Hi,

 I have been trying out the 3d probing plug in with the demo version of Mach3. The probing routine seems to work fine but when I look at the resulting .txt file there are two entries for each X,Y position. The only difference between the two entries is the Z axis reading which differs by .05mm exactly what I put in as the probe clearance in the 3d probing dialogue  ie:

11.50062,4.50000,-0.55875
11.60062,4.50000,-0.50875
11.60062,4.50000,-0.56000
11.60062,4.53937,-0.51000
11.60062,4.53937,-0.56062
11.50062,4.53937,-0.51063
11.50062,4.53937,-0.56187
11.40062,4.53937,-0.51187
11.40062,4.53937,-0.56250
11.40062,4.50000,-0.51250
 
I have slowed the feed rate down to 15cm per minute to avoid probe bounce. Everything is set up correctly (as far as I can tell) in the ports & pins config. The probe only shows one hit per contact on the diagnostics screen in Mach3     Any ideas ?

I reported this bug a month or so back, haven't heard if it's been fixed, or even looked at.

If you search the forum you should find a probing macro or plugin that someone wrote (can't remember) that does a horizontal (in the x-y plane) probe to create an outline of the part, then it can probe within that outline in the z direction.  There is video of it somewhere too, but you'll have to find it.  I'll give it a go and try to find it again when I get some time.

Monte