Accurate Distance Measurement

Ussuri · Jun 18, 2007

I am looking at measuring a length of 36m length pipe to accurately to within 5mm without access to a total station/EDM.

Is there any low tech way of doing it with a optical theodolite and a tape. And if so how acccurate could I expect to be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[pimp]

"The world keeps turning, it keeps me in my place; where I stand is only three miles from space"
Spiritualized

IRstuff · Jun 18, 2007

A laser rangefinder is one choice:

http://www.sickusa.com/gus/products/product_catalogs/industrial_sensors/distancesensors/en.html

Triangulation with a theodolite is possible, but tricky, since your distance accuracy is near the typical angular acuracy at 10 m distance.

Have you thought about using a steel tape?

TTFN

FAQ731-376

flamby · Jun 20, 2007

I think you can use steel tape as IR proposes. Measure several times and cut at average point. Statistically, you should be close to your tolerance if number of observations is large enough.

Ciao.

Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

Accurate Distance Measurement

Ussuri

Civil/Environmental

IRstuff

Aerospace

flamby

Structural

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor