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by Peter Brett - May 2009
Only Professionals Need Apply?
How high is the highest ride on the end of Brighton Pier? Could you get an accurate measurement in a minute or two without going closer than 30 metres of it? You can now - just use a Leica DISTO™ D8. I got a few strange looks while trying it, but my measurement conformed to that of the ride’s engineer.Those in the know have got used to the idea that Leica Geosystems have a relentless pace of innovation that results in a stream of products, each seemingly more capable than the last. In my view, it seems as though the competition in laser measuring devices is centred firmly at Leica and others barely get a look in. Not that long ago I was impressed with the functions that had been squeezed into the Leica DISTO™ D5, but with the launch of the DISTO™ D8, “impressed” simply can’t describe the capabilities and functionality possible from a hand held laser device. At the launch, several people muttered to me, as they used the D8, that you need a degree to use one, and indeed this may be the case. But that would be to miss the point. The DISTO™ D8 is unashamedly aimed at the high-end market where largely degreed and professionally trained people can use all of its potential to speed up their work and make presentation to clients easier, cheaper and more professional.
The DISTO™ D8 is the same size as the D5 and has all the functions of that device. These include, single and double Pythagoras calculations, trapezium and triangulation calculations as well as stake-out measurements. Since I have written about these before, I won’t go in to how they work, except to say that many “professional measurers” would be happy with just those functions. However, with the DISTO™ D8 new heights of complication have been programmed in to make it work alongside some of the other Leica Geosystems (and non-Leica) devices available.
For a start there is a BLUETOOTH(r) function that allows the DISTO™ D8 to download up to 30 measurements into a compatible device. Using Leica Geosystems approved software available, it is possible to literally draw a plan on a screen and watch it take shape as each measurement is entered.
I watched two of these programs being demonstrated and it was clear to me that they can save a huge amount of time and paper. With accurate measurements being inputted from the DISTO™ to the computer via BLUETOOTH®, the possibility of human input errors is also much reduced.
The first of these programs is from miniPLAN software. It comes in two versions, one straightforward, the other more advanced (GO! And PRO!) All the user needs to do is to sketch out a plan in rough on a mobile computer, then measure up accurately with the DISTO™ and watch as the software adjusts the sketch to fit the real dimensions to make an accurate plan. This plan can then be exported into a AutoCAD® package that can then be used to add detail, calculate areas and volumes and then be exported to the client. The miniPLAN PRO has templates for details like toilets, basins, baths etc that can be added at the click of a mouse.
Graebert SiteMaster is another Leica Geosystems approved set of software linked to the DISTO™. The SiteMaster is many ways more sophisticated than miniPLAN, but aimed at a different audience of professionals. It too will draw out wall plans and ensure that they are accurate by checking that the walls will meet up for example, but its extra, and therefore more costly, features means that it can be used to draw up fire safety plans for example as well as providing a complete survey record for future reference when changes in the building may need to be made.
I was also introduced to the Leica SmartPole. To me just a complicated box of tricks, but to the skilled operator it is a GPS-based surveying device that can be combined with the D8 to produce detailed surveys of just about any area you choose. I watched as the demo operator produced a detailed screen sketch of a series of lampposts and trees down a stretch of road by a simple process of triangulation and measurement using the DISTO™ linked by BLUETOOTH® to the SmartPole finding hidden points where the satellite signal was weak.
The one key feature of the DISTO™ D8 I was able to fully appreciate and use was digital colour point finder with 4X zoom. This is used to aim the laser pointer when finding remote heights, distances, slopes and areas. What is different from the D5, is that the D8 has a 360 degree inclination sensor which makes it possible to measure distances over obstacles or without a reflection point. With the 360 degree tilt you can measure to the base of a building, a tree or even the ride at Brighton Pier for example and then use the tilt sensor in a vertical plane to measure any heights of your object. The device is worth its weight in gold just for this function only, especially with all the working at height regulations.
From the comfort of my office I was able to measure the chimney heights of all my neighbours’ houses, as long as I used a tripod to ensure a stable platform for the DISTO™.
I also managed, and I admit to some experimentation here, to measure the slope angles of the roofs of the houses across the road. It takes only two measurements, the top and the bottom of the roof, and the DISTO™ calculates the angle automatically - No climbing up ladders or costly safety platforms, you can keep your feet firmly on the ground!
Surveying ground slopes onsite is now possible with the D8 too. A tripod mounted DISTO™ can record measurements and relative heights using a reflector plate to create a profile of the lie of the land that can be downloaded onto a survey map.
With its price tag of £599 even Leica Geosystems might admit that the DISTO™ is not cheap. But used to its full potential by surveyors, contractors and top end building professionals, it will soon justify its purchase price by saving time and effort. And the truth is, there is no competition from any other measuring device at the moment.
Leica Geosystems has generously given one lucky reader the chance to own a DISTO™ D8. All you have to do is submit to ToolBusiness+ Hire your estimate of the maximum height of the tall ride shown here as measured from the deck of Brighton Pier, where it is located. Whoever is adjudged closest will win, (judges decision will be final). Good Luck!
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