my software populated, antivirus running, "non-cnc, everyday's use" computer (online and other stuff) and it worked perfectly (I even had a couple of accidental screensavers popping up and the machine just kept going!). This computer "passed the test", got a clean install and became my CNC machine.

About a month ago I tried one of my machines with my newer non-cnc home machine, which is a lot faster and has more and faster RAM, and I lost a lot of pulses. I guess you never know which process might be messing with latencies, since a lot happens on the background without someone noticing (even more when online). I've noticed that some motherboards (and/or CPU's, can't be sure) might be more likely to latency problems (perhaps because of some built-in BIOS features).

[adprinter]

I have a dedicated computer to drive my router table. I consider it (the computer) to simply be the operating console of my router table. I have all screen savers, power savers, etc. switched OFF in XP, so there are no unexpected problems. The monitor itself has a screen saver, which blacks out the monitor after about 10 minutes of no mouse, or keyboard activity. Which is an annoyance sometimes, when I want to see the total cut time elapsed. There is no internet connection on that computer, and keeping the total number of programs installed on it to a minimum, makes it very FAST! It boots to the desktop in under 1 minute. I do have a couple of CAD/CAM programs installed on it, to be able to alter geometry to be cut. But I always exit from MACH before launching any other programs. After almost 3 years, it has kept things very stable in my case.

[stk2008]

Same my machine is JUST for Mach3.

It has no internet access though it is connected to a pc VIA network so I can transfer my jobs over faster than USB etc.

[ger21]

the real question I am asking is how stable is Mach with other stuff going on taking up CPU resources and memory. My install of Mach has never crashed while running my table.

Scott

There are far too many variables to give a good answer. The only way to know for sure is to try it.

Every different program you try to run can interact differently. Some apps like Quicktime are known to cause problems with Mach3

What might work fine on one PC might not work on another. A 3Ghz dual core PC will probably fair much better than a 1Ghz PC.

I've heard that when an external motion controller like a SmoothStepper is used, the success rate for multitasking goes up dramatically.

[ssutton]

What setting in XP should I set that would be different from default. I do have the default screen saver option on, I will kill it. What else should I turn on or off to totally optimize my machine and lesson the change of a crash or missing pulses?

[CarveOne]

Solitaire is an essential piece of CNC software. Please don't tell me that it will crash my cutting jobs Gerry.

CarveOne

[ger21]

Turn off all power saving features, and anything that updates automatically.

[Mountaincraft]

currently, I have other apps open in the back ground, even firefox when running Mach 3... Usually, the V Carve file I am cutting is open also so that I can make quick modifications if I need to.. Hopefully, I'll need to do that less and less over time...

But I never call any of it to the front while Mach is actually cutting...

But my 'plan' is to eventually get a second computer to 'play' on while the machine is running... this likely when the machine gets moved out to the shop...

I'd like to get an iPad for the internet stuff, and get that activity largely off of all my desktop computers...

But thus far, I've noticed no difference in performance between when the background stuff is running, and when it's not... Still, I want to dedicate the computer to the machine at some point...

[michaelthomas]

I have a 60$ 3.2Ghz single core with 3Gb of ram and xp. I have run 6 hour lithophane programs while drafting in Rhino and using Alphacam.

I have never noticed any trouble whatsoever.

I still try not to use it for anything else while running a pgm......but if my kids or wife are on our other computers and I need to get something done......I will.

If it ever screws up on me, I might be a little more strict........but so far, so good.

[Dan911]

Mach 3 Windows Optimization