TOTAL STATION

A total station is an optical instrument commonly used in construction, surveying and civil engineering. It is useful for measuring horizontal angles, vertical angles and distance — it does this by analyzing the slope between itself and a specific point. A high-quality total station camera combines surveying, imaging and high-speed 3D scanning into one precise and reliable instrument. It blends the latest field technologies with advanced technical features to create a tool that is trusty and dependable in demanding field situations while producing accurate results for analysis and engineering.

 

·        Total stations often contain a few different components:

·        Electronic transit theodolite

·        Electronic distance meter (EDM)

·        Microprocessor

·        Electronic data collector and storage system

·        Operators often use total stations with additional equipment as well, including tripods, tribrachs, reflector poles and prisms.

 

Using total stations for measurements provides several unique advantages:

Accuracy: How accurate is a total station? Total stations are highly accurate — to a fraction of an arc second as well as measure distances to hundredths of a foot over thousands of feet.

Ease of use: Total stations are easy and intuitive to use. They can take simultaneous distance and horizontal measurements, and they make it easy to calculate coordinates. So, operators can spend more of their time and energy on critical engineering and analytical problems that demand their attention.

Speed: Total stations collect information quickly, so operators can get in and out of the field efficiently.

Convenience: Total stations offer quick and convenient setup. With a total station, an operator can take multiple surveys from one location.

Effortless CAD interface: It’s easy to download survey data to a computer-assisted drawing (CAD) program to avoid time-consuming data manipulation.

What Are the Types and Features of Total Stations?

How many types of total stations are there? There are a few different types of total stations, each with unique features for use in various applications.

Mechanical total stations: Mechanical total stations are reliable and accurate, and they make surveying quick and easy. They do not offer remote control operation or automated features, however, and operation typically requires two people.

Robotic total stations: These total stations allow for more technological convenience. They offer extended remote control abilities, they need only one operator, and they allow for increased safety in challenging terrain because of their unique ability to operate at a distance.

Prism total stations: Both mechanical and robotic total stations come in prism models. Prism models are more traditional than reflector-less models, and they are still more commonly used. They use prisms to reflect infrared waves and then determine angles and distance by measuring the prism’s location.

Reflector-less total stations: Both mechanical and robotic total stations come in reflector-less versions, as well. These newer models of total stations are useful for taking measurements in challenging circumstances. They can work in difficult terrain or in places you can’t reach on foot, and they don’t require the use of a prism.

So, what are the features of a total station? Total stations also offer many different features to enhance their usefulness in different applications, such as:

·        Superior EDM for high accuracy and long-range prism measurements.

·        High-accuracy scanning and scanning range technology.

·        High-resolution site imagery technology.

·        Imaging solutions like video robotic control and photogrammetric measurements.

·        Integrated surveying with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers.

·        Seamless field-to-office integration with software for data processing, analysis and use.

·        Optional solutions for locating lost or stolen equipment.

 

How Are Total Stations Used?

How is a total station camera used on the job site? Surveyors and civil engineers can use total stations to assess topography, record existing natural features, or plan for buildings, roads and land boundaries. These impressive and accurate instruments are also useful in mining, meteorology, archaeological digs, forensic investigations and building information modeling (BIM).

Total stations are particularly useful for performing functions like these:

 

·        Topographic surveys

·        Land and title surveys

·        Roadway and corridor surveys

·        Design surveys

·        Infrastructure surveys

·        Volumetric surveys to measure stockpile volumes

·        Power line inspections

·        Utility design surveys

·        Crash scene investigations

·        Crime scene investigations

·        Mine and quarry surveys

·        Tank calibration or inspection

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