Feature request - Multi point depth mapping

Community Support
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It would be really cool if there was a way to use the height sensor in the head to map the surface of a work piece and have the focus auto adjust to compensate for variations in the surface. Or in a more extreme case map the edge of a curved object to the same goal. It could also be an option to have the machine test 6 points across your work are and either give a warning if it goes out of range, or possibly a visual representation to help you eliminate errors before you hit the print button.

Same sort of thing when it comes to manual mesh bed leveling for 3d printers.

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Every adjustment in focus takes several seconds while the head is stationary. It can’t be performed on-the-fly.

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Depending on the error i think it could be. Or if you were doing a curve it could pause slightly between passes assuming the curve is parallel to x axis. Is there stats on how fast the unit focuses?

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Try it yourself. Break a single line and set different focus for each segment. It’s been a long time since I tested it, but it’s several seconds no matter how small the change.

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OK, I take it back. It has changed. The pause is momentary.

I had tested this when doing cut focus depth tests for thick materials. it took several seconds for each change. It went thru the whole “tick tick tick” thing each time.

I just tested again and it’s no longer the case.

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Yar i just tested it here, in 0.1" incitements and it seems to act faster towards the top between 0.3-0.5". If the change is not too drastic it could in theory be constantly adjusting the focus as it went.

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A 10" line took just under 4 seconds.
A 10" line in 3 segments took ~6 seconds, so ~1s per pause. 0.05" focus height changes,

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If i setup my 10" line here with 5 changes starting at 0.1 to 0.5 it takes 10 seconds at 500 speed and changing back and forth between 0.5-0.4 for those same steps reduces the time to 7 seconds. Back and forth between 0.1-0.2 it takes 12 seconds for the same line

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… so if following a profile with gradually changing height, it might be possible.

Now for the mapping/measuring process. That might take some time!

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Agreed, I think all the physical things needed to make it happen are there, just software part of it is the missing key. Could help with reliability of cuts and engrave density and all sorts of things.

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Wasn’t something like this one of the features touted during the crowdfunding period? Or am I just having my own mental fantasy?

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I thought so as well, they talked about being able to print on the curve of an ipad or mac if i remember right

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It can print on a curve, and does as we’ve all seen - but I believe it does so by having such a short focus - not by changing the focus as the curve goes. Basically if it were a 1" focal length you’d notice it getting out of focus, but less than 1/4" one way or the other is hardly noticeable.

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yar, i have seen that on the edge of some of my tiles as well, they will engrave over the edge but then the print will fade out as it loses focus

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This would definitely be a really cool feature to have; I’m sorry to say we don’t have anything like this to announce yet. But thanks for the suggestion! I’ll make sure the team gets it.

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