What would you do, if you had a laser distance meter to measure distance, instead of a regular measuring tape or wheel?The Fluke 421D, 416D and 411D laser distance meters measure distance to a target up to 100 m (330 ft) away using the unit’s laser spot, and can do a quick calculation of area (square feet/meters) and volume. Accuracy is up to 1.5 mm (1/16 in).

Fluke asked users for ideas on how to use a laser distance meter, and got back quite a few. We’ve collected 101 of the best.

Facilities: Layout  1. Provideaccurateestimates

forbiddingoutwork(HVAC,electrical,cable,main-tenance).Measuredistances,area,and/orvolume.

  2. Measureheightorwidthofbuildings1andotherobjects,bytriangulationifneeded.

  3. VerifyCADdrawingsforas-builtsanddesigndrawings.

  4. Determinehowsquarearoomorobjectreallyis,orwhetherthesidesarecom-pletelyparallel.

Application Note

F r o m t h e F l u k e D i g i t a l L i b r a r y @ w w w. f l u k e . c o m / l i b r a r y

101 applications for laser distance meters

Incrementalmeasurementsusingthestakeoutfeature(421Donly).

Measuringlongdistances.

Automaticallycalculatesquarefootage.

  5. Layoutparkinglots.  6. Verifythatnewconstruction

satisfiesusagerequirements.  7. Determinefootprintofequip-

mentorofficecubiclestobeinstalled,toaidinlayout.

  8. Createas-builtbuildingdimensionswherenoblue-printsareprovided.

  9. Calculatetotalinternalfloorspace/volumeofaroomorbuilding.

10.Measuredistancesoverareaswhereobstaclesinthewaydisallowtheuseofmeasur-ingtapesorwheels.

Facilities: Cranes11.Measuredistancesonroof1

toquoteoncraneliftneededforrooftopequip-mentreplacement.

12.Measureceilingheighttodetermineequipmentneededforaccess.

13.Quicklycalculatelengthofwireropeneededforcranes.

14.Setupcollisiondetectionforcraneswithoutpullingtapeandusingtwopeopleandtwoaeriallifts.

15.Measurespansonrunwaysforcranes.

1 Laser measurement outdoors can be compromised by direct sunlight.

2FlukeCorporation101applicationsforlaserdistancemeters

Facilities: Safety16.Measuredistances(includ-

ingceilingheights)toinstallemergencylighting,sprin-klers,andfireextinguisherstocode.

17.DetermineaccurateroomdimensionstoensurecorrectchemicalconcentrationforCleanAgentFireSuppressionsystem.

18.Measuredistancesfrommachinesforsafetyequip-ment(fireextinguishers,fireblankets,etc.).

19.Measurewaterlevelsinfiresuppressiontanks.

Facilities: Other20.Useinsettingupfloorsup-

portsinlargecommunicationrooms.

21.Measureroomdimensionstocalculatehowmuchpaintisneeded.

22.Measureroomdimensionstocalculatehowmuchfloorcoveringisneeded.

23.Measureheightforappropri-ateladderselection.

24.Documentlocationofstand-ingwaterorleaksfoundwithathermal(IR)imagerorinfraredthermometer.

Electrical: Cable25.Measuredistancesforlinear

lengthofwireorcableruns.26.Measuredistancesforlinear

feet/metersofconduitneededfornewinstallations.

27.Measureheightofhighvolt-agelinestomeetclearancerequirements.

28.Calculatetotallengthneededinsettingupwireassembliesandharnesses.

29.Measuredistancestocalcu-latevoltagedrops(inpowersupply).

30.Measuredepth,distanceofundergroundconduit.1

31.Determinelengthofwireavailableonhand.

32.Measuredistancesofunder-groundcable1fromvariouslandmarksorobstacles/knownhazards.

33.Whenlocatingundergroundcablewithatransmitter/sen-sortoolcombo,tracedowncableandshootbackwithdistancemeter.1

34. Locateundergroundcablefaults1usingtheA-framemethod.Telltheexactdis-tanceoffaultfromstartingpointwithouttapemeasureortrundlewheel.

Electrical: Ceiling/Floor35.Measuredistancestoobjects

withinhard-to-reachdropceilingstodetermineover-headcableruns,lineofsight.

36.Measureceilingheightandsquarefeet/meterstodeter-minerodlengthsfordropceilinginstallationandlight-ingfixtures.

37.Measuredistanceundersubfloorsorstructuresfornetworkingorothercableinstallations.

Electrical: Safety38.Measuredistancesfrom

powersystemdevices(trans-formers,etc.)forelectricalsafety/arcflashprotectionandpowerstudies.

Electrical: Other39.Measuredisconnectplace-

mentforspasandpools.40.Measuredistancesbetween

electricalservicepoles.41.Ascertaindistancearound

wallsforproperreceptacleplacementpercode.

42.Decidewheretoplacepowerdrops/connectionstothepowersupplyinmanufactur-ingfloorlayouts.

43.Measureelectricalroomsquarefeet/metersforregu-lationverification.

Industrial Maintenance: Conveyors44.Determineconveyorbelt

length(for/atinstallation).45.Calculateconveyorbelt

capacity,basedonlength.

Industrial Maintenance: Layout46.Measuredistancebetween

machinestoestimateheatloading.

47.Determineequipmentventilationrequirements(massairflow).

Industrial Maintenance: Tanks48.Checktanklevel2and

verifyaccuracyoftankleveltransmitters.

49.Measurewaterlevelatpowerplantwaterintake.

