Introduction

What is Levelling?

The process of measuring levels of different points with respect to a fixed reference point

When do you come across Levelling on a building site?

Overall need for levelling

Safety/Statics

    Ponding on concrete surfaces can lead to water intrusion into the structure and can lead to static deficiencies

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Security

    Unlevelled surfaces can lead to tripping hazards

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Comfort

    Unlevelled surfaces can lead to reduced comfort feeling

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Optics/Aesthetics

    Speaks for itself

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Traditional Methods of Levelling

Tried, trusted and still on the jobsite

  • Chalk Lines​
  • Plumb Bobs or “Plummets”
  • Strings
  • Framing & T-Squares​​
  • Levels
    • Standard/Carpenter’s/Mason’s
    • Spirit
    • Line
    • Digital
  • Tape Measures to pull measurements​

Problems

  • Time Consuming
  • Labor Insentive
  • Accuracy (Re)Check

Today´s Solution

  • Using traditional with new methods
    • Time saving
    • Cost saving
    • Higher precision

History

How was levelling evolved

Water filled trench

Fluid liquids themselves are always levelled, especially if they are enclosed and can settle down. The Egyptians used this to build the baseplate for the pyramids by digging a rectangular trench around the building area and filling this with water. Everything sticking out above the water line of the trenches got removed, and a flat base could be created. Those days, they achieved an accuracy of 2cm, which is amazing by looking at the sheer size of the pyramids.

Manual levelling

In the ancient world, the archipendulum, sometimes also called mason´s level, was developed. It consists of a handheld triangular shaped construction with a plumbline suspended from the top vertex. If the triangle is isosceles, the plumb needs to be in the center of the bottom part.

Hose water level

With usage and invention of hoses, some other clever guy realized that water, filled in a hose, always lifts to the same level on both ends of the hose. The only restrictions are: There must be the right amount of water in the hose, and the ends of the hose need to remain open, at least for the time to level. This system has already been used hundreds of years ago, and there are still people using it, as it is very simple, but reliable.

Manual levelling with support of electronics

In 1661, Melchisédech Thévenot invented the first usable precursor of today’s known spirit levels by using enclosed liquids. He developped two banana-shaped capsules, it was relatively complicated to being handled. Later, the water in the capsules was exchanged to alcohol to improve frost resistance.

Spirit Level

In 1920 the design got improved to a minimal curved capsule which is still used in today´s spirit levels.

Self levelling active (sensor based)

By using sensors and electronics, the accuracy of a classic spirit level could be improved. Further it added additional possibilities by sensing slopes.

Invention of the LASER

The invention of the LASER (btw, this stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, in case you are interested) and in combination with a gravity-driven pendulum the first passive self-levelling tools could be developed. Such tools are often used indoors for a big variety of levelling application.

Combining spirit levels

Combining spirit levels as sensors and motors as actuators, active levelling systems could be invented. A motor mounted along one axis ensures together with some electronics that the bubble in the vial is in the correct position. Such systems are often used outdoors and can achieve a high accuracy over long distances.

High-end tools

At the upper end, there are high-end tools available, called theodolites or total stations. As we do not have them in our portfolio, they are just mentioned for completion.

User Benefit of Green Lasers

The green laser light has 100% of the visibility for the eye while the red laser light only has ~24%


Best for working in adverse light conditions (as compared to red beam products)

Use Cases Exterior Levelling

Excavation

  • Ensure a levelled and flat bottom surface by using a rotationlaser on a tripod and a receiver on a rod
  • Calculate slopes by using distance between rotation laser and receiver and height of receiver above ground

Excavation

Rebar

  • Use a rotation laser in horizontal orientation in combination with a receiver to make sure no rebar is sticking out too far, nor is placed too low
  • Use a rotation laser in vertical orientation in combination with a receiver to make sure no rebar is too close to the concrete form nor too far away
  • If a rebar is too close to the surface, humidity from the outside may reach the rebar, which would lead to corrosion and therefore expansion and therefore cracks in the concrete, jeopardizing the static stability

