AAR563 ENGINEERING SURVEYING

ASSIGNMENT 1
AUTOMATIC LEVEL AND TILTING LEVEL

NURUL HASINA BINTI MOHD FUAD

NUR HIJR NAJEEHA BINTI JAMAR
EMIR ADAM BIN ZAIDI
AMIRUL HAFIZ BIN SHAHRIL

2014620832

AUTOMATIC LEVEL
An Auto Level is a Professional Leveling Tool used by Contractors, Builders, Land Surveying
Professionals, or the Engineer who demands accurate leveling every time. AutoLevels set up
fast, easy to use , and save money.
Auto-Levels are great for Fence Builders, Foundation Installers, Deck Builders, Landscaping
Pros, Swimming Pool Builders, Home Builders, Roadwork Jobs, Excavations and More. Auto
Levels require to level the instrument by hand, but the only requirement to get the bubble within
the black circle on the bubble vial, from there the internal compensator takes over and precisely
levels itself.

STRUCTURE OF THE INSTRUMENT

HANDLING OF THE INSTRUMENTS

When preparing to set up an automatic level, it is important to make sure you have the right
tripod. It is important to place the level directly on the tripod head after removing the level from
the carrying case. If the level is placed elsewhere, it could cause serious damages to the
instrument. After placing it on the tripod, the next step is bolting the instrument onto the tripod
base. At this time, it is safe to remove the protective lens covers and place them in the carrying
case. After these steps, the mounting process is finished. You should close and store the
carrying case out of the way of other workers or tools.

Make sure that the tripod is stable and securely planted before starting the leveling
process. It is important to do this step to make sure the instrument will not tip over while
doing the leveling process.

Make sure that the attachment between the automatic level and the tripod is secure.

Make sure that the leveling screws are not too tight against the leveling base plate

Place the telescope in a position that is parallel to two of the three leveling screws. Place
the two screws between your thumb and forefinger on each hand.

Turn both screws simultaneously in opposite directions and watch the bubble in the
leveling vial. The bubble will follow the left thumb.

Once the bubble is centered, place the last leveling screw between your thumb and
forefinger. Once this leveling screw is in place, center the bubble in the bulls-eye circle.

Rotate the telescope 180 degrees. If the bubble does not stay in the center of the bulls-eye
circle, repeat these steps again.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF AUTOMATIC LEVEL

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

Versatile. Automatic levels vary. Each one is

designed for a specific use.

human mistakes (parallax error )

One of the main advantages of automatic

levels is an unrivalled degree of accuracy

Expensive tools

Reliable .Manual measures are prone to make

mistakes. Especially older levels.

Fragile

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DUMPY & AUTOMATIC

DUMPY LEVEL

AUTOMATIC LEVEL

dumpy level,for levelling of bubble

first u have to keep bubble parallel to two
levelling screws
and then right angle to third screw.

For an auto level,bubble can be adjusted from

any angle and
from any side

as in case of dumpy level staff is inverted so

that we have to adjust the readings
accordingly.
dumpy level we have to adjust the bubble level

auto level readings are actual as staff seen

from the eye piece is straight
auto level there comes a internal compensator
mechanism (a swinging prism) which takes
care of adjusting the line of sight, so no need
of leveling the bubble

REFERENCES
http://www.jigsawcambs.org/images/step%20by%20step%20guide%20to%20dumpy%20level
%20survey.pdf
http://www.ebay.com/gds/5-Reasons-Why-Automatic-Levels-are-Worth-theInvestment-/10000000177634165/g.html
http://www.mobilecadsurveying.co.uk/what-is-a-level
http://www.tradesurvey.co.uk/blog/index.php/2013/11/4-advantages-of-automatic-levels/
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_dumpy_level

An Auto Level is a level with a compensator.

Auto Level Setup
1. Setup your tripod as level as possible, step on tripod legs to drive into the ground.
2. Attach auto level to the tripod.
3. Adjust level so bubble is centered in vial.
4. Adjust recital until crosshairs are clear.
5. Adjust the objective lens until object you are sighting on is clear.

