How To Maintain Surveying Equipment

Survey equipment, by its nature, needs to be highly accurate. For that reason, it’s incredibly delicate and requires regular maintenance and calibration to keep it in good working order.

Unfortunately, ensuring that survey equipment remains in a good state of repair is challenging. Surveyors and senior engineers often have to transport it for many miles on-road, leading to bumps, knicks and scrapes that can alter how it functions. What’s more, on-site handling can also lead to calibration problems.

Maintenance of Surveying Equipment Explained

In this post, we take a look at how to maintain your survey equipment. Here’s what to do:

Handle With Care

Manufacturers will often make claims that their survey equipment can survive drops from a certain distance. While this type of marketing sounds reassuring, it doesn’t always mean that you should put it to the test. Dropping equipment, regardless of vendor claims, will almost always damage it.

At Survey Tech, we recommend that you prioritise handling equipment with care. Ensure safe removal from any containers, and stow it in vehicles in a way that prevents rattling.

Ideally, you should transport all surveying equipment in a foam bin and then secure it in place with bungee cords during transit. Doing this should prevent any severe jerking movements or impacts. Also, don’t allow any accessories, such as batteries and chargers, to rub up against the main unit. Store them separately.

Avoid Dust, Heat and Moisture Exposure

As with other sensitive equipment, dust, heat and moisture can affect how survey equipment functions. Therefore, always carry it in manufacturer-approved cases.

If you can, try to set up your equipment so that heavy construction machinery and vehicles do not disturb it. Keep it out of the way of dirty exhausts or other areas prone to extreme conditions. If necessary, wait until the danger passes before use.

Keep Instruments Clean

Always wipe down your equipment after use using manufacturer-approved methods. Excess dirt and dust accumulation will alter how devices function and increase the risk of expensive survey equipment repair.

Keep Surveying Instruments Serviced and Calibrated

Regular calibration and servicing are essential for highly sensitive equipment, such as land surveying instruments. Follow the manufacturer’s schedule, and if you drop equipment, carry out special calibration testing to bring equipment back into line.

Care For The Battery Terminals

Lastly, care for your batteries. Battery terminals are prone to rust and corrosion, particularly in humid environments. Therefore, avoid leaving them inside units for extended storage periods.

Contact Survey Tech today for more help and guidance on maintaining your surveying equipment.

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