Are there any plans to program Surface Mapping into gSender?
I want to use it when machining Circuit Boards.
I currently use Candle to do it but it would be great if I could use gSender to do it.
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It’s something we have in the backlog but isn’t high priority at the moment.
Thanks for the quick reply.
Guess I’ll just keep using Candle for circuit boards.
Can someone explain what surface mapping is for me? I’m not familiar with this term.
On printed circuit boards, the copper layer is about 0.05 mm thick and you etch with the tool about 0.1mm deep so any small irregularities in the height of the board can lead to a poor circuit board trace.
When you map, you use the Z probe to actually measure the difference in height, from 0 , across the board at say 16 spots on a board say 80mm x 80mm.
This map is then taken into account by the gcode as the board is etched and the Z depth of etch adjusted accordingly.
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I’d like this feature, except I would want to use fibreglass boards, rather than phenolic, and fibreglass destroys bits fast. My circuits are not simple ones. I did try using gSender to do the holes on a photo etched boards, but distances between points from the laser printer that did the transparencies was non-linear and could not be compensated for.
This video shows ‘surface mapping’, ‘auto leveling’ or whatever else it’s sometimes called to carve a logo onto a mouse.
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thank you again. We can do this with our Longmill?
Do you know if Vectric carve has this feature?
Vectric Aspire has a “Map to 3D Surface” function but not sure if it’s the same?
Don’t think I’ve ever seen the “Map to 3D Surface” but I only have VCarve Desktop.
VCarve has “Project Toolpath onto 3D Model”. It will make the toolpath conform to the contours of the 3D Model that is selected with the toolpath. So it can achieve similar results to surface mapping, the only problem is that you need an stl file that models the surface you want to carve onto. To continue with the mouse example you would need an accurate stl file of the mouse. If you don’t have one modeling surfaces with compound curves can be rather hard IMHO.
You can do this with your LongMill just not using gSender. CNCJS has an extension that can do it. Found a video about installation and usage here. Bear in mind I have no experience in actually doing it myself.
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As far as printed circuit boards, Candle does it spot on. Just ran off a circuit board this morning.
Circuit boards is the only time I use surface mapping so I can only relate to that.
thank you sir, I believe I may be off on the pursuit of another idea 
Boy how things have come a long way. I remember making circutboards with markers. 
CNCs are only really good for larger pads and wider tracks. Anything smaller and the photo resist etc.methods are the way to go
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