Product Focus: GPS/Laser products

Construction laser is complete, easy to use
Agatec’s 220 laser combination kit includes a horizontal self-leveling laser, detector and tripod, making it a complete solo leveling system. One-touch electronic leveling and electronic field calibration also add to the product’s efficiency. The motor design yields long battery life – one month on two flashlight batteries. It also has a rechargeable battery so the user can operate and charge at the same time. Subsequent components include a dual display detector with rod bracket and a tripod kit that has a quick-attach leveling rod and carrying bag. Working range is 1,000 feet in diameter; accuracy is +/- 1/8 inch at 100 feet.

Laser boasts accuracy, stability
The Eagl 100, a new self-leveling laser from AGL, is accurate and stable in all environments. The manufacturer says extreme temperature changes will not cause the accuracy to fluctuate, as often happens with standard laser leveling systems. Features include one-touch electronic leveling in horizontal, a choice of alkaline or rechargeable battery packs and a mode for adverse conditions. Working range is 3,000 feet in diameter; self-leveling range is +/- 7 percent (+/- 4 degrees), and it will maintain its accuracy over the entire range. High-performance tilt sensors ensure precise self-leveling of +/- 1/22 inch at 100 feet.

Depth monitor uses laser receiver and is GPS ready
Ocala Instruments’ Ocalaser is a coupling of a rotating laser and a depth monitor. Based on the Apache Bullseye 5, the Ocalaser is an automatic laser receiver for the dipper stick that decreases rebenching time. The operator simply lifts the boom until the laser strikes the receiver, eliminating the need to adjust the receiver for each job. According to the company, it is the only wireless system on the market and the monitor is GPS ready. The control unit stores information on up to 20 excavators or attachments and can be transferred between machines in minutes.

Laser controls blade on earthmoving, grading machines
Apache’s Automatic Blade Control is a laser-based grade control system for various machines including dozers, skid steer loaders, box blades and scrapers. It can also be helpful in agricultural drainage and land leveling. Grade information from a rotating laser is processed by the Bullseye laser receiver mounted above the cutting edge of the blade. Bullseye models 5+, 5MC and 6 are designed for use with automatic blade control. The control box, mounted in the cab, is designed to work with most hydraulic valves. Adjustments can be made for accuracy from 0 to 1.50 inches in 1/10-inch increments.

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Excavators get flexible with laser-based grade-control system
Designed for excavation, trenching, grading and profile work, Trimble’s GCS600 grade- control system is an entry-level product designed for owner-operators or contractors. It can be easily installed, set up and used on excavators with standard buckets or tilt buckets. The laser-catcher feature allows the operator to work across a greater area and slope distance without returning to the initial benchmark. An operator can accomplish desired depth and slope without stakes or a grade checker, eliminating the need for a person to be near the excavator while it is in operation.

GPS technology achieves big ambitions on a budget
With its flexible onboard software, Leica Geosystems’ GPS900 RTK rover can be the solution for a variety of jobs including foundation and drainage work, alignment stakeout and topographic surveys. The components include a RX900 controller and an ATX900 GPS antenna, and one person can perform stakeout and topographic tasks. The GPS900 rover is lightweight and designed to reduce operator fatigue. The icon-based graphical software can be easily operated using the VGA touch screen.

Handheld laser range meter is measure of efficiency
Hilti’s family of laser range meters has a new addition – the PD 38. It provides quick and accurate measurements along with the ability to superimpose those measurements on a picture, store them in PocketExcel or draw scaled line drawings. The laser, which offers image sketching, allows users to show measurements directly on a picture and save it in a standard picture format. The PD 38 can be operated by one person. It can take and store measurements from up to 32 feet away and is accurate up to 11/16 inch on a simple measurement.

GPS+ technology sets new standard for rugged construction
Topcon’s GR-3 system is the world’s first all-inclusive satellite receiver for all existing and planned satellite constellations, according to the manufacturer. Its GPS+GLONASS receivers provide high signal acquisition, uptime and accuracy in diverse conditions. It is designed to withstand a fall on a range pole. The GR-3 has more than 12 hours of operation time made possible by dual, hot-swappable battery packs. The long range of spread spectrum radio can be extended to cover multiple jobsites.