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What are the differences between Theodolite and Total Station?
Concept about Theodolite
Theodolites are capable of measuring horizontal and vertical angles. Two different types of Theodolites are available, in which the original style of this instrument has been used for the past 100 years and the modern type of Theodolites, which are battery-powered and help to display the angle readings on the screen. Theodolite helps to measure the distance between the points that the surveyor needs to use triangulation to calculate the point.
This instrument is appropriate for the builders, landscapers, and fencers who need to turn angles, which helps to ensure that the lines are square or straight to boundaries on site.
Advantages of using the Theodolite
One of the most effective advantages of the Theodolite is the learning curve of this instrument for new users because there are fewer functions to learn. Theodolite offers more affordability and simplicity. This instrument is more budget-friendly as compared to the other instruments. In addition, this instrument also requires two surveyors which helps to foster teamwork as well as the cross-checking of the measurements.
Concept about Total Station
A total station combines horizontal and vertical angle observations as well as electronic distance measurements. These two functions of the total station help to enhance the productivity and capabilities of the land-related professionals and surveyors. This instrument enables professionals to work more accurately and efficiently, as with the help of this instrument, the professionals avoid measuring long distances with steel bands. The total station also allows for the measurement and observation of the stores. This instrument is useful for working on the geographic coordinate systems. The advanced programs of the total station allow the surveyors to set out design locations on site, as well as measure to a calculated design surface and compute columns in the fields.
Advantages of using the Total Station
There are numerous advantages of using the total station in a construction site, which are as follows:
- The total station has been able to be operated by one person.
- This instrument helps to get fast and accurate measurements with the help of the reflectorless technology.
- A suite of programs has been installed in this instrument which enhances the applications and capabilities of this instrument.
- The robotic total station has been used by the surveyors, which allows them to work faster.
Key differences between Theodolite and Total Station
Productivity and efficiency
In terms of productivity and efficiency, the total station is unrivaled. The data handling and automation features of the total station help to streamline the surveying procedure. In addition, the remote functionality and the robotic operations of this instrument allow for the accurate measurement, which helps to save time for the surveyor as well as helps to reduce the labour cost as compared to the Theodolite.
Precision in surveying
Precision is paramount during surveying a construction project. The telescope-like setup of Theodolite has been designed for measuring the vertical and horizontal angles with more precision and accuracy than a total station. The accuracy level of the Theodolite has a range up to 20 seconds of arc, which is appropriate for the small-scale projects.
Data collection and data processing
The total station helps to streamline the workflow of the surveying procedure through automating the data collection and data processing procedures. The traditional Theodolite requires manual recording of measurements. On the other hand, the total stations collect and store the collected data digitally, as a result, there is less chance of errors occurring as compared to the traditional Theodolites.
This helps to turn around the project faster as compared to the Theodolite. With the help of the total station, the in-field data handling procedure becomes a breeze, as a result, the surveyor can analyse as well as transfer data without any kind of delay.
Thus, the total station helps to ensure that the timeline of the construction project is met efficiently. The total station also has a computerised system which helps to reduce the requirement for manual labour. The real-time data processing ability of the total station also allows for quick adjustments as well as helps to make efficient decisions regarding the project.
Cost factors
Total station comes with a higher upfront cost than the Theodolite, though the value and the accuracy of this instrument act as a game changer in the construction project.
The total station helps to assess the long-term returns against the initial investment. This is important while selecting the right equipment for the surveying procedures.