Rebar

Concrete pouring and levelling

  • Use a rotation laser on a tripod and a receiver on a rod to make sure the poured concrete is evenly spread and levelled (or at a certain slope if required)
  • If a slope is required, you can either do this with a levelled plane and moving the receiver on the rod up or down the further you get from the rotary laser, or you can use a rotary laser that is capable to project a sloped reference plane. With a sloped reference plane, the receiver can remain on the same height on the rod during the operation, which is less risk of mistake

Concrete pouring and levelling

Façade and window installation

  • To align all windows or façade elements over one floor, but also over several levels, a rotary laser can be used. Here it is important to have two receivers that communicate with the rotation laser and that are mounted along each axis of the rotation laser
  • Mount the rotation laser between the building structure and the scaffold in a vertical orientation
  • With a third receiver, the plane can be detected and the window frames or the façade fixing elements can be aligned accordingly

Façade and window installation

Garden Landscaping

  • To easily adapt the laser reference plane to environmental conditions, some tools come with a function called “centerfind”. In such case, the receiver is – directly next to the rotary on the tripod – mounted on exactly the same height. Then, after walking away to the target spot, the centerfind function can be started from the receiver. The Laser will slope automatically and search for the center of the receiver. Once hit, the laser will remain in this position and can be used as a reference plane. Further, the slope value will be displayed on the rotary laser and in the levelling remote app

Garden Landscaping

Use Cases Interior Levelling

Rough Construction

  • Suspended ceilings: set a benchmark from which to work by levelling horizontally with a line, plane or combination laser
  • Stud track: transfer the stud track to the ceiling with a point or combination laser, lay out control lines on the floor with a line or plane laser, check the squaring of the stud track with a point laser
  • Alignment of panels/tiles, door or window frames with a plane, line or combination laser

Rough Construction

Plumber/Electrician

  • Piping: level piping across a ceiling, fix draining pipes up a wall or suspend HVAC piping/ventilation and hangers with horizontal or vertical lines of a line or plane laser
  • Installation: transfer points from floor to ceiling to install fixations or transfer anchoring points from floor to ceiling for HVAC
  • Electrical: suspend lighting and anchors, install electrical switches, boxes or run electrical cable channels across a wall with a line or plane laser, transfer points from floor to ceiling to install anchors, can lighting or lighting fixtures, square cable channels on ceilings or walls using a point laser

Plumber/Electrician

Interior Finishing

  • Install cabinets and shelves, level counters or the flooring using a line or plane laser
  • Square a new room or island counter, install an extraction hood with a point laser
  • Layout your room and create reference lines for tiling floors or walls with a line laser

Interior Finishing

Laser Levelling Tool Types

Point

Projects three or five reference spots.
This is the right technology when:

  • a plumb point or reference point needs to be quickly and easily marked on a wall, ceiling or floor, for example installation of lights, cooker hoods, fire protection
  • the angular relationships in the room need to be determined
  • components are to be aligned horizontally or vertically

Cross-Line

Squaring is the intersection of two perpendicular lines to create a right or 90° angle, typically from ground to wall. Used in construction to verify that a structure is being built vertically straight. Projects vertical or horizontal lines forming four 90° angles, the square. Can be used for:

  • Overhead alignment for MEP (mechanical, electrical & plumbing) installs
  • Drop ceiling, HVAC and lighting installs
  • Cabinet installations
  • Wall coverings
  • Wall mounted objects

Combination

Combi lasers have horizontal and vertical laser lines and two centred plumb points.
They are being used for:

  • Leveling, aligning and plumbing tasks
  • Fire protection installation
  • Overhead lighting installation

Plane

Projection of 360-degree horizontal or vertical level line for full coverage. As it has intersecting 360° lines, it also forms perfectly plumb spots on the floor and ceiling and on opposite walls. Can be used for:

  • Installing windows
  • Installing furniture
  • Installing doors
  • and more

ROTARY

Rotary lasers are capable of projecting a beam which rotates horizontally around the laser tool, i.e. for practical purposes they are projecting a circular beam.

FAQ

Appliances for manual levelling are called point lasers.

Rotary lasers are capable of projecting a beam which rotates horizontally around the laser tool, i.e. for practical purposes they are projecting a circular beam.

Rotation also allows combinations with point and line mode by which one can project segments which can be rotated by 360°.