To clarify, when it comes to UDP, I can only use UDP when sending/receiving commands to Lightburn. If I were to do TCP it would be for outbound and inbound messages outside of Lightburn.
The value with TCP over UDP would be various handshaking protocols and making sure all the data gets sent. UDP would just be a ton of data and speed over making sure its all sent.
Packet loss should be pretty much non-existent with my software since the buffer size is decent. Hypothetically, I could add TCP protocols and may do so in the future if it gives comfort to others, but probably not until after my proof of concept is complete with an actual robot.
Since my code is written in Python, you could have this run on some small device that doesn't run Lightburn, and have it send the data to/from a desktop computer running Lightburn. I may eventually take it a step further and run Lightburn on a Raspberry Pi with my code, then start a job from a different computer. There are lots of different possibilities.
@samuel I saw your post on LMA after I saw it here. I don't disagree with distances and USB; ethernet by default can go a long way before needing to be boosted; I get that UDP is easier in some respects, but is there any value in using TCP, or are these setups typically point to point where chance of lost packets is minimal?
One of these days I'll get back around to playing with SBCs and hardware again. I've wanted to set up a bench dedicated to this kind of stuff for quite a while.
@chargepositif For robots, I've used open source Raspberry Pi and Arduino but I haven't fully tested them with this. I did run some tests on Raspberry Pi and Arduino to see if the UDP messages were getting received on them. I've got so much stuff going on with Christmas between business and personal that its hard to get the robotics in.
I mentioned it more in-depth on Masters Academy, but I'll recap here in case others haven't seen it.
My software is going to be a bridge for other software and integrations when it comes to automation. There won't be any robotic code in my software. It'll be using UDP to communicate to/from using custom messages on custom IP addresses and ports. UDP is very common in manufacturing hardware, so it'll allow maximum integration and allow for data to travel longer distances than USB.
I may make a custom SCARA robot, jigs, hoppers, etc. for this when I have the time. Cause I'm rethink my entire manufacturing process to incorporate automation.
@samuel Python rocks! I've used it for years to do a ton of stuff, but not for automating laser engraving.
What are you using for the robotics? I know that CircuitPython runs on a number of SBCs/microcontrollers that could be used to do that, and probably synced via USB cable with the computer running LightBurn.