Industrial Maintenance: Other50.Checkcalibrationofauto-

matedproductshuttledistancesensors.

51.Alignlargeweldingfixtures.52.Determinethevolumeof

industrialovensusedinpowdercoating,etc.

Measuringheighttotallceiling.

1 Laser measurement outdoors can be compromised by direct sunlight.

2 Do not use laser measurement tools in the proximity of flammable materials.

3FlukeCorporation101applicationsforlaserdistancemeters

HVAC53.Measureroofheight1to

determinefluelengths.54.Calculateductlengths

forstaticpressuredroponlongruns.

55.Determineriseordropoverdistance,forpipedrainage.

56.Measuredistancesforductrunsforinstallationorreplacement.

57.Determineroomvolumeforcooling,airflow/exchangerequirements,sizingequipments.

58.Determineductruntype(size,forvolumerequirements).

59.Sizeductsfortraversals.60.Measuredistancesforair

handlerspacing.

Plumbing61.Determinedistancebetween

pumpsanddistancethepumpneedstopushliquid,todeterminepumpand/ormotorsize.

62.Determinedistanceforpumplinesandpipingruns,especiallywhenmeasuringpipelengthsbehindexistingwalls.

63.Measuredistancesbetweentowerdrivesforwaterpres-surecalculationsinirrigation.

64.Measurethesizeofayardtofigureoutsprinklerheadsrequired.

65.Measurecondensationlinesforinstallation/repair.

Construction66.Findhorizontallengths

(overhead)fordeterminingraingutter1length.

67.Measuredistancesfromroads1andpropertylinestocomplywithlocalbuildingcodes.

68.Determineamountsofstructuralmaterials(studs,plywood)neededforconstruction.

69.Determineinsulationrequire-ments(volumeneeded).

70.Determineoffsetsneededforsepticsystems.1

71.Determinetrench,holedepth.1

72.Determineamountofsheet-rocktocoversurfaces.

Lighting73.Findcenterpointofceiling

andotherkeylocationsforfan/lightinginstallation.

74.Determinelight/lumenrequirementsbasedonceilingheight,comparedtoelevationsofsuspendedlightingfixtures.

75.DeterminethenumberofpowersuppliesneededintemporaryLEDlightingapplications.

76.DeterminedistancefrompowersuppliesforLEDandlow-voltagelightingandotherelectronicloads.

77.Determinelengthtoaccesslightfixturesinhighceilingsformaintenance.

IT78.Determinenetwork

equipmentspacingincommunicationrooms.

79.MeasurereachanddistancebetweenwirelessnetworkelementsforITinstallationtechnicians.

Towers80.Estimateguy-cablelengths

forcelltowers.1

81.Setearthgroundsforcelltower;measuredistancefromgroundwhenconductingearth-ground3-polefallofpotentialtestsandsoilresis-tivitytests.1

82.Determinesafedistancefrommicrowavetransmittersoncelltowers.1

83.Measureheightofequipmentonutilitypolesinsurveyingforcelltowersites.1

84.Measureheightsoflinesandbracketsontransmissiontowersformaintenance.1

Solar85.Measureroofwidthandpeak

height1tocalculateroofpitchinestimatingoutputofsolarpanels.

86.Determineroofarea1forsolarpanelsizeestimates.

87.Documentlocationofshadinganalysis1forground-mountedPV(photovoltaic)array.

Calculatingequipmentfootprint.

1 Laser measurement outdoors can be compromised by direct sunlight.

2 Do not use laser measurement tools in the proximity of flammable materials.

4FlukeCorporation101applicationsforlaserdistancemeters

Automotive88.Calibrateon-boarddistance,

parking,andwarningsystems.

89.Setupastoppingdistancecoursefortraining/demon-strationandbraketests.

90.Checkforvehicleoversizeloadclearances.

Video, audio, and theatre91.Measuredistancesforcam-

eralensselection,focusandzoomsettings.

92.Figurelengthforvideoandcameracablecompensationcalculations.

93.Measureheightofvideoprojectorandscreenforcalculationoflumensandforpixelperinch/qualityofprojection.

94.Whenevaluatingaroomornewsystemdesign,calculateviewingangles,andaudio-basedpredictedcoveragemaps.

95.Measuretheheightofalightingpipetoraisetheatri-callightingtrussestospecificheightsabovethestageortheseats.

Biomed96.Verifysource-to-imagedis-

tanceswhenservicingX-rayequipment.

97.Verifydiscretemedicalequipmentdistancerequire-mentsaremetwhensystemsareinstalled.

Other98. Checkdistancefromobjects

forsettingthermalimagerrangesanddeterminingdistancetospotaccuracyoninfraredthermometers.

99. Determinedistancebetweensurveillancecamerasandsubjectstogetdesiredcoverage.

100. Measurefromatargettotheopticalmicrometermountedonanalignmenttelescopeforsetupsinacalibrationlab.

101. Continuouslymeasureauto-matedmovingequipmenttoverifycorrectlocation.

Fluke CorporationPOBox9090,Everett,WA98206U.S.A.

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For more information call:IntheU.S.A.(800)443-5853orFax(425)446-5116InEurope/M-East/Africa+31(0)402675200orFax+31(0)402675222InCanada(800)-36-FLUKEorFax(905)890-6866Fromothercountries+1(425)446-5500orFax+1(425)446-5116Webaccess:http://www.fluke.com

©2009FlukeCorporation.Specificationssubjecttochangewithoutnotice.PrintedinU.S.A.10/20093361276BA-EN-N

Modification of this document is not permitted  without written permission from Fluke Corporation.

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