Updated 20 April 2023
If your laptop PC is equipped with a USB 3.1 chipset, you may experience issues with your Eva or [Space] Spider scanner:
- reduced FPS
- intermittent connectivity problems
- inability to start the scanning process in "Geometry and Texture" mode
- UART errors in Artec Studio Log:
The issues listed above are caused by the USB 3.1 chipset (and chipset driver) of the affected computer. Laptops tend to be most affected, while desktop computers generally experience fewer USB 3.1-related issues.
Note: this solution is only applicable if your computer is equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 port.
Solution1:
It is the most universal solution to restore FPS we have tested: Artec USB Kit (we recommend it both for Artec Eva and Artec Space Spider)
Solution 2:
Also we have tested Dock station with external power (perfectly works both with Artec Eva and Artec Spiders), HP and Dell Thunderbolt Dock stations were tested.
HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2 (universal for all notebooks)
Dell Dock station (universal for all notebooks))
Please begin by verifying which USB controller(s) your laptop is equipped with. This information can be consulted in the Windows Device Manager, Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
Laptops with multiple USB controllers
Pictured above is a laptop equipped with two separate USB controllers (USB 3.0 and USB 3.1). Additionally, there are two USB 3.0 root hubs.
If your PC has at least one USB 3.0 controller available, you need to find out which USB port this 3.0 controller is linked to. Connecting your scanner to this specific USB 3.0 port will resolve the issues and no further action will be necessary.
Laptops with USB 3.1 controllers
Pictured above is a laptop equipped with a USB 3.1 controller only. No USB 3.0 controller is available. The USB 3.0 root hubs (ports) do not count, since all USB traffic is still being routed through the main USB 3.1 host controller. In case your machine is equipped with a USB 3.1 controller only (or multiple USB 3.1 controllers), you can increase your Eva/Spider scanner's performance by using the Kanex adapter. Please proceed as follows:
- Verify that your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port available.
- Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C ports are not the same.
- A Thunderbolt 3 port can be identified by the "lightning" symbol:
- if you are unsure whether your laptop is equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 port, please consult your laptop manufacturer.
- Obtain the Kanex Thunderbolt 3 to eSATA and USB adapter, manufacturer part number: K170-1118-BK6I
- the Kanex adapter connects to your laptop via the Thunderbolt 3 interface. It has its own Intel USB controller and bypasses your laptop's built-in USB 3.1 controllers which are inhibiting the scanner's performance.
- using simple USB-C to USB 3.0 adapters will not work.
- Thunderbolt 3 to USB adapters similar to the Kanex adapter are available from other manufacturers. Some of them were reported as working by Artec users, but we have not had a chance to extensively test them ourselves.
- Connect the Kanex adapter to a Thunderbolt 3 port on your laptop (a message may pop up requesting you to approve the newly connected Thunderbolt device). Next, connect the USB cable from your scanner into the adapter's USB port.
- once connected, the Kanex adapter should appear as an additional USB controller in the Windows Device Manager
- on certain models of HP Laptops (e.g. HP ZBook G5), a BIOS setting needs to be altered in order for the Thunderbolt 3 adapter to work properly. In the BIOS Advanced settings, the Thunderbolt PCIe Hot plug Mode should be set to Native or Native + Low power.
- do not unplug the adapter from the laptop or the scanner from the adapter while the scanner is in operation. If you accidentally do so, a full system reboot might be necessary in order to continue using the scanner.
In case you experience any issues with your Artec 3D scanner or require technical assistance with your device or Artec Studio, in the first instance please contact your local Artec dealer/distributor directly. You can also contact the Artec Support Team by clicking on "Submit a request" button on the bottom right part of the screen or by emailing support@artec3d.com