White Paper: Trimble SX12 Tracking and Target Separation

All Trimble total stations use Autolock® technology to find, track, and lock onto prisms.

The Trimble SX12 scanning total station uses a digital camera-based system for its Autolock implementation. One major advantage of the SX12’s camera-based system is that it can better differentiate between multiple reflections within the tracker field of view. This means that when aiming to permanent target installations, the SX12 requires a smaller prism separation than what’s possible with analogue trackers. Similarly, when tracking, the SX12 is able to continue following the currently locked target---even when one or more undesired reflective objects come into view of the tracker.

Some key takeaways from this downloadable White Paper:

• The tracker, EDM and telecamera are all coaxial
• Minimum prism separation depends on prism size and range. The images of two targets need to be separate on the detector for the tracker to interpret them as two targets.
• The SX12 has good target separation capabilities: about 40 mm center-to-center at close distances, and 85 mm at 100 m.

Download the complete white paper to dive deeper.

Authors:

• Christian Graesser, Distinguished Engineer
• Mikael Nordenfelt, Distinguished Engineer
• Chantal Jorawsky, Product Manager