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Connect Summa Cutter to more than one computers using USB cables

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LisaAktseli

New Member
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, it's my first post, so I'll try to give as much information as I can.

I have a Summa d160 and 4 computers that I want to connect them with it. It is already connected with one of them and this is the one that I am using everyday to cut and the software we are cutting through is Flexi. Flexi is installed to all the computers.
I know that Summa cutters cannot be connected on the network and I think that there must be a way to connect more than one computers using usb cables. So I bought usb cables and a usb hub, and connected one more computer for start, using the usb hub.
But that way, I can't cut from any of these two computers. Not even from the one that I am using everyday. When I try to cut and click on the question mark to sense the roll, a message appears saying: "Cutter is not responding to poll size." in both computers.

Some details that might help are:
- There is a usb hub plugged to the cutter, where 2 usb cables are on it. One of them goes to one computer (the one I am using everyday to cut) and the other goes to the other.
- I have installed "Summa Cutter Control" and "Summa Cutter Tools" on both computers (if that matters) and of course Summa Cutter Control says, no machine connected.
- The computers are both PCs.
- The Production Manager can see the cutter in both computers (isn't that weird?)
- I have set the port in each computer to USB 2.

Anyone have an idea? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
You should have production manager on the (one) computer hooked to the plotter- the other copy of Flexi sends the job to the PM that is hooked to the plotter. Flexi will search your LAN for the other PM.
 
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LisaAktseli

New Member
Thank you both for your replies.

Gene@mpls said:
You should have production manager on the (one) computer hooked to the plotter- the other copy of Flexi sends the job to the PM that is hooked to the plotter. Flexi will search your LAN for the other PM.
Click to expand...

So what you mean is, have them all connected with usb cables and have the PM in only one computer.
But how do I do this? I mean, the Project Manager goes with the copy. Is there a way to disable it from the others and have it only on the plotter's computer? And if so, will I be able to cut? Sorry, I don't know if I understood exactly what you mean.

About the Print Server, I am not sure but I've heard that it's not the best solution, as it suddenly stops working. Anyone used it before? I would really like to hear some opinions about it.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
LAN is Local Area Networking- with the cabling (CAT5) you use to get the internet to the computers. Are your computers
on a network? You can delete the PM on any computer you don't want it on. Or not loading it is an option when loading Flexi.
 
G

greysquirrel

New Member
If all four pc's are on the same network...it may be possible to share the cutter (treat it like a printer) from one computer to the other three..
 
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LisaAktseli

New Member
Gene@mpls said:
LAN is Local Area Networking- with the cabling (CAT5) you use to get the internet to the computers. Are your computers
on a network? You can delete the PM on any computer you don't want it on. Or not loading it is an option when loading Flexi.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Summa D160 is not a network plotter. That's why I am asking if I can do it with usb cables. On the first post I wrote:
"I know that Summa cutters cannot be connected on the network and I think that there must be a way to connect more than one computers using usb cables."

Yes my computers are all connected on the network but the plotter cannot be connected on the network!

Any thoughts about the usb connection?

Thanks in advance!
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
Lisa- it doesn't have anything to do with the plotter- it has to do with the way Flexi is connected. One station has a usb connection to the plotter and that station has Production Manager on it. All the other copies of Flexi send cut files to that
PM. Flexi searches your LAN for the one copy of PM and will ask if you want to connect to it. I think you have to enable some
check box on the other Flexi programs so the cut file will be sent and cut automatically. I have two Summas set up on one
station and can cut from any other Flexi program on any computer in the building.
 
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LisaAktseli

New Member
Sorry I was late to reply, I was on holidays.

Gene@mpls thank you very much! That solved the problem!

Happy New Year to all!
 
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