Hi Peter,
What I am saying is that I haven't tried autolleveler or g-code ripper yet. And I am not sure if there is a way on both of them to make a tool change without having to re-scan, the surface.
I haven't used Gcode Ripper so cannot comment on that but I have used Autoleveller a lot. I have only experimented
with Surface Map only sufficiently to get a feel for how it works.
If you use AutolevellerAE per my recommendation then it will create a Gcode routine to probe the surface prior to any
engraving. The data that results from that probing sequence is stored in a file and if you like gives what amounts to
a topographic map of the surface. It also generates a colour map of the surface to give you a feel for the flatness
or otherwise of the surface.
When you apply the Autoleveller correction routine to the Gcode of your engraving file is re-writes the Gcode with subtle
changes in the Z axis to reflect the underlying surface. If you need to run two engraving files to complete the job
then both would be processed similarly without probing in between.
Some of my PCB routing files require multiple tools (wear and breakage). This can be accommodated by Autoleveller as there
is one reference location that you can jog to and touch off a new tool before restarting the job to carry on from where the
previous tool failed.
Surface Map is only slightly different. The surface is probed and stored in Mach. All subsequent moves are made with the Z
axis datum going up and down automatically. If you need to run two files that's fine, the sbtle variations in the Z datum
are the same for both files, no need to probe in between.
I would recommend mounting the probe in the spindle chuck. Otherwise your probe point will be displaced from the position the
tool will be in when the job runs. Its a pain taking the tool out, fitting the probe, running the probe file and then refitting
the tool, but that's the way it has to be.
Craig