Care of Auto Levels

If the instrument becomes wet leave it unpacked. Wipe down instrument, clean and dry transport
case. Pack up instrument only when it is perfectly dry. Never touch the glass with fingers, use
soft clean lint-free cloth to clean lens.

Checking Auto Level Accuracy

1. Set up instrument in an area that is as level as possible and which is about 220 feet long. Place
two matching level rods or two pieces of strapping in the ground about 200 feet apart with the
faces toward each other. Position and level the instrument so that the distance from the
instrument to each rod is the same measure.

2. Take a reading on each rod with the instrument (or mark each piece of strapping where the
crosshair is sighted).
3. Move transit to another spot on the line and take readings and mark both rods again.
4. The difference between the marks on the rod will be the error of the instrument.The error
needs to be corrected by a competent repair technician.

TILTING LEVEL
Levelling Instruments
Surveying Instrument Collection
Maker

Wild, Heerbrugg (Switzerland)

Model

NK2

Serial Number

136801

Dimensions

Telescope length 195mm, Width 120mm, Height 140mm

Image

Description

This Wild NK2 tilting level is an accurate, quick to use

instrument for top quality work. The telescope features 26x
magnification with an inverted bright image permitting staff
readings of high accuracy. It also features a reversible tubular
level and telescope, which allows the divergence between the
line of collimation and the bubble tube axis at two staff readings
(180 apart) to be automatically eliminated by taking the mean
of the two readings.
This particular model, is fitted with a horizontal circle to allow
it's use for setting-out angles and for tacheometric surveys in
reasonably level terrain, and the reading microscope is situated
to the right of, and below, the telescope. The glass circle is
divided into degrees, each degree being numbered, sub-division
of the same being made by a secondary scale with 6 intervals
for 360 degree division. The lowest long line of the scale is the
index. The scale serves for accurate reading of the distance
between the index line and the division line of the circle
crossing the scale. One interval of the scale amounts to 10
minutes and single minutes are read quickly and accurately by
estimating tenths of the scale interval.
The level features a high-performance telescope with coated
optics, internal focusing, and stadia lines for distance
measurement. The controls (fine drive, bubble and circle
readings) are sited to place them within easy reach of the
observer.
The main disadvantage of tilting levels is that before each
reading is made, the tubular bubble must be set correctly. This is

due to the absence of a compensator. The precision of a 1km

double levelling run is quoted as 2mm. The sensitivity of the
level bubble is 30"/2mm and the accuracy of levelling the line
of sight is 0.75".

History &
comments

There is no historical information available.

Conservation

In metal container (L 230mm, W 140mm, H 180mm)

Condition

Good condition (well maintained)

Remarks

Dates

Weight of instrument and metal case is 2.04 kg and 1.70

kg respectively

Inverted telescope image

Inscription "Wild Heerbrugg Switzerland NK2-136801"

School Store No: L50

Thanks to J. Dedual for providing the manufacturing year

Catalogued by F. Pall

Manufactured in 1964. Catalogued in 2000 and 2005

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In case of tilting level, it is not essential that the vertical axis of the instrument should be truly vertical. Therefore, the
first fundamental relation is not required to be satisfied.
The second fundamental relation is being tested and if necessary, adjusted as given in case of dumpy level.
The third fundamental relation is tested and if necessary, adjusted as given in case of dumpy level, with following
modifications after Step 3.
Step 4: The tilting screw is used to bring the line of sight to intersect the distant staff at d'.
Step 5: The bubble is then brought to the centre by means of the capstan screws on the bubble tube.
Step 6: The test and adjustment is repeated till the bubble remains central when the staff reading is d'.
Note:
In case of a dumpy level, the line of sight is moved by adjusting the diaphragm but in case of tilting level bubble is
centred by adjusting capstan screws on the bubble tube.
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