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02/07/2023

Leica Lino L6G and DISTO D2 - The measurement solution for fire protection

By cornelia.dietz

Customer Story: Leica Lino L6G and DISTO D2
The measurement solution for fire protection

Company
Bach Heiden AG, 9410 Heiden, Switzerland

The challenge
Ensure precise alignment over distances of up to 25 meters
Measure existing construction tolerances

The solution
Check height levels (height markings) using the Lino L6G's distinct, green laser lines
Check room heights and distances using the DISTO D2

The result
Highly visible, razor-sharp laser lines from one station point
Accurate, reliable measurement
Superb data transmission
Precisely manufactured fire protection components
No component reworking necessary during installation

Nick Zimmer, Project Manager

Nick Zimmer, Project Manager, QA Fire Protection at Bach Heiden AG

The company
Modest yet ambitious. Bach Heiden is a humble carpenter's workshop. And a company that drives innovation. A contradiction? Not at all. Bach Heiden means people who are passionate about their craft and have the ambition to make the impossible a reality when it comes to fire protection solutions and CNC technology. The result: Solutions tailored to the highest requirements of design. These solutions may not always be visible, but when you see them, you know that they are something special. Bach Heiden primarily specializes in both public buildings, such as schools, clinics, care facilities, or retirement homes, as well as industrial buildings.

Bach Heiden develops and manufactures fire protection components, like fire protection doors and gates, that are effective and yet keep a low profile. What do they like more than anything? When you can't see their work. In other words, being visibly invisible.

Nick Zimmer is a trained carpenter and completed his degree in carpentry and interior fitting in Biel. At Bach Heiden, he works as a project manager, supervising various construction projects from start to finish. He always has to stay one step ahead of the curve to make sure that everything runs smoothly. He faces new challenges every day, and there are always unexpected situations to deal with at the worksite.

The architecture of the new clinic in the greater Zurich area utilizes light and wood to create a pleasant atmosphere for patients. Different rooms are created in an interior corridor with EI60 fire barriers around the inner courtyards of the individual building complexes. The clinic’s fire protection system features wood and glass in a functional yet attractive design that also complies with applicable standards.

The challenge
EI60 is a very high fire protection rating that poses a significant challenge in terms of building design and construction, especially when combined with noise protection requirements. To be specific, the number in EI60 indicates how many minutes a component – e.g., a wall, door, or glass panel – must be able to withstand a fire. In this case, 60 minutes. Because the noise protection requirements are so high here, the construction has to be airtight and every component must fit together precisely.
This means that measurements must be accurate to within a millimeter. Alignments must be determined over up to 25 meters, ceiling deflections must be found, and construction tolerances must be measured. Then the fire protection components are pre-fabricated and installed on site.

Workflow
Nick Zimmer uses Leica Geosystems instruments to perform measurements. The 3x360° Lino L6G multi-line laser enables him to check alignment at long distances with precision. This bright green laser is perfect for large dimensions like this since the thin, vivid laser lines are so easy to spot. In addition, green laser lines are four times more visible to the human eye than red laser lines.

L6G and tablet

This project manager especially appreciates how user-friendly the Lino is, since it has so few controls. Furthermore, this device also continuously aligns itself to be exactly horizontal, and the Leica TRI 120 tripod lets you place laser lines wherever you need them. It also includes a battery pack, which is charged beforehand while the device is operated.

The Leica Lino makes it easy to check height levels (height markings). You can also transmit benchmarks and check pre-assembled components. Furthermore, the height of the floor already installed is precisely measured from the desired height level.
Height levels are checked, one after the other, using the Lino and a measuring stick. In this way, Nick Zimmer checks whether they are level, records the differences, then goes on to measure the overall dimensions using the DISTO D2. Next, he checks the master builder’s preparatory work to determine whether components that were already installed, e.g., walls, really perpendicular or possibly slanted or even conical to each other.

He uses the Leica DISTO D2 to measure the room height at several points for verification purposes. At least 3 dimensions are recorded on one axis so that the construction tolerances can be determined during measurement.

When a situation comes up repeatedly, the dimensions are sent over Bluetooth® to an Excel list on a laptop at the worksite. This means that notes do not have to be transferred to a computer in the office, which is often tedious and time-consuming. Moreover, there are fewer typos and misunderstandings. Combined with the clever Leica DISTO Plan app, workflows can be streamlined even further.

Zimmer measuring D2

“The ability to take such exact measurements in this dimension range is invaluable to us. Now we can do the entire production process in our workshop and do not have to take any new measurements or adjust any elements during assembly,” Nick Zimmer is pleased to report.

The fire protection components are manufactured at its production center in Heiden, Switzerland using 5-axis machining for the highest precision, meaning that there is no reworking necessary during installation at the worksite.

Because the laser lines are now outside the device, the new Lino L6G is also a great help when installing walls, doors, and windows. The overlapping cross can be projected on the vertical line and 90° line next to the device. This enables the user to align intersections on a building without having to place the Lino directly on the building component. The rotary knob is used to manually adjust the Lino's laser lines via the eccentric.

L6G L6G line laser

Before the Lino
Bach Heiden used to work with spirit levels, cord, and plumb line. All of these have now been replaced by the Lino. This new multi-line laser is able to perform the function of each of these 3 different tools. Bach Heiden has been working with lasers for over 10 years, and the experience has always been positive. It is much more precise, especially when aligning over long distances.

Efficiency
“We are very satisfied with Leica's instruments. They guarantee the accuracy we need, which is a must-have in our trade, and they increase our efficiency,” Nick Zimmer is happy to add.
The products they use for surveying must be accurate, reliable, self-levelling, and require little calibration or maintenance. Which is exactly what we at Leica Geosystems provide.

Dimensional measurement of pre-assembled items
Dimensional measurement of pre-assembled items

Installation of fire protection components
Installation of fire protection components

Fully-assembled fire wall with glass elements
Fully-assembled fire wall with glass elements